>> We will be starting the race sequence here very shortly.

>> NARRATOR: Coming up on Weekends with Yankee... >> WIESE: Four, three, two, one, and the race is off.

Race is on!

>> NARRATOR: Richard sets sail in the sailing capital of the world, Newport, Rhode Island.

>> WIESE: We are sandwiched between two boats.

Everybody is jockeying for that position in here.

>> NARRATOR: From there, we travel west, to Westerly, Rhode Island, a coastal town of tranquil beauty.

And then it's north to the rugged Bold Coast of Maine to see the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere.

>> The Old Sow is, the best time to see that is two to three hours before the high tide.

You got three currents colliding there, and it makes it real turbulent.

>> NARRATOR: And finally, Amy travels around New Hampshire... >> TRAVERSO: That's really good.

>> NARRATOR: ...to get a taste of the classic New England general store.

>> The country store is everything.

It's just, like, that absolute connection of people still talking over coffee.

>> Cupcake!

Yum!

>> How many of those have you had?

>> NARRATOR: So come along with us for a once-in-a-lifetime journey through New England as you've never experienced it before, a true insider's guide from the editors of Yankee magazine.

Join explorer and adventurer Richard Wiese, and Yankee senior food editor Amy Traverso, for behind-the-scenes access to the unique attractions that define this region.

It's the ultimate travel guide from the people who know it best.

Weekends with Yankee.

>> Major funding provided by: ♪ ♪ >> Massachusetts is home to a lot of firsts.

The first public park in America, the first fried clams, the first university in America.

The first basketball game.

What's first for you?

♪ ♪ (birds chirping) >> Series funding provided by the Vermont Country Store, the purveyors of the practical and hard-to-find since 1946.

>> The Barn Yard, builders of timber-frame barns and garages.

>> And by American Cruise Lines, exploring the historic shores of New England.

♪ ♪ >> NARRATOR: Beyond its Gilded Age mansions and stunning oceanside Cliff Walk, Newport, Rhode Island, is also home to one of the best sailing harbors on the East Coast.

♪ ♪ To learn more about the sailing culture here, we stopped in at the Newport Yacht Club, where Richard will get a chance to jump aboard a classic wooden sailboat, and experience the thrill of Newport racing.

But first, he takes a tour of the harbor with Commodore Stephen Weaver.

>> WIESE: Is this our boat here?

>> This is our boat.

>> WIESE: Okay.

>> Well, come on aboard.

>> WIESE: Commodore first.

♪ ♪ I understand that Newport is sort of renowned for having its breezes-- that's why it's become such a big place for sailing.

>> Absolutely-- when you take a look at the races... Of course, we had the America's Cup here for 100 years.

But the thing that Newport offers is that, you have the bay area, but also just a short distance offshore, you're out in the Atlantic Ocean.

♪ ♪ >> WIESE: This is your boat coming up?

>> This is, this is my boat, Temerity.

>> WIESE: And so Temerity is what type of boat?

>> It's a J/24 racing sloop.

♪ ♪ >> NARRATOR: After the harbor tour, Richard meets up with Vice Commodore Betsy Green to learn a bit more about Newport and the race that he was about to join.

>> The Newport Yacht Club was started in 1894, right here in Newport, Rhode Island.

It was started by men who loved sailing, and wanted to gather with like individuals in a clubhouse atmosphere and promote sailing.

Newport, Rhode Island, is the sailing capital of the world.

We're also a community that offers much more in addition to sailing.

Richard, tonight you are going to be lucky enough to go out with Fred Roy.

He is the owner and captain of his very own S boat.

The S boat class is an older class of wooden boat that is just pristine.

And you should have a good time whether you win or not.

♪ ♪ >> WIESE: So I'm going to ask you some advice.

What can I do to at least survive this?

>> Well, just stay out of the way.

♪ ♪ >> We're about to race in a Tuesday night race at Newport Yacht Club.

And it's a one-design race.

This, this particular start will be only S boats.

We'll have ten S boats on the starting line tonight.

What's distinctive about the Herreshoff S boats?

They've been around for approximately 100 years.

They're part of a group of boats designed by Nathaniel Herreshoff in the 1890s.

The largest of those boats is called a J boat and the smallest of those boats is an S boat.

They're fast, they're very competitive, but they're also a dream to sail.

♪ ♪ I've been racing the Herreshoff S boat for approximately 40 years now.

>> WIESE: This us?

>> What I love about racing is the camaraderie of the people that I race with, not only on the line and out in the course, but also afterwards.

It's a family.

>> WIESE: Wow-- there is some serious wind out here.

>> We have a constant wind speed of 11 knots daily.

Most sailing events can rely on the fact that they're going to have wind for that particular event.

And that is not so in other areas along the... Up and down the East Coast, or the West Coast.

>> WIESE: So it's pretty exciting out here.

We're just about to start the race.

Getting out of this harbor is not an easy task, as it's very crowded out here.

And I'm just going to have to depend on these guys' expertise.

>> So right now I'm just looking around to see where the rest of the fleet is.

>> WIESE: How many boats are in this race?

>> In our race tonight, there are ten.

♪ ♪ >> WIESE: How does this race work tonight?

>> The course is approximately three-and-a-half miles.

It's up, down, up, down, finish.

Finish at the committee boat.

>> We will be starting the race sequence here very shortly.

>> WIESE: Does your sort of competitive blood get up when it's about race time?

>> Oh, yeah!

Oh, yeah!

>> Yes-- I think it's something that is in my blood, and it's just there.

>> WIESE: I have to admit, I'm not even a racer, and I'm starting to feel competitive.

>> Zach, what do we got for time?

>> We've got 3:30 until the ensign's start.

>> All right.

>> WIESE: You're trying to time as close as you can get to the start, right?

>> Exactly.

>> WIESE: And how big a, you know, part does that start play?

>> Whoever starts with a little bit of advantage most of the time keeps that advantage.

I'm going to pick a spot about midway down the line and try to get clear air.

Ready about!

Helm's over.

Trim it in.

♪ ♪ >> WIESE: Yeah, and it's tight quarters in here.

>> Yep.

Coming up!

Down hard, down hard!

>> WIESE: How many seconds?

>> Ten.

>> Ease the main!

Ease that main!

>> WIESE: Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and the race is off.

Okay, race is on.

And we are sandwiched between two boats.

And you can just see how close they are.

Everybody is jockeying for that position in here.

>> What was that sound?

Were we over?

>> Race committee, race committee, Surprise, number five, were we over?

>> Yes, you were over.

>> Okay, ease main, ease main.

>> WIESE: Over-- ah, we went over the starting line too soon.

Does that mean you have to go back to the start?

>> Yep.

>> 27 was also over... >> WIESE: Okay, we were a little over on the start.

>> So it was close.

That's racing-- if you're not over, you're not trying.

Ready about.

Helm's over.

>> Helm's over.

>> WIESE: So are we back on course?

>> We're... about three-quarters deep in the fleet right now.

So I'm looking for speed so that I'm still gaining ground.

So right now, we're in sixth place... >> WIESE: Oh, my gosh.

>> ...out of ten.

We might be able to catch the fifth boat.

That's our, our goal.

But we're not that bad-- we're not last.

So I'll take that.

So we're going to jibe around this mark.

Okay, Zach.

(crank whirring) So we gained four or five boat lengths in that last tack.

I think this looks about right, here we go.

♪ ♪ Okay, so we are now presently in fifth place.

(horn blows) >> WIESE: We're in fifth?

>> Yep.

>> WIESE: Okay.

♪ ♪ >> For me, doing this this many years, winning championships and not winning them, it's all about being out here.

>> WIESE: Yeah, that's true.

>> I had a number of different careers.

I traveled a lot around the world.

Every time I came back to the United States, and I came back here, it was like, this is really home, and it's something that I don't take for granted.

We are living in paradise, you know.

If you're a sailor, and you're in Newport, you're living in paradise.

>> WIESE: Newport, Rhode Island, you know, it's just a really special place on Earth.

♪ ♪ >> NARRATOR: Not far from Newport, about an hour west, you'll find the town of Westerly.

Named for its location on Rhode Island's southwestern tip, this is a classic New England community... with a vibrant personality-- especially in summer, when visitors flock to its beaches.

Only a short walk from the seashore, at the end of Bay Street, you'll find the oldest continuous-operating flying horse carousel in the U.S.

The Watch Hill Carousel arrived at Westerly in 1883.

Originally powered by two men turning the cranks, later replaced by horses, and finally electrified in 1914, this jewel of Americana was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and declared a national historic landmark shortly after.

And rides are a bargain, costing only about a dollar per person.

♪ ♪ You can wander the Westerly's historic downtown with its shops and restaurants.

Or take a short drive south to reach the picturesque shoreline of Napatree Point.

♪ ♪ Lighthouse fans should be sure to stop by Watch Hill Light, which has served as a nautical beacon for ships since 1745.

♪ ♪ And finally, whether you're a guest or a day tripper, the luxury hotel Ocean House, first opened in 1868, provides an ideal location for a top-notch seaside lunch.

Known for its iconic bright yellow façade, Ocean House overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ From Rhode Island, we head to the easternmost part of Maine, up near the border with Canada, to have a look at the Old Sow whirlpool, believed to be the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere.

>> The Old Sow is, the best time to see that is two to three hours before the high tide.

You get three currents colliding there, trying to squeeze between two points, and it makes it real turbulent because of the contour of the bottom and the current trying to squeeze between them two points.

♪ ♪ >> NARRATOR: The whirlpool lies not far offshore from Eastport, a city on the hilly east side of Moose Island.

We take a boat out to get a firsthand look.

The area is teeming with wildlife-- birds, dolphins, seals, and whales.

(people on boat cheering) >> Minkes and finbacks are most common in this area.

We do see humps in, usually, late August.

Sometimes an occasional right whale.

Minkes usually come in May, June, and they're anywheres from 15, 20 feet normally to 35 feet in length.

And then the finbacks can usually be anywheres from 35, 40 feet, on the average, to up to 80, 85 feet.

>> NARRATOR: The whirlpool forms when the tide rises in the western passage of Passamaquoddy Bay, and forces the current of water to make a sharp turn at the southern tip of Deer Island.

>> Now there's one area where it's 200 or 300 yards across, creates a churning motion-- that's what they call the Old Sow whirlpool.

>> NARRATOR: Every day, the tides at Eastport rise and drop an average of 18 feet.

>> We have two tides a day.

Two highs, two lows a day, actually.

About every six hours and ten minutes, we have a tide.

♪ ♪ >> NARRATOR: The city of Eastport itself is home to the easternmost deepwater port in the United States.

It lost a booming sardine industry years ago, but it has active lobster, scallop, and salmon fisheries, and a promising future in wood products, hydroelectricity, and tourism.

Eastport, Maine, is definitely worth a visit.

♪ ♪ Leaving the coast of Maine, we head inland to New Hampshire to check out a New England icon: the general store.

The general store is your best bet for a first stop in any rural small town.

Here, you'll find a friendly welcome, and just about anything you need.

General stores continue to thrive in today's modern economy by offering great food and high-quality, locally made products.

♪ ♪ Senior food editor Amy Traverso checks out a few of her favorites.

First stop, Harrisville.

Harrisville, New Hampshire, is a wonderful old mill town established in the mid-1800s.

The population now hovers around 1,000, and at the center of this idyllic town is the Harrisville General Store, built to provide provisions for the local mill workers almost 200 years ago.

>> TRAVERSO: Places like the Harrisville General Store here used to be the only retailers for miles.

They've lost that monopoly, but the ones that have survived have become really smart at figuring out what keeps their customers coming back.

For most of them, that means hyperlocal products, great food, and a strong sense of community.

♪ ♪ Hey, Sam.

>> Hi.

>> TRAVERSO: So what are you making here?

>> I'm making our shepherd's pie.

It's local beef, and we call it our cast-iron special, because it's made in this amazing gigantic cast-iron pan.

My name is Samantha Rule, and I'm the chef-manager of the Harrisville General Store in Harrisville, New Hampshire.

>> TRAVERSO: So how far away does this beef come from?

>> We get beef from two places-- one in Winchester, New Hampshire, which is, like, 20 minutes, and Peterborough, which is 20 minutes the other way.

>> TRAVERSO: All right, so you've got corn, beef, celery, I see onions.

>> Yep.

And then I'll add a little bit of Herbes de Provence.

We get this good blend from Attar Spices in Harrisville.

There's so much more available locally than you would ever think.

We source as seasonally, sustainably, and locally as we possibly can.

Anything I can't find locally in the area I source from states around New Hampshire.

We need to come over here and do the mashed potatoes.

So plenty of... >> TRAVERSO: So a pound of butter.

>> Yeah, a little less than a pound >> TRAVERSO: A little less, okay.

>> And then heavy cream.

>> TRAVERSO: Okay.

>> So I think the store was opened in 1837.

>> TRAVERSO: Okay.

>> And it's been in continuous operation almost the whole time.

>> TRAVERSO: Wow.

These places are incredible, and they're still as essential as always.

>> TRAVERSO: God, that is gorgeous.

Look at all that.

>> You know, we're a general store.

We're cooking for, like, a general population.

So we have people who have more modern tastes.

We have people who just want a burger or a BLT.

>> TRAVERSO: Right.

>> So I sprinkle a teensy bit of smoked paprika on top.

>> TRAVERSO: Smoked paprika, that's the modern touch!

>> (laughs): Yeah, right.

So then it'll go in the oven.

So we open wide.

Watch yourself there.

>> TRAVERSO: Yeah.

>> Oh, it's, like, 30 pounds of shepherd's pie.

And we'll let that go for a bit.

Historic Harrisville helps to subsidize our operation, and makes it possible for us to have, like, a living wage, for... All of us live and work in this community, which is pretty remarkable.

♪ ♪ >> TRAVERSO: Will you sell this entire pan out in a day?

>> Yeah, before it even cools down.

We have a large customer base of working people, and they love to come in and get it, because they're working outside all day.

>> TRAVERSO: Right.

>> It's real, like, stick-to-your-ribs kind of hearty food.

>> TRAVERSO: Yeah.

♪ ♪ >> NARRATOR: Moulton's Market sits on Main Street in historic Amherst Village.

It was built about 150 years ago, and despite one major fire, this corner has always housed a general store.

>> My name is Greg Bolton.

I'm the co-owner of Moulton's Market here in Amherst, New Hampshire.

>> NARRATOR: Greg and his team are working hard to bring in local products that celebrate the best of New Hampshire, from craft beer to homemade pie, and, of course, wicked sharp cheddar.

>> We live in a time when there's sort of mom-and-pop businesses popping up all the time.

The movement of local food has really taken hold.

>> NARRATOR: One of the things this market is known for is their ten different soups, all handmade every day.

And their chicken pot pie.

>> TRAVERSO: I see you have some chicken pot pie here, which looks amazing.

So can you show me how you make it?

>> Sure.

It pretty much starts with fresh-roasted chicken, mirepoix-- potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions.

>> TRAVERSO: Uh-huh.

>> We also add peas.

And then we'll make a, basically a chicken gravy.

So the chicken stock, thickened with roux, flour, and butter.

>> TRAVERSO: Very good, there we go.

How much do you fill it up?

It looks pretty tall.

>> That's all one pie right there.

>> TRAVERSO: Wow, that's a lot of filling, okay.

>> Yeah, it's like a mile-high pot pie.

>> TRAVERSO: Yeah.

(both laugh) There we go.

>> These little crusts actually come from Massachusetts, a bakery in Massachusetts.

>> TRAVERSO: Oh, nice.

>> And then we roll out a crust and basically just go around the edges.

We kind of lift it up, tuck it underneath.

Just give it a little crimp all the way around.

And there we go.

That'll get egg-washed and baked in the oven.

>> TRAVERSO: Baked into that?

>> Yep.

And then packaged for retail sale.

>> TRAVERSO: Oh, nice, and I see you've got the soup.

That's really cool.

>> Just a little pot of soup going.

So that's just a French onion soup.

>> TRAVERSO: Well, this soup smells incredible.

And you're making it today for tomorrow?

>> That's right.

>> TRAVERSO: That's great.

Well, soup always tastes better the next day, that's been my experience.

>> Sure does.

>> TRAVERSO: Speaking of that, I'm going to go taste some, so I'll see you later.

>> All right, thank you.

♪ ♪ >> TRAVERSO: Hey, Greg.

>> Hey, Amy, how are you?

>> TRAVERSO: Good.

So you've got a lot of flavors here, and I would love to try just a few.

I don't think I can do all of them.

>> Yes, we've got ten out here.

Let's try some of the most popular ones.

I think this Southwestern chicken corn chowder is one of our bestsellers.

>> TRAVERSO: Oh, nice.

That looks really good.

>> There you are.

>> TRAVERSO: Especially on a day like this.

>> So we grill the chicken breast fresh, and put that soup together every morning.

>> TRAVERSO: Mm, it's really nicely balanced.

>> So I also have a turkey gumbo.

>> TRAVERSO: Yay, I love spicy.

So what gives it some spice?

>> Oh, that's a secret.

I can't tell you that.

>> TRAVERSO: Oh, okay.

Mmm, that's really good.

And I like the kick.

Thanks so much for letting me behind the scenes.

>> You're very welcome.

>> NARRATOR: Heading east to Newfields, New Hampshire, at the corner of Main Street and Swamscott, you'll find Newfields General Store.

It first opened in 1884, and is now owned by Kam and her business partner, Amy, who bought it just a year ago.

>> Hi, my name is Kam Jamison, co-owner of the Newfields Country Store here in Newfields, New Hampshire.

>> NARRATOR: The store showcases New Hampshire products, like the honey made by the sixth-graders down the street and the local soda, made with fresh maple syrup.

But what the store is perhaps best known for is their freshly baked bread.

>> This is our anadama bread right here.

>> TRAVERSO: Look at how gorgeous that is.

>> It's kind of, like, you know, our traditional New England bread.

>> TRAVERSO: You've got the molasses in here, which is classic New England, the cornmeal.

>> We get it from Lee.

>> TRAVERSO: Oh, that's so cool.

>> Yeah, they do a bunch of corn flour, cornmeal, and everything, so this one's blue cornmeal.

>> TRAVERSO: So we're going to portion this out?

>> Yeah, so we'll portion them out, kind of make them into rolls.

>> TRAVERSO: So people will get a sandwich with that much?

>> Yes.

>> TRAVERSO: That's great, that's perfect.

Do you want me to pull the skin tight?

>> Yeah, so it kind of just... the less touch the better, sometimes, with these little breads.

>> TRAVERSO: Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> TRAVERSO: So I know that general stores have always had a big place in New England, but things have changed.

So what is it that people will come to a general store for?

>> The country store is everything, you know?

>> TRAVERSO: Yeah!

>> There's community, there's all types of people.

It's just, like, that absolute connection of people still talking over coffee.

>> TRAVERSO: These look great.

Okay, should I bring these up?

>> Yes.

>> TRAVERSO: This goes up here?

>> Yes, right on top of that, sure.

>> TRAVERSO: Okay, great, okay.

There we go.

♪ ♪ >> TRAVERSO: Wow, is this the bread that we were working on in there?

They are beautiful.

Mmm.

>> I love what I do, making our own bread, our own soups.

It's kind of, like, what's not to love about that?

>> Cupcake!

>> (laughs): You're spoiled.

>> Yum!

>> How many of those have you had?

>> NARRATOR: There are dozens of other great stores just like these all around New Hampshire.

So be sure to visit one on your next trip to the Granite State.

>> NARRATOR: For exclusive video, recipes, travel ideas, tips from the editors, and access to the Weekends With Yankee digital magazine, go to weekendswithyankee.com and follow us on social media, @yankeemagazine.

Yankee magazine, the inspiration for the television series, provides recipes, feature articles, and the best of New England from the people who know it best.

Six issues for $10.

Call 1-800-221-8154. Credit cards accepted.

>> Major funding provided by... ♪ ♪ >> Massachusetts is home to a lot of firsts.

The first public park in America, the first fried clams, the first university in America, the first basketball game.

What's first for you?

(birds chirping) ♪ ♪ >> Series funding provided by the Vermont Country Store, the purveyors of the practical and hard-to-find since 1946.

>> The Barn Yard, builders of timber-frame barns and garages.

>> And by American Cruise Lines, exploring the historic shores of New England.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪