Our trip was originally planned to last until Monday. The weather forecast was a bit gloomy, but we were banking on the weather to improve.

Either way, Saturday's weather was looking good. So we went for it!

Since we had to get throughg Wood's Hole, we had a time constraint. The wind was coming on our nose, so we had to motor to, and through the hole. Not ideal, but we had to do what we had to do. Plus the diesel needed to be run for a while to charge the batteries, plus they like to run!

Once through the hole, we had 3 miles to Tashmoo, on Martha's Vineyard. With the wind a beam, we had an opportunity to sail. So we unrolled the geneoa headsail. Sailed across Vineyard sound, over Middle Ground (shallow area outside the entrance). Took the sail down and motored into Lake Tashmoo.

Once inside, we motored to the back of the pond. Beautiful weather.. anchored.. took out and inflated the dinghy, took a spin around the pond..hada great time.

When I came back to the boat, Patti and Dick were at our boat talking with Millie. We met them in Bristol RI at the July 4 celebration. They invited us back to their boat for 'happy hour'.

A couple hours later the Vineyard patrol boat came over and told us we had to move, as we anchoed in the mooring field. We moved the boat to another, better, location. Better holding and more room.

We relaxed a bit, since we didn't have time to walk to town and be back for happy hour.

Around 5:30 or so we got ready to go over to Dick and Patti's boat, we motored over in our dinghy. Went aboard and had a great time chatting and having snacks..

Once we got back to our boat, we made dinner...had coffee later.

We looked at the marine forecast, and it was getting worse. Late Sunday and Monday had a bad forecast. To make it through the hole and back before the weather turned, we had to get up at 5am to make the hole's 6:30 slack time.

We got up, raised the anchor, motored out of the lake, over middle ground, toward the hole. Made it in time. Motored through the hole no problem. Nice being up this early. Very few boats out at 6:30am!

Once through the hole, we didn't have any more time contraint. The wind was  up around 15 knots, so we unrolled the genny again, had a beam reach back to Marion, pretty much on the exact course we were on the day before. Set the Autopilot to get us back to centerboard shoal, near bird island.

We made some good time.. until the wind died down, once the sun got higher in the sky. But we were not in a rush. We relaxed on the quiet, calm sea, back to Marion.

We sailed into the harbor, rolled up the headsail, motored back to our mooring.

Our plan was to get back to the mooring, and have breakfast, then go home. Once we got back, the temprature was over 90, and there was hardly a breese. It was hard to believe a  few hours later the winds would be gusting to 25 knots or greater.  So we nixed our breakfast plans and went home.

Overall a great time, although shorter than we planned.