Newport RI,

Monday 29 October 2012

11:45 eastern.

Just went for a ride around town, out to Sail Newport, Narragansett Ave. at The 40 Steps and back. Town is largely eerily quiet. Basically everything is closed especially along Thames street. The right turn to Wellington ave, at Team One is blocked off although it is possible to get onto Wellington Ave by other routes. Ocean Drive is blocked off at Castle HiIl and likewise Harrison Ave, next to the Golf Club. I did not try any of the other routes- The wind is from the NE so the ferocity will be limited to the ground swell.

Fort Adams/Sail Newport is generally pretty empty except for the keel boats in the fenced off boat park. The eastern lot where the Lasers and V15’s live is pretty empty except for a couple of I-14’s and 49’ers that have capsized on their trailers. Several cars were outside the SN offices. I recognized them as belonging to the Staff.

I drove back along Wellington ave., which will be under water at the next high tide, about 2023 this evening, the breeze was coming on in a significant way, solidly over 40 with higher gusts.

Last stop was the 40 Steps at Narragansett Ave. Several cars were lined up with the passengers having a look at the conditions and several Salve kids getting wet in the light, misty spray of a rain. When I pulled up there was a Newport Police Supervisor SUV there. A second police car arrived and all three officers got our,  put their yellow vests on, with purpose and hustled off to the south along Cliff Walk. I got in the car and drove home….

Some images from this foray:

The view from the top of The 40 Steps. I reckon the swell is around 12-14 feet. As always a picture does not do justice to the actual conditions.

Looking north across the entrance to the M.O.Y. small boat basin

Seagulls hunkered down at the north end of Ft. Adams-Looking to the N and Rose Is. Wind is about 40 from the NE….

The situation at the Alofsin Basin at Ft. Adams, 3 hours after high tide….

View from Howard Wharf at the Vanderbilt Condos dock, looking to the NW over to Newport Shipyard

Newport Harbor looking to the SW across to Ft. Adams from Howard wharf at the Vanderbilt condos. Artemis is to the south of Whitehawk, or maybe Ti. Rebecca is to the north a bit.

This just in from Ralf Steitz, the very salty Head Offshore Guy at Kings Point concerning the Bounty situation. Not good, at least for two crew

It is blowing a solid 45 outside my window now. A tree just fell in the woods south of me… Looks to be a long couple of days

More as it happens.