Conference unifix::sailing

    Ron,
    
    There are 2 drawbridges across the Piscataqua River at Portsmouth,
    as well as the high-rise which carries I-95. They used to be called
    the "Memorial Bridge" (smaller bridge, closest to the sea) and the
    "Interstate Bridge" (a bit further up river and renamed, now that
    the interstate highway uses the big bridge.
    
    I believe they open only as fixed times on half hour intervals.
    One opens upon request on the hour and half hour and the other
    opens on the quarter hour and three-quarter hour. It's not very far
    between the bridges, so you have some time to kill between them - which
    could be a bit hairy if the maximum current were running.
    
    I haven't run the river myself yet, but have spent some time 
    comtemplating what would be necessary to do so.
    
    Be sure you have all of the necessary information regarding these
    bridges. If it were my first time, I would give them a phone call in 
    advance to be sure I had the latest info, unless someone with current local
    knowledge can provide details.
    
    Regards,
    
    Bill
    

Each time I went up I started just half hour or hour before high tide, thus
some current to carry me up but not enought that I couldn't hold in place for
the bridges to open or start after low tide for same reason.
I always had to call both bridges, the second one never expected me.
The river is lit up well and marked well.
Kittery, at entrance to river accros from the coast guard station has moorings
if you need to wait for the tide.  Its best to stay in the middle of the 
channel when you make turns. The turn by the old prison should be given room
if the tide is running and the turn before the Great Bay bridge shallows out. 
If you have a tall rig, friend of mine did, he had to go under bridge by
Great Bay at low tide.  There is moorings before that bridge also on the
right.  
Don't turn into the marina until you are can turn 90 degrees into the 
boats that are moored.  There is a current and was a breadwater of tires
near the docks.

    My CHARTKIT (CBA?) covering Portsmouth is on my boat.  Does anybody
    know if the kit includes the Piscatequa all the way to the marina?  I
    won't get a chance to look at my nav charts until Friday night.
    
    If the chart kit doesn't cover all the way to the marina, what is a
    reasonable course for me, ie. markers up to the mariner?
    
    Also, what is a reasonable time after hugh tide before ebb becomes
    fairly stron so that I wouldn't, or shouldn't, be nav'g up the river?
    
    Thanks!
    
    	Ron
    

RE:.3 by MR4DEC::RFRANCEY "dtn 297-5264 mro4-3/g15"

> My CHARTKIT (CBA?) covering Portsmouth is on my boat.  Does anybody know if 
> the kit includes the Piscatequa all the way to the marina?

The version I have does NOT cover up to Great Bay Marine.


Phil