Gifts from the Sea

Every once in a while, when we have a big storm like we had last night, the waters of Narragansett Bay creep up into my neighborhood. The sea water climbs up the beaches and spills into the streets. We wake up to find seashells littering the lawns. What a treat!



Most of the houses where I live are set high on a 10 or 12 foot bank. So they are not in any danger of flooding. And the lower lying houses, across the street from the beach, have gently sloping lawns. Sometimes the water gets pretty close to those houses.

Bits of seaweed, rocks, sand and shells leave their mark on the streets and lawns. They leave a high water mark that is unmistakable.

On gray days like this, nature has a way of making the sea, the sky, even the trees, all the same tone and the world seems very soft. A silvery gray color.


My neighbor, John, was walking his dog, Zoe, this morning and called to me, “Did you find any quahogs yet?”

I do live in a zany neighborhood. Wild Goose Point just outside of Wickford. I love it there.

Sunrises and Sunsets over Narragansett Bay

Some prefer sunrises as they evoke the start of a new day and all the possibilities this brings. Being more of a night owl than an earlier riser, I prefer sunsets.

For me, a spectacular sunset can be the highlight of my whole day. I like to think of a sunset as God’s spectacular light show celebrating the end of a day and giving one time to enjoy the beauty of this natural phenomenon as well as reflect on one’s day. A friend recently asked me where I saw my favourite sunset. It’s a tie between two sunsets of the many I vividly recall.

One being a spectacular sunset I experienced whilst sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. After a wonderful day sailing in moderate winds and filled with warming sunshine, we sat at the bow of the yacht and watched the sun disappear on the horizon. As we out in the middle of the ocean with absolutely nothing around us except miles and miles of ocean, the entire horizon was illuminated with oranges, yellows, and reds. We actually clapped when the sunset show was over!

My other all time favourite sunset was this summer at Castle Hill Inn with friends from Connecticut, England, and Germany. I had proudly hosted my guests and showed them some of the highlights of our little slice of heaven all day. We were tired and sought a place to relax and enjoy the end of the day. We went to Castle Hill Inn and enjoyed a fabulous sunset over Narragansett Bay whilst sipping cocktails from our comfortable Adirondack chairs on the lawn.

If you want the luxury of watching the sunset over Narragansett Bay from your home, consider Puesta del Sol – which means sunset in Spanish – at the exclusive Carnegie Abbey Club. This custom designed home offers a gallery-style great room anchored by the two-story stone fireplace.

The cathedral ceilings provide a wealth of openness and light throughout the home. Facing west, you could enjoy endless glorious sunsets!

Alternatively if you want to create your own dream home to watch the sunset over the Bay, there is a west facing lot of vacant land on Seashore Drive in Jamestown where you could build your ideal home complete with a dock to moor your yacht. Sound appealing?

Where are some of your favourite places to watch the sunset?