The annual cruise is headed west this year, with visits to Block Island, Shelter Island, Sag Harbor, Fishers Island, and Dutch Harbor. The cruise will run from July 12 to  July 20, and cruisers can join for some or all of the trip.

 

REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW

You can sign up to join the cruise from April 1 to June 1. However cruisers should also note that some harbors may run out of mooring/slips long before June (Click here to learn more). As such, it would be prudent to make your reservations ASAP via Dockwa. 

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HOW DO I SIGN UP?​

1. Read the Cruise Guide - click here

2. Gather your information. You will need to know what harbors you plan to visit, what accommodations you'll want in each harbor, what dinners you plan to join, and who your crew will be to complete the sign up process.  

3.  Make your mooring/slip reservations via DockWa as needed for your plans - click here

4. Register for the cruise on the BYC website. This will both sign you up for the cruise and collect payment for those few things where prior payment is needed - click here

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HIGHLIGHTS

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Day 1 and 2: Block Island is always popular, but getting a mooring on a Saturday and Sunday night in July can be tricky. Happily, for this cruise, the Harbormaster will allow our group to reserve moorings ahead so we can all take our time getting there. (Anchorage space and slips are also available). Sunday will be a lay day where we can enjoy all the fun stuff on the Island, from hiking or bike rentals to a visit to Crescent Beach or lunch in town. While at Block we'll also visit The Oar for drinks, dinner, and corn hole on Saturday night and Dead Eye Dock's for a group dinner on Sunday night.  

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Day 3 and 4: Next, we'll cruise 34.8 NM to Coecles Harbor, a beautiful and quiet spot. There, we will enjoy a potluck dinner at the Coecles Harbor Marina and Boatyard (CHM&B) on Monday night and then dinner at The Rams Head Inn on Tuesday night. Moorings are available through the CHM&B for boats that draw less than 6 feet. Deeper-draft vessels should anchor. While in Coecles, cruisers can explore Shelter Island or hang out at the pool at the CHM&B.

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Day 5: After two nights in Coecles, we'll make the quick 6 NM trip to Sag Harbor, where we can wander about this charming town, top off our provisions, and get together for dinner at Il Cappuccino. Moorings or slips can be reserved ahead of time through Dockwa. A large anchorage area is also available.

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Day 6 and 7: From Sag, we'll travel 22.2 NM through The Race on Thursday to Fischers Island, where we'll be guests at the Fischers Island Yacht Club (FIYC).  While the Club offers some dock space and a few moorings, a large and secure anchorage area exists. Friday will be a lay day where we can explore the island before joining members at the FIYC for cocktails and appetizers. In addition to bike rentals and hiking trails, on Friday, July 18, the Fishers Island Seagrass Management Coalition will also be offering their 3rd Annual Eelgress Boat Tour, which we can join for a fee.  

 

Day 8: On Saturday morning, we'll start our trip back to Bristol by traveling 34.5 NM from Fishers Island to Dutch Harbor. For dinner, we'll order pizza and salad, and we'll enjoy our final meal together at the picnic area at the Dutch Harbor Boat Yard. 

 

Day 9: On Sunday, we'll make the final leg of our cruise back to Bristol. There, we will suffer our way through a few hours of packing and cleaning on the boats before we go home, where we will refamiliarize ourselves with the joys of flush toilets, AC, refrigerators, and large, comfy, dry beds.

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