Southward Bound
We leave Portland and focus our energy on plotting cruising
routes and overnight stops along the New England coast. Our plan is to get back
to the Chesapeake Bay area in October and then continue south to Florida in
November. Creating and executing a cruising schedule is a flexible process. It
is all dependent upon what the weather brings. Plan A always includes a Plan B.
Kittery/Portsmouth
We stop overnight in Pepperrell Cove which is in Kittery, Maine. At the back end of Pepperrell Cove is the Chauncey Creek where we have some fantastic steamed clams. This is the only restaurant that we found in Kittery.
Downtown Kittery
Going up Chauncey Creek
And from Kittery we dinghy up the river to check out downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire and the huge Portsmouth Navy Base.
Lobster Boat versus Tanker
Marblehead
We spend two nights on a buoy and again experience the
gracious hospitality of the Boston Yacht Club.
Boston Yacht Club picks us up in a Hinkley launch!
Marblehead Harbor has an insane number of buoys!
Nora meets her match!
Extremely dense fog slows our departure, but with two radars running and the route plotted into the computer, we head south.
Fog cruising
A long day’s cruise takes us from Marblehead, MA, past Boston, through the Cape Cod Canal and on to New Bedford, MA. Since there was nothing but fog for the first six hours of the trip, we have no clue what Boston looks like from the water. Visibility varied from less than ¼ mile to maybe ¾ mile. Very strange cruising on grey silvery water surrounded by grey clouds. From Marblehead to the Cape, there is no horizon. Sea and sky blend into one grey fuzzy surface. Watching radar and AIS for other boats, listening to the VHF radio, and steering around lobster pots consumes all of your attention. We reach the Cape Cod canal around noon, and within ¼ mile, the fog is gone and it is a bright blue sunny sky!
Fog cruising
A long day’s cruise takes us from Marblehead, MA, past Boston, through the Cape Cod Canal and on to New Bedford, MA. Since there was nothing but fog for the first six hours of the trip, we have no clue what Boston looks like from the water. Visibility varied from less than ¼ mile to maybe ¾ mile. Very strange cruising on grey silvery water surrounded by grey clouds. From Marblehead to the Cape, there is no horizon. Sea and sky blend into one grey fuzzy surface. Watching radar and AIS for other boats, listening to the VHF radio, and steering around lobster pots consumes all of your attention. We reach the Cape Cod canal around noon, and within ¼ mile, the fog is gone and it is a bright blue sunny sky!
Cape Cod Canal
New Bedford
Exiting the canal, we continue south and east to our next
destination, New Bedford, MA. We chose this stop because hurricane Jose is on
the way north and will apparently wreak havoc on the waters and coastline from
New York north. New Bedford harbor has a super hurricane barrier constructed
and maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers. A giant rock jetty/seawall (like
you might see in Holland) starts on both shorelines, continues across the bay
leaving a narrow channel for boats to enter and leave the harbor. This narrow
entrance has two huge gates that will close to prevent storm surge from
entering the protected waters.
Pope’s Island Marina
We called Pope’s Island Marina to determine if they had a mooring
buoy that could handle Bravo’s weight and swing. They said their buoys for this
size boat are occupied for the week. However, they would contact another marine
business that might have a suitable buoy. Pope’s Island called back to say that
one was available through another marine service company and provided specific instructions
on how to locate the buoy in the busy harbor. When we arrive, the Pope’s Island
dock-master, and the launch operator boats meet us and assist in a tricky
hook-up to the designated mooring buoy. Once again, we are fortunate to meet
amazing people who step up above and beyond to help. We put the dinghy in the
water and head to Pope’s Island Marina to thank them for their assistance. A
shout out to all the Pope’s Island staff for their top-notch help finding a
safe spot to ride out the oncoming storm.
The Pope’s Island staff also gave us a “Welcome Packet” with
a wide variety of maps and brochures regarding New Bedford. As one of the top
fishing ports in the USA the community is proud of their heritage and its deep maritime
history. As an example of their maritime roots, the Whaling Museum’s information
states, “In January 1841, 21-year-old Herman Melville set sail from New Bedford
harbor aboard the whaleship Acushnet,
on one of the most important sea voyages in American literature. Out of
Melville’s adventure came the classic novel, Moby Dick.”
New Bedford Harbor
It is interesting to see different communities adopt a marine animal that defines their relationship with the sea. The northwest has their salmon, Maine has their lobster, and New Bedford has their whale! New Bedford also has a huge fishing fleet stationed in the harbor. As we dinghy around the harbor, the size and scope of the fishing industry is impressive. We learn that New Bedford is the largest fishing fleet in New England. It is a top harbor for haddock, cod, and sea scallops. At the height of the season, 500,000 pounds of scallops cross the docks on a single day. We sample the local specialities, scallops and cod, for lunch at Fathoms, a restaurant on Pope's Island. The fish is so fresh it just melts in your mouth!
Thank you for the photos and journal... vicariously enjoying your adventure.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim! We've certainly been enjoying ourselves with the exception of waiting out the effects of huricane Jose. So far it's been 4 days of wind gusts in the 50-60 mph range. Yuk!
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