SummerCourses

BY ANDREA E. MCHUGH

Discovering new-to-you coves and islands in Narragansett Bay can be a lifelong adventure. While many Rhode Islanders have their ride-ordie nooks and crannies, others embrace their wanderlust. Just ask Michael Reuter, who loves cruising from Barrington to Potter Cove just o Prudence Island with his family aboard their East Bay 49, named Ignite. More recently he fell upon Mackerel Cove, a deep-water, protected cove nestled between Short Point and Southwest Point on Conanicut Island not far from Beavertail State Park. “On a beautiful day, Mackerel Cove is one of the most spectacular swimming holes in all of Narragansett Bay,” says Reuter, adding he has a lot of friends in Long Island who spend two or three days just cruising to get to Narragansett Bay because of its sheer beauty and many harbors, which are not only easily accessible, but conveniently close together. “You can go five miles and have a completely di erent vibe,” he explains. But as any lover of Rhode Island waters might do, Reuter holds a few cards close to the vest. “I can never reveal my secret spots.”

If you have your own boat, there are ample scenic spots to drop anchor. Potter Cove is also a favorite location for Taylor Gilbert and her fiance, Ryan Buttie, who cruise out regularly in the summer aboard Luminous , a Sea Ray 240 Sundancer power boat. It takes about 35 minutes from where the boat is docked in Providence, but once they arrive, it’s a world away. “We watch the tides because it can get shallow during low tide,” says Gilbert, a senior designer at Providence Media whose ears perked up when she heard rumblings of a story about one of her favorite summer pastimes.

“We anchor out, inflate our rafts, tie them to the back of the boat, and float all day,” says Gilbert. When they’ve worked up an appetite, the couple cruise around the island’s westernmost tip, called Providence Point because you can see the capital city in the distance on a clear day, to Coggeshall Cove, a calmer coastal nook where they head to shore with clam rakes in hand to dig for dinner. “We grill them until they open and just eat out and it’s such a great time,” she says. “They’re the freshest you can possibly get.”

Charter boats take the guesswork out of island hopping, exploring enviable o shore swimming coves and planning excursions in the bay. Candace Riddle captains Serendipity, a Beneteau Oceanis 45’ sail boat moored in Newport Harbor that she charters for up to six guests. Typically, the sailboat is chartered for half- or full-day sails, or a sunset sail, but guests are welcome to choose their own adventure. “If someone wanted to do a custom itinerary, if they wanted to go somewhere other than sailing around the bay or out to Block Island….as long as the weather is good and the depths are good, than that’s an option as well,” says Riddle, adding she can anchor at various locations as well if guests choose. “That’s the beauty of a private charter over a by-the-head charter.”

Riddle says guests can bring provisions aboard and the charter has partnerships with two other women-owned businesses, The Perfect Parcel, which provides charcuterie boards and other goods, and Kristi’s Kraftails, locally sourced, seasonally inspired craft mocktails (that can also be used as as a base for cocktails). “I’m excited this year to actually be on board with the guests and sharing the love of sailing, and hopefully somebody else catches the bug, too.”

Charter options include Boat NPT, a marketplace of privately owned boats where prospective guests can reach out and find the right charter for their needs as the fleet has 10 power boats and catamarans available for private charter ranging from a 24’ center console to a 88’ yacht and can accommodate parties from two to 40 guests. Sara Austin, who books charters for the company, explains, “Think of us as the VRBO or Airbnb of the boat world. They are all privately owned boats, and the owners use them personally, but there’s a lot of time when they’re not.” From further flung islands including Cuttyhunk and

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