growing up among the wilds
sondrad
age and yearning for a return to trips of my youth
5 Feb 2007
based on 1 vote
Just an assortment of recollections of a childhood of summers on the island
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
Block Island
- Category: Perfect week or more
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Traveler type: Active/Outdoors, Beachgoers
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Appeals to: Families with small children, Families with teenagers, Students
- Seasons: Summer
- Tags: the simple life, low key, nature, summer
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Always a fun trip. As a child we would travel out once in the beginning of the summer, by ferry. Mom and Dad and the loaded down ford falcon station wagon. We were allowed to take off our shoes once we reached the point judith ferry docks. We did not put them on again until our return trip home, three, four, eight weeks later.
The ferry ride was made more adventerous by feeding the seagulls that followed in flocks as we cut through the channel into the open ocean on our way to paradise. Having loaded up with clam cakes on the dock, we grasped the greasy cellophane bag with one hand, balanced precariously at our waist on the rail of the ferry under way, and stretched our free hand out grasping a clump of clam cake, offering it to the noisy gulls. The salty spray stung our face as the sun beat down mercilessly on our winter paled skin.
The ferry had a smell all its own: kerosene and creosote and tar and gas from the cars in the hold. Fried food and sun tan lotion. On rainy days, the water trickled down the hazy windows as we sat inside for the long ride.
Dad would leave after one week and then ride the ferry alone back to the island for weekend visits. We would gather at the dock in a group of siblings or by ourselves alone with mom, waiting for him to arrive.
As we girls got older, the deck hands became the object of our desire. All sunburnt and toned, sporting wicked tattos of panthers and roses. We would hang out at the dock on BI, just to flirt. Lucky was the girl who caught the eye of that one handsome deck hand. She was the queen of the summer. |
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| A common summer job was to work in the kitchen of the Spring House. Us summer locals would watch the toursist come and go and feel sad for their "outsideness". The older boys were rewarded with the job of holding the Spring house sign at the ferry dock and calling out in a sing song voice, the destination of most ferry travelers. They would transport the tired lot to the Inn up the hill, in wagons and vans. |
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| A rocky, cliffed beach, not suitable for families with small children, but just right for us! our cottages (no longer there) had a rustic path that tumbled down hill among the rocks and beach roses. Finding a particularly large flat rock, meant a sunny spot to strecth out after swimming in the chilly Atlantic. |
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| The 1661Inn was another tourist retreat. There was also a 1661 sandwich shop, no longer there, that was along the old town strip. My first taste of alfafla sprouts and peanut butter was in that location. Across the street was a delectable ice cream store were we would spend the last of our change, from filling Mom's car with gas at the only station on the island. We would walk back, barefoot, along water street and up corn neck road to the cottage, our hands dripping and sticky with strawberry and vanilla and chocolate, our feet searing along the asphalt.. |
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| Getting lost in rodmans hollow was a pastime of our group as teens. For appropriate and illicit deeds :) One of the ponds in the hollow has a floating island! I would take a book and launch myself in a very small row boat, just big enough to hang my legs over the edge and float around the pond reading for hours. But timing was crucial, if the island closed off my access to the trail from where, I came it was a long hike around! |
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6. Summer Cottage Rentals
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| Your one stop shop for summer renting on Block Island |
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Easy breezy if you get reservations for your car. A long day in standby if you dont!
Call early in the season if you intend to bring a vehicle over to the island. Day trippers need not bring cars: you can rent bikes, mopeds or even small smart cars, or full size jeeps, for probably the same amount as what it would cost to ferry your vehicle.
But if you are staying for a week or more and need your car(taxis are expensive) then call in January or earlier with your reservation request.
Reservations for walkers or bikers are not needed, but would help in your planning if you so desire. |
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8. Go Musseling
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Want fresh mussels for dinner? Limited amount you can take per day and location is difficult to get to (not ADA friendly!) but worth it all the more!
Follow Spring Street to Mohegan Drive. Take left at painted rock onto Snack Hill Road. At end you'll see small parking area (two car gravel space) and a sign for a trail. Follow trail (overgrown) down hill (wet and slippery) over rocks and down cliff to beach (large and rocky!). Go at LOWTIDE ONLY, or you wont see any of the mussels clinging to the base of the boulders in the shallows. Wear sneakers or beach shoes and bring net bags for collecting. Pull only larger mussels, let small fry grow :) |
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9. Block Island Tourism Council Podcast
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| Great podcast on tourist sites on BI |
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10. Rainy Day and Friday nights with the kids
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Empire Theatre, is the only movie theater in town (other theater is at new harbor at marina). It is housed in an old Roller Skating rick, with antique chairs benches, 1940"s ticket booth and one screen at floor level. Come for the charm. Current run films are shown. Times change according to weather :)
Address: Water Street, Block Island, RI 02807
Phone: 401-466-2555 |
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11. Stocking up
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Block Island Grocery (BIG), the larger of only two grocers in town (The other being the Depot). be aware though, that importing food to the island is expensive and those costs are definitely passed on to you in much higher prices. Everyone has to make a living, but if you can, bring provisions from home and fill in here or at the Depot.
Address: Ocean Avenue, Block Island, RI 02807
Phone: 401-466-2949 |
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12. Trail riding on the beach or in the brushes
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Rustic Rides Farm, on the westside of the island, has remarkably well kept and clean horses. Knowledge trail hands walk along side your ride. Choose shorter beach ride or longer Rodmans Hollow ride. They will pick you up in town free of charge.
Address: PO Box 842, Block Island, RI 02807
Phone: 401-466-5060 |
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Compliment sondrad
