Plymouth, Massachusetts

As always, we're just happy to be back on board Jungle after an enjoyable, sunny day.

The main drag in Plymouth is Court Street, one block inland from the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock. Also a very scenic street with shops and restaurants.

What I didn't quite remember was how pretty Plymouth Harbor is to see - we brought Jungle in for fuel today.

The other end of the stream - called Town Brook and it runs from Jenny Pond to Plymouth Harbor. Jenny is either an original passenger on the Mayflower or the nice lady that runs the bakery in town. I'll look into this.

And the historical significance is - fresh water. This is the first thing anyone sailing long distances looks for - water. It is why Plymouth and not Clark's Island or Provincetown, is ingrained in our founding history.

Here is the other side of Brewster Gardens.

And here is the Mayflower - the ship the pilgrims sailed over in. Well, not exactly as this is a replica of the Mayflower. Someone is working on her now.

Here is the famous rock. I remember my first reaction seeing this rock saying "really? how do we know this is really the rock. The fact is this rock was identified as the 1620 stepping stone in 1741 - 120 years after the fact. Hmmmm. Up until the 1800 it was located outside a warehouse with a chisel and hammer nearby in case someone wanted a "piece of the rock". It wasn't until more than 200 years later the rock found it's current location. As mother says, "never let a little lie stand in the way of a good story". To the credit of the Plymouth and Massachusetts historical societies they are open on these facts. It's definitely a nice rock.

But first we go to the site of the famous Plymouth Rock - where the Pilgrims first set foot on land after their arrival from England on or about 1620 if memory serves me right. If you remember from an earlier posting, the Pilgrims actually set foot first on Clark's Island.

Today was another day in the Jungle Jim history tour - a trip to Plymouth, MA. This is a town I visited many times growing up as it is next door to Green Harbor and Duxbury. Plymouth is actually larger in square mileage than Boston, but much smaller in population. It has a shallow harbor so it lost out to Beantown some 350 years ago. This is Brewster Gardens a little park with some historic significance that we'll come back to later.

More Duxbury, Massachusetts

It's time to say goodnight from Jungle to another wonderful day and a storm that never came to be. Red night: Sailors Delight! Goodnight everyone.

I could do this all day ...

More beautiful homes...

Jungle's out there somewhere...

I just keep shooting ...

The lesson for today is; "them shipbuilders had nice properties". Great view.

In 1841, Daniel Webster cited Ezra Weston as "the largest shipowner, probably, in the United States." Soon after it all crashed due partly to mismanagement by later generations but mostly due to the advent of steam power. Progress can be a bitch.

We came upon the King Caesar House, now a museum and part of the Duxbury Historical Society. King Caesar was the name given to Ezra Weston I and Ezra Weston II the owners of E. Weston & Sons, the country's largest ship builders in the 1820's and 30's. It's headquarters and shipyards were located here - Ezra I & II watched all operations from their front door.

This walk took us close to Powder Point, another one of my 657 reasons why Duxbury is my favorite town in the USA.

So today, June 28 we were doing another one of those, oh what do you call it...

Oh yeah, exercising. We were doing another walk about in beautiful Duxbury.

Life in Duxbury, MA

Combination sunset and moon rise is tough to beat off Clark's Island. A note to everyone reading, I just found a way to make the comment section work easily. It will no longer request a login or other silly ID. Just click on the comment bar below each section and you're good to go. If you want a response from me it would help if you include you're email address, unless your sure I have it already. So please fire away with the comments, we love to get them and will respond if you ask.

Present day life goes on back at the Duxbury Yacht Club. Very pleasant, helpful folks around here.

Asphalt not withstanding, these are the original roads from the 1600's. Jenee wanted to walk these roads when we have a perfectly running automobile (thanks Mom and Dad). She says we need the exercise. Women!

This is another famous Duxbury family home - James Winsor 1796. How do I gauge the age of these old homes? By expertly examining the chimney size and structure (small brick) and noting the proximity to the main street. Closer to the street (horse path), the older the home. I've become quite proficient at this home brewed science. That and reading the name and dates posted on the houses. I'm just saying...

This beautiful house looks like any other south shore home you might see, although this one was built in 1792, belonging to Joshua Cushing. The Cushing family participated in the American Revolution and were successful merchants in Boston and Providence. One Cushing family had 16 kids of which only 6 made it past childhood.

The house below was originally occupied the the Henry Wadsworth family. Descendants of the American Revolution, Battle of Tripoli and relatives of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - American Poet. One thing that stands out among these early families - they stuck together in tight knit circles and often inter married.

Here is one of the newer old homes built in 1853. These are privately owned and maintained, but town bylaws are very specific on everything from paint, landscaping to home improvements. The owners basically become caretakers. The properties are beautifully kept and fantastic to look at. Great job by the town and the owners. One thing Jenee and I noticed, most homeowners cut their own lawns - Yankee sensibility. I said Yankee, eeew! Red Sox, Red Sox, Red Sox - there, we're good to go.

See, even new homes look old. We're looking out over Duxbury harbor, Jungle is out there but not visible. These flowering bushes are called dune roses (sometimes desert roses) and grow wild on the beaches around here. Not strong on scent but beautiful to look at.

Here is our lovely tour guide for a delightful trip through downtown Duxbury. For our West Coast friends, Duxbury is the Newport Beach of the East Coast, only a lot more history and much nicer - got that shot in, good. Jenee is standing just off the town pier where we find small shops and restaurants. One thing you'll notice in Duxbury - not much changes in 200 + years. It's the way they want it. Two of my sisters and their families live in Duxbury.

Clark's Island - Where the Pilgrims really Landed!

A working boat in the Clark Island moorage and Saquish and the Gurnet Point Lighthouse in the background. These small settlements are all technically part of Plymouth. This is an oyster boat specializing in Duxbury oysters. The mooring we're using is compliments of Frank Ronne - nice guy we met in Green Harbor. Jenee commented on how nice everyone in Green Harbor has been. I realized it's true as most of the folks grew up here and stayed here - very tight community.

Now for another installment of Jungle Jim history. This is Clarks Island, nestled into Saquish and just off the coast of Plymouth. It was here on Clarks Is. where the Pilgrims first set foot on land. The island is named after the first mate on the Mayflower. Two days later they landed on Plymouth and the famous Plymouth Rock (great idea for tourists). Clark Island today is a private island only accessible by boat. Another interesting Clark Island tidbit, Truman Capote wrote Breakfast at Tiffany's while staying at an island cottage. Look at how much you now know!

Jungle moored just off the area where I once camped.

Here is a view of Saquish. The only way to get here is by 4 wheel drive and only residents and guests are allowed through. This side of Saquish is Duxbury Bay, the other side is Cape Cod Bay.

This is a strip of beach that runs south from Duxbury to a small village called Saquish. As a kid I would take a boat out here and camp out in the dunes, just to the right of this area called High Pines - a grove of pine trees in the middle of the dunes. It was the best night sky I have ever seen - we'll see how it is tonight. The viewing may be challenged by an almost full moon.

This was the closest we came to any signs of a storm.

Here is Jenee stressing through the threat of violent weather. Holding up well considering the elements.

We left Green Harbor today, June 24 as a storm threatened to blow in at over 70 mph. Turns out it was a false alarm (maxed at 36 mph). We wanted to be good guests of the GHYC, so we shoved off for Clark's Island - another history lesson on that later. Here is a view of Green Harbor looking from the Yacht Club towards the Town Pier in Brant Rock. I've seen this view literally thousands of times growing up and never get tired of it.

Green Harbor, Massachusetts

Here is my wonderful bride with Green Harbor in the background. I couldn't have made it here without my beautiful angel at my side. I am the luckiest man in the world. With much anticipation, we look forward to our continued journey together.

As you can see, Jungle is a little big for the dock. Everyone has been great here allowing us to stay. Even my boat neighbors have been wonderful. We'll get off the dock soon so we don't wear out our welcome.

Here I am with Mom and Dad Fraine. They really love me (and their 8 other kids).

We arrived at the Green Harbor Yacht Club just before sunset on Saturday, June 19. It is here where I learned to sail and developed a passion for sailing.

We were met at the dock by a full contingent of fellow GHYC members celebrating the life of member Big Al, as only the Irish can. With open bar at 11 AM, not a word of English was spoken. Jenee and I were well trained on sign language from our 3 months in Latin America, so all worked out.

Later in the Yacht Club bar, converstion went like this;

Member: So Jimmy, how faah did you guys come to get hee-ah?

Me: Pretty faah, about 12000 miles from Hawaii.

Member: Was it wahm or cold out thee-ah?

Me: Mosly wahm, nevah got to wee-ah my sweat-aah.

Member: Wow, what a piss-ah trip, huh Jimmy?

Me: Yeah, Wicked piss-ah

Member: Get Jimmy a bee-ah on me!

Sailing out of Boston, here is a nice shot of the downtown skyline. Thanks to Jenee for always remembering to have the camera ready and to take these shots.

Evening in Boston

From the back deck of Jungle, we get a spectacular evening skyline shot of Boston. The Customs Tower has the clock face. Tomorrow, June 19 we sail south 25 miles to Green Harbor.

Here we are in a great little North End restaurant called Ida's. It's in an alleyway off the beginning of Hanover Street. Run by the Bruno family, they're only open for dinner on Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat - great dinner (veal saltimbocca is my favorite). This is a mural of Venice and the translation roughly is "Oh, to be able to die at sea". There you go!

After growing up in Boston and 54 years later, I decided to walk inside Fanueil Hall for a quick history review. In this mural we find Daniel Webster, the great American Patriot (along with Tom Brady) and orator addressing the Massachusetts Senate. Two keys for me here; 1) Daniel Webster lived in Marshfield less than a mile from where I spent my summers and where my Mom and Dad now reside. 2) He has a cool mullet, a little thin on the top, but workable for me. Coincidence? Me thinks not good people!

In Quincy Market we find another mime guy dressed like a statue. You give him a dollar and he gives you a fortune and moves a little. Kinda like my career. I never get tired of these guys.

Another view of the charming and happy Jungle couple from the park with Jungle sitting over Jenee's right shoulder. We are docked at the Boston Yacht Basin - very handy to the downtown and has nice folks working there. These get to be a little like baby pictures - we never get tired of showing Jungle, while everyone else may rolls their eyes. Oh well - what a pretty baby!

Aww-aww Boston You're My Home!

Oh, here is the happy couple now - wicked happy. First order of business: lunch at Regina's Pizzaria in the North End. Best pizza on the planet surface - and I tried most of the others.

Jungle resting on a beautiful morning in downtown Boston.

And here is the happy couple now, oh, wait a minute ... But they sure do look happy!

Bill and Jim Fraine at rest in the Boston Yacht Basin (marina). You can see the Marriott Hotel and Boston cityscape behind us.

Singing Dirty Water by the Standells, Jungle sails into Boston Harbor at 9 PM last night (June 17). Nice sunset on an otherwise overcast day.