Jeff and I have just returned from our niece's wedding, which was held on Old Silver Beach on Cape Cod. This event gave us the excuse to tack on a few extra days and tour the northeastern part of the United States. Cape Cod was everything we had dreamed it would be, that is, pristine white sand lapped by a sparkling ocean. Our room faced west so upon arrival, we opened it to the sea breeze and flooded our room with sunshine. Shortly thereafter, the sun deepened and glowed into a fiery skyscape as the sun sank below the horizon.

After the wedding festivities, we were off to experience America's heritage. Our first stop was The Breakers in Newport, the most-visited attraction in Rhode Island. The Breakers was the 70-room, 138,000 square foot "summer cottage" of New York Central Railroad President Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The home was designed by renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt and was constructed between 1893 and 1895 at the unbelievable cost of over seven million dollars! The Vanderbilt family only spent eight weeks a year in their "cottage".

Our next stop was Hyannis one of the seven villages of Barnstable. In 1602, Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold was the first of the Old World explorers to view the area now known as Hyannis. The early settlers were primarily farmers who turned toward the sea. Over 200 shipmasters had established dwellings in Hyannis and "the Port" by 1840.

We sailed away from Hyannis Harbor/Lewis Bay on a high-speed ferry and arrived in Nantucket. Washed by the Atlantic Ocean, with beaches and water incredibly clear and sparkling, Nantucket has a history of seafaring greatness. For 100 years, this was the greatest whaling center in the world and little modern construction has encroached on the charm and beauty of this unique town with its cobblestone streets. This is an unforgettable island!

Next we were off to Provincetown, known to locals as P-Town. The Pilgrim Monument, which commemorates the "first landing" of the Mayflower Pilgrims in Provincetown on November 21, 1620, is the tallest all-granite structure (252 feet) in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Provincetown Harbor on the presidential yacht, Mayflower. President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the monument on August 20, 1907, and President William Howard Taft dedicated the completed monument on August 5, 1910. This is the centennial year of the laying of the cornerstone. There are 116 steps and sixty ramps to climb to the top of the monument. From the top of the monument, which is 353 feet above sea level, the panoramic view of Cape Cod Bay, Cape Cod National Seashore, Provincetown Harbor, and the town of Provincetown were spectacular.

The town of Plymouth, known as "America's Hometown," was the site of the first permanent settlement of English Colonists in New England. Plymouth Rock is an enduring symbol of the Pilgrim's arrival to the New World. Plymouth Rock languished in obscurity until 1741, when a 95-year-old elder identified it as "the rock" on which the first Pilgrims landed. In 1774, the patriots of Plymouth recognized the symbolic value of their Forefathers Rock and attempted to move it to Town Square. As a yoke of oxen raised the Rock, it split in two. Only the upper portion of the Rock left the waterfront. In 1834, the town fathers moved that piece of the Rock to Pilgrim Hall Museum, inside an iron fence. By 1859, the Pilgrim Society acquired the waterfront site in which the lower part of Plymouth Rock was embedded. In 1880, the Pilgrim Society cemented both pieces together, and they remain today at the current site.

Can you imagine traveling thousands of miles by ship for 66 harrowing days without the convenience of weather reports, GPS navigation, or an engine? We boarded the Mayflower II and experienced a full-scale reproduction of the 17th century sailing vessel that brought the colonists to Plymouth in 1620. 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of Mayflower II. Given as a gift from the British to honor the United States' contribution during World War II, the Mayflower II arrived on our shores on June 13, 1957.

After our day of site seeing, we were guests of the Plymouth Yacht Club, which was established on June 5, 1890! The northeast has had an unusually warm spring, and the PYC members are preparing to put their boats back in the water and start their racing season. Please see their three-starred, red burgee on display in our clubhouse. Finally, it was back to Boston where we strolled through Garden Park and the Boston Commons before returning home to reality.

Okay, now let's get down to business. The adult (men's and ladies) beginning sailing and racing seminar is June 23, 2007, and will be taught by some of our most experienced sailors/racers. The "Rookie Rhumb" Regatta will follow the classroom instruction. For your convenience, the Notice of Race and registration form is enclosed in this edition of the Ship's Log. Since our quarterly membership meeting, potluck dinner, and "Indecent Proposal" party with a band is on the same day, why not sign up for the seminar and regatta and spend the entire day out at the lake! Remember, the winner(s) of this regatta will be invited to the Master's Invitational in September!

Calling all youth-your sailing seminar and sailing day is June 30, 2007. This is going to be a particularly fun day so round up all your friends and sign up now! We have a very special teacher, and you will not want to miss this exciting day.