| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 764.1 | Annisquam is fun to spectate but no wake. | ZENDIA::CUMMINGS | Paul T. Cummings BXB1 | Tue Oct 23 1990 22:29 | 4 |
| Annisquam is very navigable and alot of fun AND very no wake.
Going around Cape Ann has some nice scenery. Plan a stop in Rockport.
I don't recall if they have a gas dock but it is a pleasant place and
quite friendly.
|
| 764.2 | You could - But... | SALEM::KLOTZ | | Wed Oct 24 1990 11:23 | 49 |
| Jim --
At the risk of sounding like I'm putting a damper on your daugthers
dreams -- I'm not sure why you would want to do this trip?
Can a 20' cuddy make such a trip? - Sure in the right conditions -
after all any costal trip is simply a series of 1 mile rides put
together.
However in less than ideal conditions 9 hours in a planing hull is
a long time (remember there is no anchor/drift/fishing time -
you're always moving) The fatigue can be great.
To make such a trip without stopping at some sub set of available
ports (the Annisquam, Newburyport, Portsmouth, Kennebunkport,
Biddeford Pool, Jewell Island, Portland, Casco Bay-So. Freeport,
Gosslings, Basin,....) does not seem to make any sense (to me).
I would think it more enjoyable to trailer the boat up and enjoy
the area your heading towards - the Sheepscott, Sassanoa, etc...
A rule of thumb I have used is - If I need to ask if my boat can
make it - then "I'm" not ready.
I have made this trip a number of times in a 34' Convertible and
have seen days when an 11' Whaler could have been fun; but, have
also been surprised to the point of concern in my own vessel.
I'd be more than willing to discuss it with you if ya want to give
a call; but, I would tend to try an talk you out of it and into
some real nice day/weekend jaunts around the area your are headed
towards (you'd enjoy the gas useage more)
=====
Now -
If your daugther/you want to sleep on the boat & take 2-3 days,
with some sight seeing -- this could be a fun trip -- given the right
conditions.
=====
I guess my message is don't beat your selves to a pulp just so
you can say you took a big trip -- it might backfire and cause
your daughter not to enjoy the boat as much anymore
=====
Again if you decide to do the trip feel free to call with any
questions.
Good luck on your decision process,
Lou
|
| 764.3 | DO IT! | GBMMKT::BOSELLI | | Wed Oct 24 1990 18:25 | 37 |
| DO IT!
IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO SHARE WITH YOUR DAUGHTER. SHE'LL
NEVER FORGET IT AND NIETHER WILL YOU. I'VE DONE A FEW SUCH TRIPS WITH
MY 20' CUDDY...BOOTHBAY HARBOR, ISLES OF SHOALS, MARBLEHEAD HARBOR,
CHARLES RIVER, NANTUCKET ETC. IT'S A GREAT ADVENTURE!
CAN YOU DO IT IN A 20' CUDDY? ABSOLUTELY...AS LONG AS YOU WATCH THE
WEATHER. I'VE COVERED MOST OF THE EASTERN COAST OF NORTH AMERICA IN
A 23' CUDDY (NEWFOUNDLAND TO MIAMI BEACH!).
THE ANNISQUAM IS THE LOGICAL CHOICE FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, BUT A
TRIP AROUND CAPE ANN (INCLUDING A STOP AT ROCKPORT) ISN'T A BAD IDEA
EITHER.
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND GOING THE DISTANCE ALL AT ONCE...NOT THAT YOU
COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT YOU SHOULD TURN THE TRIP INTO AN ADVENTURE FOR
BOTH OF YOU. STOP IN AT MARBLEHEAD, GLOUCESTER, PORTSMOUTH (SEE THE
SUBMARINES), YORK, PERKINS COVE, KENNEBUNKPORT (SEE GEORGE'S HOUSE),
CAPE PORPOISE (THOUSANDS OF LOBSTER POTS), BOOTHBAY HARBOR ETC. ETC.
ETC.
PLAN TO OVERNIGHT AT LEAST ONE NIGHT. MOST TOWNS HAVE MOORINGS YOU CAN
USE OR YOU CAN TIE UP AT A MARINA...OR BETTER YET, ANCHOR IN A QUIET
COVE. BRING A COOLER AND A COLEMAN STOVE (USE IN A WELL VENTILATED
SPOT ON THE BOAT) AND MAKE A CAMPING TRIP OF IT!
AND FINALLY...DON'T LISTEN TO THOSE WHO SAY "WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO
THAT?". LAST YEAR I CRUISED FROM LAKE MICHIGAN DOWN THE ILLINOIS AND
MISSISSIPPI RIVERS AND ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO TO SOUTHERN FLORIDA...THE
CRUISE OF A LIFETIME ---- AND HALF THE PEOPLE I TALK TO SAY "WHY WOULD
YOU WANT TO DO THAT?" (AS IF TO SUGGEST IT WOULD BE CHEAPER AND FASTER
TO FLY!).
HAVE A GOOD TRIP!
|
| 764.4 | Go for it! | SALISH::SASLOW_ST | STEVE | Wed Oct 24 1990 19:38 | 6 |
| Do it! I make a 250 Nautical Mile trip (each way) most every summer
from Seattle to Desolation Sound in B.C. for two weeks in a 31 footer
but I see all kinds of 20 foot boats up there. I take 2 days each way.
You will love it, it will make you feel like you've really accomplished
something. Go for it!
|
| 764.5 | yes, but be careful | MSCSSE::BERENS | Alan Berens | Wed Oct 24 1990 19:59 | 12 |
| If you do it, do be very careful. The weather can get bad suddenly
(thick, thick fog can descend in minutes and squalls blow up just as
quickly) and the places of refuge aren't all that close together. The
more time I spend on the ocean, the more cautious I become. Be sure you
feel adequately prepared and have sufficient skills to cope with
whatever happens. Situations that others might not find dangerous might
be life threatening to you. Just because someone else has made this or
that trip doesn't mean that you could or should. I came uncomfortably
close to not surviving my first offshore experience because of
inadequate knowledge, skill, equipment, and preparation. And I didn't
realize all that until afterwards. Again, be careful and cautious.
|
| 764.6 | DO IT, but enjoy.. | HYEND::J_BORZUMATO | | Thu Oct 25 1990 13:08 | 16 |
| The last 5 replies pretty well summed it up:
You can do it.
Be prepared.
Make sure of your skills
Consider possibly a 2-3 day trip, instead of 1 shot.
I brought my last boat down to the South Shore from Beverly,
we took 3 days to do it, and had a ball..
enjoy, JIm.
|
| 764.7 | A modification of my summer vacation??? | RIPPLE::CORBETTKE | KENNY CHINOOK | Thu Oct 25 1990 13:34 | 19 |
| re .4
Steve,
I am most interested in your trip to BC. For the past five years
I have been going up to Orcas for some cruising and fishing. This
trip of yours sounds much more interesting. I just put in a LORAN
and a dual battery system for my boat (22' C-Dory) so I'm ready for
a more extended journey.
How about a break down of departure point, route taken, ports-of-call
etc. I know the Sound fairly well, but have never gone that far
North. Any pearls of wisdom will be appreciated.
Ken
|
| 764.8 | Come on down...downeast that is. | DNEAST::OKERHOLM_PAU | | Mon Oct 29 1990 16:06 | 15 |
| Jim,
I guess I'll just add more of the same...
a 20 footer can do it, under the right circumstances
2 - 3 days will be much better than a straight shot endurance
run
be prepared, particulalry for fog (it goes with the territory)
Keep using this notesfile, there are a few Downeast Decies
that can probably help with local information from Portland on.
Regards,
Paul
|
| 764.9 | | TOOK::SWIST | Jim Swist TAY2-2/C1 DTN 227-3615 | Fri Aug 27 1993 14:31 | 74 |
| I found this old topic I wrote 3 years ago. I never in fact made the
trip from Boston to the Boothbay Harbor area of Maine in my 20' boat.
But since then I upgraded to a 24' fishing-type boat in which I feel a
lot more comfortable semi-offshore. And I made the trip last Spring
and will be doing it again in the other direction this Fall.
Some observations from this trip as well as other offshore cruising
experience.
1) I'm glad I had another 3 years experience under my belt. I feel
much better prepared for contingencies.
2) The trip is very weather dependent, as noted. I took 5-1/2 hrs
going at 26-27 mph. With flatter seas I could have gone faster (had I
wanted to spend even more $$$ for gas) but with rougher seas it could
have taken much longer and perhaps necessitated an overnight stop
(which I was in fact prepared for).
3) This is probably obvious but if the wind is off the land (Northwest
or West), the seas get rougher as you get farther offshore. If the
wind is from the South or Southwest (more typical in the Summer) the
seas are more constant. In the latter case the NOAA weather wave
height predictions seem accurate. In the former case I find them
optimistically low.
4) Keeping offshore in Maine greatly reduces the crap in the water you
have to look out for (lobster traps, logs, etc). Also relatively
little boat traffic to watch out for.
5) Bouncing along on a planing hull for 5hrs+ is not, shall we say,
totally relaxing. Making lunch, plotting courses, hitting the head,
changing clothes, etc can become challenging. The advice in this
topic to stop every so often and/or spread the trip over a couple of
days is well taken if your objective is more to unwind (in the case of
the Bos->Maine trip my crew was up against a deadline and I had to take
less time than I might have otherwise).
6) A second adult is mandatory for a trip like this or you are really
going to be straining yourself (or taking it real slow).
7) I nixed the idea of taking my 4-year old along at the last minute.
Enough for captain and crew to deal with without babysitting.
8) My course was Boston NC buoy -> Cape Ann bell -> Boon Island Ledge
-> Portland LNB -> Sequin Isl Ledge -> Home. I could have saved 7nm by
going straight from Cape Ann to Sequin but I wasn't psychologically
ready to deal with that much time out of sight of land on my first trip
of this type. (I'm not sure I'd do it differently next time - with the
curved route no leg is longer than 29 nm and you get much more of a
feeling of incremental progress - plus having a few waypoints to cross
check the Loran with the dead reckoning plot was important for me).
I write this summary as my final note in this file as I will be leaving
the company on Sept 3 (voluntarily). I'm not sure there's any textbook
that could have taught me all I've learned from the stuff in here, and
in particular, respect for what one noter described as the most
"immediately hostile environment" on earth. Thanks to all who have
replied to my stupid questions back since 1988 - I feel like a
semi-competent boater now (with still a huge amount to learn) and this
file has been a major contributor. I saw a guy drive a bowrider to
Monhegan Island last week - he had no navigation skills, no chart,
little experience, bare minimum safety equipment, little weather or
other local knowledge, and (imho) the wrong boat. (Yes he made it but
had no idea that this might have been a questionable thing to do). I
asked in here if this trip was reasonable back in 1988 when I had my
first boat (a 17' bowrider) and was in the same state of knowledge as
this other guy. The reply to that note not only kept me in-shore but
made me realize how much I didn't know. I won't say anything as
dramatic as it kept me from killing myself but it has to have lowered
the probability.
Good luck to all.
Jim
|
| 764.10 | | MASTR::BERENS | Alan Berens | Fri Aug 27 1993 14:55 | 12 |
| re .9: from Maine to Boston
Unfortunately, NW to N winds are all too rare. The prevailing summer and
early autumn winds are SW, which is a headwind (and headseas, too) for
the passage from Maine to Massachusetts. The winds tend to be light late
at night and in the morning. By mid to late afternoon they can be on the
brisk side (15 to 25 knots), making for a good chop, which is less close
to shore. Leaving at dawn if the wind is calm might be a good strategy.
Good luck in the future,
Alan
|
| 764.11 | Good Luck | SALEM::GILMAN | | Fri Aug 27 1993 16:44 | 15 |
| Good luck in your future endevors. Damm... there goes another boating
noter.... we are getting scarce now.
The trip to Monhegan in a bow rider with no charts and little
experience by that guy you mentioned is a crap shot. If the weather
held, (and his luck) no problem. Monhegan is far enough offshore so
that I would not do it unless in a fully equipped larger boat in the
right weather.
Bow riders are designed for sunny days on lakes... not offshore salt
water boating.
He is just lucky that the ocean wilderness didn't get him.
Jeff
|
| 764.12 | Monhegan, did somebody say Monhegan? | FAUST::FAUST | Skydiving, good to the last drop! | Fri Aug 27 1993 17:28 | 105 |
|
Timely note, I say..
I just made this trip 3 weeks ago in a 40' sail boat. It was an
adventure indeed. Out course was Cape Ann -> Mohegan Island, then into
Tennants harbor.
We left on a Friday night, about 6pm, and headed for the canal (we left
from Marion harbor). We hit the canal so the tide would help take us
out. The night was starting to set, and dinner was being served in the
cockpit as we were passing the Bourne bridge. Dishes were done by the
power plant, then we headed out of the canal under sail, and set course
for a straight shot to Mohegan(sp?) island in Maine. We all stayed up
till about 11pm, then took 4 hour shifts through the night (3 on board).
Things were quite calm. It was very relaxing sitting there in the pitch
black, listening to the water lap at the sides of the boat, and looking
into the darkness for any signs of life. Kind of spooky also knowing
that we were 6-8 hours from shore (depending on where we were in the
trip). It didnt look that far on the charts. I kept checking the Loran
and GPS for assurances.
The morning came, and there was nothing in sight. No land. No boats.
We saw a few after heading out of the canal, and one large one in the
shipping lanes during the night, but other than that, nothing. We were
under power at this time, and the winds died down during the night. The
sun started beating down on my sunblock 30. We were making an slow 6kts
at 2000RPM. Breakfast, lunch, spotted a sail boat way off in the
distance, and naps was the order of the morning. I dug into the
paperback and sat back..
Then things got interesting...
It was a little after 3pm. We were 4 hours form Mohegan Island, and
another few hours to our final destination. I was sitting there minding
my own business, 50% alspeep, 40% awake, and 10% coffee logged. A loud
shreek, "2 oclock, Whales! Whales!". I jumped up, and sure enough, I
could see the spray. Neat. Watched for a minute, then back to my nap.
10 minutes passed, when I heard, "11 oclock, another one! Real close!".
Again I jumped up again, and sure enough, about 500 yds away, was a whale
heading our way. This time I got my camera, mounted a telephoto, and
turn on the motor drive. This one got closer, but not real close. 15
minutes later, we saw another one. This one passed right in front of us
at about 100 yards, then sounded. We got a real good look at her. It
was awesome! Boy was it huge. A little while later, we found a pair,
and also got within 100 yards. By this time I had my other camera body
around my shoulder with another telephoto lens on it. Both cameras were
working at burning up film. The seas were very calm, which I believe
made it eaiser to spot them at a distance and change course to pass by
close. In all we saw 12-15 whales, and with a few of them, we passed by
within 25-50 yds. With one, I was actually looking down in the water for
its tail as we passed by. They never showed their tails out of the
water, and all we saw were their backs and fins as they came up to
breathe. I dont know what type they were.
I though we hit the high point with the whales, but the best (at least
for me) was yet to come. We saw a few whales off in the distance
swimming together. However, we found they were indeed not whales, and
were really not that far in the distance. They were in fact porpoises.
A pod of about 5-7 of them. They swam around the boat, popping in and
out of the water. With long arms, you could almost reach out and touch a
few of them. I ran for my wide angle lens to get some better shots.
When I returned topside, they were behind us, and too far off to get any
good pictures. I was disappointed at best, sitting there on the deck
sulking. I was bummed...
All of a sudden, something brought a giant smile to my face. The sound
of "Porpoises, dead center!". I leaped back up, ran to the pulpuit, and
setup to take some shots (get the feeling I'm deep into photography?). I
was duly rewarded. They again swam around the boat, followed just under
the surface in front of the bow, etc. There were a couple of them
swimming right under me as I stood on the pulpuit. I fired about 18
shots of them in about 10 seconds as they swam just in front of the bow,
matching the headway of the boat. I was about 2 feet above them, and
they were about 6-12 inches under the surface, sometimes breaking the
surface. The water was very calm, so you could see them very clearly.
In all, we saw about 7 pods of porpoises, with about 5-10 in each pod. I
have some excellent shots of them. My favorite is 5 porpoises, about
6-12 inches under the surface, swimming along with the boat with one eye
looking up. The other is 3 of them breaking the surface with the setting
sun behind them, and the golden reflections of the setting sun on the
water. By now, it was about 7:30pm. We spend the last 4 hours chasing
whales and porpoises, while still making headway towards our destination.
We didnt need to change course much at all.
We also saw about a 10-15' shark (we guessed at the size based on the
size of the liferaft, and the distance of the fins in the water), as well
as 3 or 4 smaller ones. They seemed to be floating on the surface taking
in the calm waters and the sun. We saw two fins sticking up, one small,
one not. We got within about 15 feet before it took off and headed down.
We could see the outline. Rounded nose, etc. I have the pictures, and
we are still trying to determine what kind it was.
So, all in all, it was quite an adventure. In spite of the fact that we
motored for 30 hours, and only sailed for about 2. I also understand
that this many sighting is kind of unusual (good thing I have pictures to
prove it - look for the 5 porpoises shot to show up on the wall in my
office soon).
Steve
( BTW, it was kind of nice having both a Loran and GPS on board to cross
check dead reckoning and each other when all you can see is sea and sky).
Good luck Jim...
|
| 764.13 | | SALEM::LAYTON | | Mon Aug 30 1993 13:56 | 11 |
| re -.1 I always wondered, tho, if you get different answers on each
unit, which one do you pitch over board?? ;-) ;-) I once read
somewhere that you need either one watch or three watches, since two
only tells you that one of them is wrong?
Of course, you could haul out the trusty sextant to settle the
argument...
Good Luck, and calm seas to ye, Jim.
Carl
|
| 764.14 | | FAUST::FAUST | Skydiving, good to the last drop! | Tue Aug 31 1993 12:34 | 16 |
| > re -.1 I always wondered, tho, if you get different answers on each
> unit, which one do you pitch over board?? ;-) ;-) I once read
> somewhere that you need either one watch or three watches, since two
> only tells you that one of them is wrong?
You throw out both, and start trusting your dead reckoning plot!
(well, you might want to just turn them off instead of throwing them
overboard. They might start to work again in the future!) :-)
All three agreed, so I felt assured I was where I thought I was.
As a side note, there was an article in the Boston Globe about some
sightings of somewhat rare blue whales. The description and the
photograph looked suspiciously similar to the shots I had. Enough so,
that they are being sent to a friend who is a marine biologist, and
somewhat of a whale expert.
|