OtterNews.com -- the full on-line record of the 1998-2003 round-the-world voyage of Brec Morgan aboard the Otter!

Note: www.BrecMorgan.com also "resolves" to this site, so it's easy to remember!
Also, see photos of the St. Maarten Yacht Club's March 17th celebration of Brec's return.
The ceremonial "Tossing of the 'Voyage-End Dock Lines'" went off as planned at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 17th.
Click here to order a copy of Brec's Homecoming Compilation of E-Mailed Reports.

Other Pages & Links

Homepage

About Brec's Art

About Brec's Reports

List of Reports

E-mail Excerpts

Block Island Times articles
May 17, 2003-front page
May 17, 2003-full article
March 24, 2001
September 29, 2001

Homecoming Articles

AP Story-filed 5/17/03
New London Day

Links to friends
Link to SV Karma
(a companion vessel during much of Brec's Journey)

Contact Information

for Brec
brecmorgan@aol.com

for John Morgan
(Brother/Publisher/
Editor/Webmaster) brotherjohn@otternews.com
 

Phone for John Morgan
860-857-4936

Regular Mail:
c/o John R. Morgan
P. O. Box 1982
New London, Conn.
06320


E-mail Note:

Please use the following AOL account in the event the e-mails are returned from the above addresses --

OtterNews@aol.com


Block Island Return Weekend
May 16, 17, and 18

Brec is planning to arrive in Old Harbor and tie up at the dock in front of Ballard's on Saturday, May 17th. 

The ceremonial "Tossing of the 'Voyage-End Dock Lines'" at Ballard's in Old Harbor is planned for 1:00 p.m.

At that time, Brec will be welcomed home and Otter, after over four and one-half years away from New England, will be made fast to the dock by Brec's closest family.

Accordingly, Brec will toss the first of the four lines to his wife, Sandy, followed by a line to his parents, John Brechin Morgan and Alice Getchell Morris, followed by the third to his children, Laura and Scott, and the fourth to his grandchildren, "little" Brechin, Tyler, and Eric.

For family members and friends planning on coming over, the following information should be helpful.

For the weekend of May 16th, ferry service is available only from Point Judith (Galilee), Rhode Island.

There is also air service from Westerly, Rhode Island every hour on the half-hour from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (see below)

For additional information throughout the week of May 12th, please call John Morgan at 860-389-0266. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday you may also reach John Morgan and/or others at the Morgan Family Compound by calling 860-235-2526.

NOTE: Verizon owns the only tower on Block Island, so those of you with cell phones on the Verizon system will have better reception than those using other service providers.

Directions to the Ferry

From Connecticut
(Approx. 30-35 miles/40-45 minutes from the State Line)

The Scenic Coastal Route Option (a little faster if not rush hour):
1--Take I-95 North to Connecticut Exit 92 (Rt. 2). At the bottom of the ramp make a right turn. Follow that until you hit Rt. 78.
2--Take Rt. 78 until it ends at Rt. 1.
3--Make left onto Rt. 1 North and follow that for 19 miles until the Pt. Judith/Scarborough Beach Exit.
4--Follow the ramp to the right and at the second traffic light make a right turn onto Rt. 108 South.
5--Follow Rt. 108 South until the sixth traffic light (you will see the sign for Galilee/Block Island Ferry).
6--Make a right onto the Galilee Escape Rd. and follow until the end.
7--At the stop sign make a left onto Great Island Rd; the ferries are approximately 200 yards down on the right hand side -- the regular Block Island Ferry is first, then the High Speed Ferry. If you come to the Ferry Wharf Fish Market you have gone too far and must loop back around -- stay in the left lane and take a hard left after the regular left at George's Restaurant.

OR the Main Road Route
1
: Take I-95 into Rhode Island.
2: Approx. 8 miles from the state line, take Exit 3A, Route 138 for Newport & Kingston.
3: Approx. 12 miles later, you will be driving through the URI campus and come to the Route 108 intersection. You may 
     3a--take Route 108, South and follow the signs for Point Judith and the Block Island Ferry (approx. 10 slow, windy, picturesque miles), or
     3b-- continue on Route 138 a few miles farther, take Route 1, South, and then take the Route 108
turnoff for Narragansett & Point Judith (approx. 13 miles, sometimes faster; you can climb the viewing tower across the intersection at Route 1 if you have time).

From Providence
(Approx. 35-40 miles/40-45 minutes from downtown)

1: Take I-95 South out of Providence.
2: Approx. 12 miles from Providence, take the left-lanes fork for Exit 9, Route 4, South; approx. 12 miles farther on, Route 4 morphs into Route 1, South.
3: Follow Route 1 approx. 8 miles to the Route 108 turnoff for Narragansett & Point Judith.

EVERYBODY -- Once on Route 108
(The Route 108/Route 1 intersection is about 5 miles from the ferry.)

4: Follow all signs for the Block Island ferry. This will include a sharp right turn onto a mile-long escape road/connector to Galilee, which is the name of the commercial waterfront area of Point Judith.
5: At the end of the connector, take a left into Galilee -- the ferry and ferry offices are about 1/4 mile down on the right; parking is directly across the street .

Parking Information

Parking at Point Judith (Galilee) is available directly across the street from the ferry dock at the Lighthouse Inn or the Galilee Parking Company.

Parking costs at both places are $10/day or any part thereof, payable upon entering the lot. (Ouch!)

For comparison's sake, the round trip ferry cost for cars is about $52; call 401-783-4613 for actual rates and reservation information.

NOTE: Passengers do not need reservations, cars do.

Regular Ferry Schedule (55-60 minutes crossing time)
Pt. Judith/Galilee to Old Harbor (Ballard's, Harborside Inn, National Hotel & Town)
(Visit www.BlockIslandFerry.com to confirm the following, or call 401-783-4613; OtterNews is not responsible for changes/errors.)

Day

Leave Pt. Judith Leave Block Island
Fri, Sat, and Sun 9 & 11 a.m.
1, 3, 5, 7 p.m.
8:15 & 11 a.m.
1, 3, 5, 7 p.m.

Regular Ferry Passenger Fares

Same-Day Round Trip

Different-Day Round Trip

Adult   --------$13.65 Adult   --------$16.45
Seniors (65+)--$12.70 Seniors (65+)--$15.45
Under 12  -----$  6.40 Under 12  -----$  8.10

One-Way Fares

Bikes: $2.25 each way

Adult   --------$8.30  
  Seniors (65+)--$7.80  
  Under 12  -----$4.05  

High-Speed Ferry Schedule (30 minutes crossing time)
Pt. Judith/Galilee to New Harbor (Payne's Dock  & Great Salt Pond yacht basin - approx. 3/4 mile from town)
(Visit http://www.islandhighspeedferry.com/ to confirm the following, or call 877-733-9425; OtterNews is not responsible for changes/errors.)

Day

Leave Pt. Judith Leave Block Island
Fri, Sat, and Sun 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.
12:30, 3:30, 5:30 p.m.
9:30 & 11:30 a.m.
1:30, 4:30, 6:30 p.m.
Friday only also 7:30 p.m. also 8:30 p.m.

High-Speed Ferry Passenger Fares

Rates Adults Children (4-12) Bikes
One Way $14 $8 $3
Round Trip $26 $12 $6

Air Service (12 minutes flying time)
(Visit http://users.ids.net/flybi/nea/ to confirm the following, or call 800-243-2460; OtterNews is not responsible for changes/errors.)

Day

Leave Westerly, RI Leave Block Island
Fri, Sat, and Sun Every hour on the half-hour,
7:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m.
Every hour on the hour,
8:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m.
Exceptions Friday: also flies at 8:30 p.m. Sunday: 1st flight at 9:00 a.m.

New England Airlines Passenger Fares

Rates Regular Seniors
One Way $45 $39
Round Trip $76 $68

(FYI: Westerly is on the coast just over the Rhode Island line from Stonington, Conn.-- follow the top-most directions to Route 1, the airport is to the right at the intersection.)

Call 800-243-2460 to confirm the above info and/or make reservations, get directions, and ask about parking -- I've heard it may be free!

The Westerly airport regular number is 401-596-2460; the Block Island airport regular number is 401-466-5881.

 Lodging

Brother John strongly recommends that you call 800-825-6254, tell Amber why you are calling, and ask for the best ocean-view room left in the Harborside Inn. 

It will cost you about $111 for a room, total, per night (double occupancy), is directly across the street from the Old Harbor ferry landing, and does not have a two-night minimum stay for this particular weekend.

The Harborside has a superior view of Ballard's dock and Otter, and is an easy 12-minute walk to the Morgan "family compound" at the Bellevue House on High Street.

You may also go to www.BlockIslandHotel.com to get a feel for other options, including bed and breakfast accommodations.

Directions to the Morgan "Family Compound" at the Bellevue House on High Street [contact phone numbers 860-235-2526 and 860-389-0266]

By taxi: Find a taxi at the ferry landing -- look toward the Harborside Inn and just off to the right -- and ask for the Bellevue House. The fare will be $5 for the first passenger and $1 per passenger after that.

By foot: As you come off the ferry, head toward the Harborside until you get to the main street. Go left. At the end of the block there is a traffic circle. Bear right onto High Street. Approximately one-quarter mile on the right will be the Bellevue House, which is a compound comprised of several houses and cottages. If you can't figure it out from there, well . . .

Head-count Heads-up for us ---
To help us get a better idea of who, when, and how many people are planning to come, please e-mail a quick FYI note to me at brotherjohn@otternews.com --Thanks!

 

Website Copyright 2002- 2005 by OtterNews. All Rights Reserved.
All Reports and Artwork Copyright 1999- 2005 by Brechin L. Morgan. All Rights Reserved.
Site last updated on 4/05/04.