Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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OPPOSITE: The Forty 1° North marina can accommodate yachts up to 240 feet. LEFT: The Grill offers dining with waterfront views in Newport. ESSEX, CT Essex Island Marina, 11 Ferry St., 860-767-1267; essex islandmarina.com • VHF Channel 09 • 60 transient slips • Yachts up to 150 feet • Wi-Fi, cable TV, ferry to Downtown Essex, concierge, pool, and lawn games • $4.50/foot NEWPORT, RI Newport Yachting Center, 20 Commercial Wharf, 800-653-3625; newport yachtingcenter.com • VHF Channel 09 • 30 transient slips • Yachts up to 180 feet • Boat maintenance, laundry service, pool/health club access, and dockside concierge • $5.00/foot siren song FROM TRANQUIL MOORINGS TO BUSTLING WATERFRONTS OFFERING EVERY AMENITY, NEW ENGLAND'S TOP PORTS SING TO SAILORS AND YACHTSMEN ALIKE. BY STEVE JERMANOK AND JANICE O'LEARY N ew England's westerly winds, in the 10- to 20-knot range, create one of the top cruising grounds on the continent, and long, sheltered inlets provide the perfect anchorages to escape the elements. Once you reach land, historic settlements and cities that have been luring ships for close to 400 years continue to entice with entertainment and fine dining. Among the seemingly endless number of places to dock, five ports stand high atop the mast. Start your cruise by veering off Connecticut's Long Island Sound and heading up the Connecticut River for five miles. Centuries-old clapboard homes and classic boats line the picturesque waterway, eventually reaching one of the sweetest ports, filled with beautiful yachts: Essex, Connecticut. Tie up at the family-friendly Essex Island Marina and take advantage of its pool, shuffleboard, and numerous lawn games, or take the private ferry to quaint Essex village, where shops and fine dining line Main Street. Working your way north up the coast, cruise through Narragansett Bay. This sheltered bay is home to more than 30 islands, ideal anchorages for an afternoon or night. Yet, if you crave a lively port, one with stellar restaurants and historic sites, you'd be wise to head to Newport, Rhode Island, home to the America's Cup for over 50 years. Newport Yachting Center is ideally situated in the heart of the downtown waterfront. Yachters also love the new marina at Forty 1° North, where the facility's restaurant serves catered meals aboard your boat. Boat owners should inquire about the professional detailing service. The chic outdoor bar beckons with small bites and cocktails. If you're looking for a more boisterous watering hole, check out The Deck Restaurant & Bar and its gorgeous sunset views. Spy the moonrise from The SkyBar, known for its fun, affluent revelers, on the top floor of The Clarke Cooke House. The almost-private rooftop deck at Hotel Viking is as romantic and panaromic as it gets. And if all that winching and tacking have your shoulders and back in knots, book an indulgent two-hour Javanese Royal Treatment at SpaTerre. If you're feeling in need of some grass beneath your feet (and the thunder of horses' hooves), Newport's polo grounds are a brief taxi ride away; or make the short walk over to The Chanler at Cliff Walk's secluded terrace for oysters and cocktails. Back at sea and heading north into Massachusetts, yacht clubs pepper the more than 280-mile stretch of Buzzards Bay. In the early 1800s, the towns of Mattapoisett and Padanaram were the epicenter of the boatbuilding and whaling business. Today, you can boat across the bay to the Cape Cod shores in a far more relaxed style than any highway. Buzzards Bay is also the gateway to the Elizabeth Islands and Martha's Vineyard. Sail or motor up the Apponagansett River to lovely Padanaram in South Dartmouth at the South Wharf Yacht Yard. Grab dinner that evening at a favorite salty dog hangout, the year-old Sail Loft. Try house specialties like ahi tuna wonton nachos, fig-and-goat-cheese-stuffed continued on page 112 PHOTOGRAPHY BY WARREN JAGGER (HARBOR, DINING ROOM) Today, you can boat across the bay to the Cape Cod shores in a far more relaxed style than on any highway. Forty 1° North Marina, 351 Thames St., 401-846-8018; 41north.com • VHF Channel 09 • 28 transient slips • Yachts up to 240 feet • Onboard cleaning services, hotel, and The Grill restaurant • $4.50–$7.50/foot Hotel Viking and SpaTerre, 1 Bellevue Ave., 401-8473300; hotelviking.com The Deck (West Deck), 1 Waites Wharf, 401-8463600; waiteswharf.com The Clarke Cooke House, Bannister's Wharf, 401-849-2900; bannistersnewport.com The Chanler at Cliff Walk, 117 Memorial Blvd., 401-8471300; thechanler.com PADANARAM South Wharf Yacht Yard, 218 Elm St., South Dartmouth, 508-990-1011; southwharf.com • VHF Channels 09 and 68 • 86 slips • Yachts up to 130 feet • Ship store, Wi-Fi, and maintenance • $3.50/foot per night up to 59 feet. BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 110-115_BC_HP_LongWeekend_SUM13.indd 111 111 6/10/13 11:27 AM