[Rhodes22-list] Boat trip

[Mary Lou Troy]

Michael,
I can't help you on the specifics not knowing the area very well, but some 
thoughts from friends of ours who have cruised successfully with small 
active kids. Short passages, lots of stops, lots of swimming, a few 
overnights in marinas with a pool and other amenities (beaches, miniature 
golf, etc. - I think you had that in mind with the resort marina concept) 
ways to get off the boat (dinghy?) in anchorages. Our friends kids kept 
journals and were interested in the natural world so field guides and 
cameras were in order. Maybe a cheap digital? You know your girls - what 
would keep them interested and involved? One other thought - it pays to be 
flexible, not too tightly scheduled and to have lots of options so there 
are choices of things to do in the various ports.

BTW - there is a thread right now on the CSBB on this very topic 
http://www.cs-bb.com/forums/CSBB/index.cgi?read=15072 - not too much 
specific advice yet but something more might develop. The one good point 
they made is to check out the land-based travel guides for your possible 
ports. You might look for books like "The Unofficial Guide to New England 
and New York with Kids" by Laurie Bain Wilson or  "Fun Places to Go with 
Children in New England: 4th Edition, Over 500 Listings" by Diane Bair or 
"Fun with the Family in Massachusetts, 4th: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips 
with the Kids" by Marcia Glassman-Jaffe (there is one for Connecticutt 
too). I haven't any of these books but it might be worth spending some time 
in the travel section of the local library or the Barnes & Noble just to 
gather a bunch of ideas. There may be other similar titles out there. I 
found those with a quick search on Amazon.

Good luck. It's a big project but it sounds like it could be a great 
opportunity for some family fun.

Mary Lou

At 06:45 PM 8/3/2005 -0700, you wrote:
>looks like I am taking vaction from 8/20 thought 9/5,
>17 days total, now the delema, where to take the boat
>:-)
>
>0)home
>1)over night at the thimble islands
>2)couple days in the montauk area
>3)couple days in the newport area
>4) a few days in Martha vinard
>5) blockis land(maybe)
>6)over night at the thimble islands
>7)home
>
>Now the question, now we are talking a wife and 3 kids
>on a small boat, I can only cliam to leave them on
>plum island so many times :-) before the complete
>breakdown takes place :-) so I need any advice on
>marinas and or places to go where the boat/wife and
>kids will be happy? good fun ports? shoping for the
>wife? marinas like a restorts? fun parks? better
>places than I picked above? I take any advice(I know,
>"do not do it" and "leave them home" not allowed :-),
>I fishing for ideas and the guild books are so helpful -mjm
>
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