Summer Solstice Rally to Block Island

The Plan

Meet in Block Island for drinks at The Oar.

The Rally Defined

A rally by definition is not a race, but rather “a get-together of hobbyists or other like-minded enthusiasts, primarily to meet and socialize (dictionary.com).  In sailing circles it often indicates a group of sailors who plan to go to the same place at roughly the same time.  The energy of the group keeps everyone on target.


There’s a truism that I’ve seen and experienced first hand:  you’re never ready, you just have to go.  I’ve seen people work on their boats and work on their boats and never leave the slip.  I’ve argued heatedly with Peter about leaving our slip with the boat in total disarray.  But it’s true, you just have to leave and you can do some of the work on the way and some of it just doesn’t matter.  It’s important to just GO!

Click here to listen to this great SUMMER song!

 “Don’t you think it’s high time that you sailed away? Leave today, don’t fall behind!” (lyrics from “Summertime” heard Thursday on WXPN).

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Our Rally Lineup

Peter and I in The Moon; Mike and Andy on Mike’s boat, Bent; Al and Patty on their boat, Full Circle; Liz by train and ferry; and Pat and Jim, a few sailing friends of Mike’s possibly joining in their boats

Go Time

We all planned to leave sometime Friday evening at first, but then violent storms delayed the start for all.  Peter and I, exhausted from the surge of work done in preparation for the trip, decided to get a few hours sleep.  We planned to wake up at 3 and leave, but at 7 a.m. when the sun woke us up, we knew we'd overslept and we still had a few things to do.  

We got off about 9:30 to get to the fuel dock and then started down the Delaware River.  We guessed that Mike and Andy had left as soon as the storm cleared.  Al and Patty left a message around 6 a.m. saying they were leaving so we knew we were not far behind them.  We passed Pat’s boat on a mooring in Essington, letting us know he would not be coming.  We were down to three boats and seven people on our way.

Updates were posted via text messages, phone calls and VHF radio chats.  We were all looking forward to getting into Great Salt Pond in Block Island.