>> WELCOME BACK, THE VOTES ARE IN.
TOWNSEND VERMONT WITH 15%.
MASSACHUSETTS ON THE CAPE, 22%.
OLD ORCHARD BEACH WAS LEADING HEADING INTO THE BREAK AND POINT JUDITH AND BLOCK ISLAND RHODE ISLAND HAVE PULLED AHEAD DURING THE BREAK AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED NOW.
♪ >> WITH MORE THAN A THIRD OF OVER ITS 1500 SQUARE MILES COVERED BY WATER, THEY DON’T CALL RHODE ISLAND THE OCEAN STATE FOR NOTHING.
>> AND HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, THERE IS PERHAPS NO PLACE THAT IS MORE CONNECTED WITH THE SEA THEN RIGHT HERE.
>> YOU MAY KNOW IT AS THE PLACE WITH THE BIBLICAL NAME AND FAIRY.
GALILEE RHODE ISLAND SITS ON POINT JUDITH WHEN THE SOUTHERNMOST EDGE TURNS TO THE EAST TO LOOK OUT ON OPEN OCEAN.
FISHING HERE DOESN’T GO BACK TO THE BIBLE SURE HAS ROOTS.
>> RICH IN HISTORY, FAMILIES, GENERATIONS EARED FISHERMEN, LOBSTER MEN, IT HAS BEEN HERE FOREVER.
>> RICH IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE FISHING ALLIANCE HERE, CHALLENGES ARE AS REGULAR AS THE TIDE.
>> RHODE ISLAND FISHERMEN ARE SURVIVORS THERE ARE THE MCIVER’S OF SURVIVING LIFESTYLE AND GOVERNMENT CHANGE.
THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH HIGH OIL PRICES AND WHAT WE DO BEST HARVEST GALLINARI.
>> INDEED.
IT HAS BECOME A BONA FIDE MENU ITEM, AND IN A RARE DISPLAY OF POLITICAL UNITY, IT BECAME THE STATE’S OFFICIAL APPETIZER BY ACT OF GOVERNOR CHAFEE IN 2014.
>> YOU LAUGH, BUT HOW MAY STATES HAVE AN OFFICIAL APPETIZER?
A CRATED QUITE A STIR.
>> MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT CONTINUES TO KEEP JOBS IN THE STORIED HARBOR WHERE A WALK AMONG THE BOATS CAN STILL YIELD A TASTY SURPRISE.
>> A LOT OF THE TIMES, THE GUY DUMPING IT WILL STILL ASK IF YOU WANT A FEW FISH.
IT’S A VERY HEARTWARMING PLACE DOWN HERE.
>> AT THE VERY TIP OF POINT JUDITH, STOP BY THE COAST GUARD STATION TO CHECK IN ON ONE OF THE NATION’S OLDEST, POINT JUDITH LIGHTHOUSE.
>> IT WAS BUILT IN 1810.
THE CURRENT LIGHTHOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1856 AND IT IS 50 FEET TALL.
>> A LOCAL LANDMARK ON LAND AND SEA ITS DISTINCTIVE MARKING IS AS DELIBERATE AS THE LOOK OF ANY OTHER LIGHTHOUSE.
>> LIGHTHOUSES ARE PAINTED IN DISTINCT WAYS SO MARINERS CAN TELL THEM APART.
THE REASON THIS ONE IS BROWN ON TOP AND WHITE ON THE BOTTOM IS TO DISTINGUISH AND LET THE WHITE HOUSE STAND OUT.
>> THE DEACON CAN BE SEEN FOR MILES OUT TO SEA, IS A GOOD THING.
>> THE MARITIME SIDE OF POINT JUDITH IS KNOWN AS THE GRAVEYARD OF THE NORTHEAST.
IT IS A PRETTY TREACHEROUS PART OF WATER.
>> THINGS ARE CONSIDERABLY CALMER ACROSS THE WAY WHERE WE DROPPED BY AN OLD FRIEND WHO FIRST MET SIX YEARS AGO AFTER HE STARTED HIS SEVEN ACRE OYSTER FARM HERE ON POTTERS POND.
THE FARM IS STILL THRIVING, THINGS ARE STILL DIFFERENT SHORESIDE.
THIS SHACK HAS GROWN, JUST LIKE THE WAITING LIST HERE EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
>> ARE YOU AMAZED BY THE GROWTH?
>> I’M SURPRISED BY THE POPULARITY OF IT AND IT IS GRATIFYING.
>> ALL OF THE WORK SEEMS TO HAVE PAID OFF.
USA TODAY NAMED THE OYSTER BAR ONE OF THE WORLD’S 10 BEST OYSTER BARS AND THE FOOD HERE CONSISTENTLY MAKES THE TOP 20 SEAFOOD LIST.
NOT BAD FOR AN OYSTER FARMER WITH NO RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE WHO JUST NEEDED A PLACE TO TIE UP HIS BOAT.
>> ALL I IMAGINED WAS SOME DOCS FOR MY BOATS.
ALL I NEEDED SMALL RESTAURANT.
>> NO SIGN OF THAT HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON.
AN ARDENT AGRICULTURE PROPONENT, HE STILL FARMS IS PRONE AND WHETHER HE PLANNED IT OR NOT, IS RESTAURANT REMAINS A HARVEST ICON.
>> OUR GOAL IS TO SURF CLAM CHECK FARE IS FINE AS IT CAN BE DONE AS WELL AS FINE DINING OPTIONS.
THAT’S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE AREA -- HERE.
>> THE FAIRIES PACKED -- FERRY IS PACKED.
WE ARE READY FOR AN ISLAND VACATION.
JUST SEVEN MILES LONG BLOCK ISLAND IS SMALL, ITS DIVERSE TERRAIN MAKES IT FEEL MUCH BIGGER.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND, FIELDS OF DAISIES DANCE IN THE WIND.
>> MY WIFE AND I WANT TO OWN OUR OWN BUSINESS AND GET OUT OF CORPORATE AMERICA.
WE ALWAYS LOVE GOING TO INNS AND B&BS.
>> AFTER A LONG DAY OF SIGHTSEEING, VISITORS COME FOR THE FOOD.
>> TO AND OCTOPUS SKEWERS.
A LOT OF LOCAL FLAVOR.
THE DEVILED EGGS IS A FUN PLAY ON THAT.
>> AFTER THE SNACK A FEAST FOR THE EYES.
>> IT’S AN UNBELIEVABLE, BEAUTIFUL LOCATION.
IT’S NICE RELAXING AND SITTING IN THE ANAREN BACK.
BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE ISLAND ITSELF.
>> THANK YOU FOR PLAYING ALONG WITH US TONIGHT AND HELPING US CHOOSE OUR DESTINATION.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.
WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD WITH MODIFICATIONS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRING YOU MORE ADVENTURES THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
THAT IS CHRONICLE FOR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
WE HOPE TO SEE