Block Island Jewelry

What’s a Purple Flag Day?
It doesn’t happen often in the summer, but those days when Interstate Navigation hoists a purple flag at the ferry dock, it means the boats aren’t running. That’s what the islanders call a “shore day”—because you’re stuck “on shore.” One shore day can be a great chance to curl up with a book or take a drive to see the roiling surf. Three shore days in a row can be a bit more frustrating.   Take this weekend, the first weekend of October. The remnants of Hurricane Ian threw a wrench into a lot of people’s plans—wedding plans, travel plans, weekend plans. So far, we’re on three days without boats.   Sometimes, the planes don’t fly either. So far this weekend, New England Air has been making the trip between the island and Westerly for people who really, really want to leave. Personally, we prefer being island-bound! The grocery store is likely out of milk and other items. There’s no mail, in or out—so we can’t ship orders promptly. And the options for grabbing a bite to eat are slim, with lots of places closed for the season.   Speaking of closed for the season, the National was expecting to close after Sunday but they had to stay open an extra couple nights to accommodate stranded guests! Our favorite way to spend a shore day? A cruise around to see the waves and stormy skies, a stop at our favorite gift shop to pick up a jigsaw puzzle, and a cozy dinner with friends at the Barn top our list. What are your favorite shore day activities?