Have any getaway suggestions?

[ahernandez]

We want to hear your experiences, your advice and your recommendations. Tell other Boating readers your favorite (or not-so-favorite) weekend getaways!

[wgills502]

If you're the vicinity of Long Island, NY, the Connecticut shoreline, Rhode Island or Massachusetts you have to stop by Block Island. From my slip in Mystic, CT its only 26 miles, an easy sail or cruise if the weather is good.

There are 4 main marinas for transients, Paine's, the Boat Basin, Champlin's Resort and Ballards. We chose to stay on the "Pond", a vast anchorage for boats of all sizes and types and drop near what is familiarly known as "Dinghy Beach", which in July and August is littered with dinghies of all colors and makes.

There's a beautiful wide beach with soft white sand on the eastern end of the "pork chop" shaped island, easily accessible by foot. The town of New Shoreham is only a short walk down the beach where you can shop in the boutiques and small specialty shops, grab a great meal in one of the fine restaurants that abound in town,find some live entertainment, a beer, rent a motor scooter, bike or cab and tour the picturesque island know as "Little Bermuda".

It's a great place for kids to swim, tube, noodle, or speed around in their dinghies. Champlin's sports an arcade, swimming pool, bumper boats, has a scooter rental and other amusements.

My wife and I spent 3 weeks there on our boat, through 2 tropical storms and still had a great time. It's very relaxing, no hassles, no cares as long as your engine starts and you can get home. We haven't always been lucky that way, but then there's Boat US and Towboat isn't there...

The "Pond" is a great place to go exploring in your dinghy, the estuaries to the west, "Smuggler's Cove" to the southeast, the Coast Guard station and marinas along the shore.

There's plenty of depth for the deep keeled sailboats and deep draft larger craft and plenty of room to swing in a stiff breeze for everyone.

It's worth a look in MapQuest, and even better a look see in real time and up close. If you want to know more, I'll be following this post. I'd be glad to talk about the Block with anyone who hasn't been there and wants to tap my knowledge or those who've been there and want to swap tall tales.

[Kevin Falvey]

wGills

I love Block. Your description is great. I would add one thing: if you like to fish, bring your bait or be prepared to catch your own. Cant buy bait on Block Island! ( At least I could never find any(

Kevin

[hogganj]

Lake Powell cant be beat for "Boat Camping" find a beach throw out your beach chairs, dig your toes in the sand and crack open a cold one. Oh yeah, world class fishing, watersports heaven and scenery unlike anything you will ever see from a boat. It is not Disneyland, other than a few full service marinas once you are out on the lake you are on your own to explore over 1300 plus miles of coastline.
Don't go unprepared, summer heat and occasional wild storms will test your best boating skills but the rewards are worth anything you have to go thru. Lets just call it Mental Floss.