On the right of Martha's Vineyard Sound lie the Elizabeth Islands, some of which are picturesque. The nearest one to the mainland at Wood's Holl, called Naushon, is owned by several of the Forbes family, who for many years have been—and still are—most interested and intelligent patrons of yachting; and in one of the most beautiful little harbours on the north side of Naushon may be seen their fleet of yachts, lying at the safest of anchorages, often a dozen, some sailing vessels, and others steam.
Through many of the passages between the Elizabeth Islands access may be had to Buzzard's Bay, whose shores are everywhere dotted with the houses of summer dwellers, singly and in small villages; so it goes without saying that yachting; or more correctly boating, is the chief pastime, and no more agreeable field can be found for it, save perhaps the adjoining Bay of Narragansett, which without doubt is the paradise of yachtsmen.
The winds of Buzzard's Bay are fresh, even strong, and seeing that its expanse is unbroken by islands, it is often rough—perhaps too rough for pleasure-sailing in boats of the size usually seen; but in Narragansett Bay, though the winds are fresh its waters are not so rough, as its many islands prevent in a great measure the formation of waves uncomfortably large. Here, as in Buzzard's Bay, the tidal currents are moderate and change of level from 4 ft. to 6 ft.; fogs are less frequent than in Buzzard's Bay, and are never long in duration.
In the ocean, directly south from the mouth of Narragansett Bay, lies the most favoured spot on the entire coast for yacht racing, and for the last forty-five years it has been the scene of the most interesting races held away from the racing grounds at the approach to New York Bay; but for the best results of racing no place on the coast is equal to it, its winds are fresh and constant, its tidal currents are moderate and regular in their time and direction, so that little advantage can be had by one familiar with the locality over those who are not.
Few 'flukey' days can be remembered off Newport, and year after year the races there are becoming more and more important, as the waters in New York Harbour and its approaches become crowded, and as yachtsmen seek more open water than exists in the vicinity of New York. Twenty miles west of Narragansett Bay, Long Island Sound is entered; it is a glorious expanse of water, more than one hundred miles long and having an average width of fifteen miles; it is a thoroughfare for an enormous traffic, and in the season yachting and boating are most successfully and agreeably followed. Its tidal currents are generally moderate; in a few places they are swift; fogs are infrequent.
South of Long Island, and protected from the sea by a narrow spit of sand, are several shallow bays on which boating is largely followed; proximity to New York makes this shore sought for as a summer resort, and as boating is the only thing to be done in way of pastime, it is small wonder that so many boats are to be seen.
The harbour of New York with its approaches, and surrounding waters of the East and Hudson Rivers, are all splendid ground for sailing; but, seeing that traffic has so taken possession of nearly every available spot, yachting is forced into the more distant waters of the lower bay, and those parts of the Hudson less frequented by trading vessels. That part of the sea east and south of the Sandy Hook Lightship is a famous racing ground, and is destined to become even more so as competing yachts find the crowded waters of even the lower bay unsuitable for a just comparison of the speed of their vessels. The sea-coast of New Jersey, like that of Long Island, has many inlets leading to sheltered, shallow bays, where may be seen numberless small yachts and sail-boats from 40 ft. in length downward to the most unpretentious cat-boat.
Delaware Bay and River are well adapted for yachting, but few large yachts are to be seen there, the dwellers in that section being content with boats and small sloop yachts.
Chesapeake Bay is a noble stretch of water that is almost unknown to the yachtsman. Its advantages are many, and in the near future it is to be hoped that the inhabitants along its shores will avail themselves of so fortunate an opportunity for sailing with more agreeable conditions than exist anywhere south of New York Bay.
Fogs are rare and tidal currents slight, except when induced by a constant high wind either up or down the bay; the rise and fall also from purely tidal causes are very small.