Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

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norm
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Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by norm »

This was Briggsy's trip but he deferred the trip report writing to me since I took so many pictures - thanks for letting me write it up - it was a great day.

This trip was proposed by Briggsy on a Saturday night at about 9:30pm. It was his first trip posting and he was not expecting any response, since the proposed day for the trip was a Wednesday. He was happy to see responses by Sunday morning and by Sunday evening he had a few that could actually plan to participate. Plans firmed up as we all watched the weather at the beginning of the week and hoped for the best. We even planned to car-pool since the launch site only has room for about six cars. We had one last minute cancellation, but Bea and I met at the former Ski Market store parking lot in Marshfield and drove to Chatham together. We made great time and were ahead of schedule since the Sagamore bridge work is now complete. When Briggsy called to suggest we might want to stop at Exit 6 to use the facilities, we told him we had just pulled off Exit 11 and were planning to use the facilities in the Chatham Center parking area. Briggsy said he'd head straight for the launch site. We arrived at about 8:30 and found just a couple parking spaces left. Briggsy rolled in a few minutes after us. We made our introductions and discussed the plan for the day. Briggsy had made up nice laminated charts with latitude lines marked off for easier reference with a GPS.

We ended up launching at 9:00am which originally was our planned arrival time. Low tide was at 9:44am, so we knew we'd have to swing out around the sand bars on the west side of Monomoy. The plan was to stay on the west side all day and venture as far south as possible. We thought we'd do well to reach the light house, but pushed on further as we still had some energy and if I recall correctly, the sand bar blocked easy light house landing access on the way out. The wind was from the southwest, pushing us towards the island all day. The air temperature was very comfortable in the mid 60's and the water was not bad either. We all chose to go with shorts and no splash jackets.

Here's a picture of Bea, just about ready to launch. The small parking lot is in the background on the right behind the storm fence.

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The channel out of Stage Harbor is about a half mile from our launch spot. Another three quarters of a mile out is an abandoned ship, the Miss Holly. We swung out towards the ship for a closer look.

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We were following the channel to stay off the massive sand bars on the west side of the Monomoy Islands. Low tide was at 9:44am and was -0.43 feet, so we were seeing the full extent of the sand flats. Not long after we passed the ship, we were looking over at the island trying to figure out what we were seeing on the beach, birds or seals. Briggsy got out his monocular to take a closer look and then Bea rafted up with him to use the monocular also. It turned out to be birds on the beach. While we were there, just drifting around, seals started appearing all around us so we just sat quietly watching them while they watched us. I tried the trick of paddling backwards to see if I could get a good picture of a seal following me but I had no luck. Here is a series of pictures of Bea and Briggsy drifting around with the seals all around us.

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As we continued south there seemed to be a channel to the east, in between sand bars, that looked promising to get us closer to the island, so we followed it for a while but soon found that is was too shallow and had to head back out to the west. For a while we headed almost due west trying to get out and around the end of the sand bar. We could see a line of breaking waves to the south that showed the southern end of the sand bar. We just needed to swing out far enough to the west to stay in deep enough water to make progress without scraping our paddles on the bottom too much. Briggsy stored the coordinates of the westernmost point we had to reach for future reference and from my GPS track, the coordinates are: 41 degrees 37.971 minutes North, 70 degrees 00.533 minutes West. We reached this point at 10:14am and low tide was at 9:44am. At this point, we were 1.63 miles west of North Monomoy Island. That's a big sand bar!

You might think that we had made a mistake getting here at low tide, but it was all in Briggsy's excellent plan that since we're going to be out here all day, it would be easier to be heading back with a rising tide and plenty of water rather than fighting the shallows when we were tired. The winds were also favorable for a push home and they were always pushing us towards land which is comforting when you are so far off shore in a small boat.

After reaching the western end of the big sand flat, we had traveled 3.8 miles and were finally able to turn south-southeast. This brought us parallel with the edge of the sandbar with wind and waves coming at us from our right. It seemed like we were traveling along in a surf zone for quite a while but eventually there seemed to be another sand bar further out that we were able to get inside for smoother paddling. We went a few miles watching the waves cresting to our right and then calming somewhat before they reached us. Eventually our protection disappeared and we were back in the rough stuff. It seemed to subside, or maybe I just go used to it, as we came in view of the lighthouse. We had traveled about 8 miles at this point.

We had stayed in a formation of Briggsy on the left, Bea in the middle and me on the right for many miles. We all seemed to have the same pace and had an easy time keeping each other in sight as we paddled 3 across. The separation between us grew a little when we were fighting the waves and it was not easy to communicate over the sound of wind and waves. Briggsy was closer to Bea and they conferred about going further as we got parallel with the light house. I couldn't hear the whole conversation but we all still felt good and continued on. We were about a half mile offshore and could see a big blue sign that we planned to check on the way back when we could stay closer to shore with more water. On the chart, it looked like there was a bit of a hook at the southern end of the island and I think that is what Briggsy was planning to use to ease the surf landing we were going to have to make to stop for lunch. It seemed like we paddled forever with the lighthouse on our left, looking for that hook. It turned out that with the shifting sand and ever-changing shape of the island, there wasn't to be any protective hook. At about noon and after 9.5 miles of paddling, Briggsy asked Bea again about going further and her response this time was: "I'M HUNGRY!!! So Briggsy, closest to shore, started looking for a good landing spot.

We all landed safely in the surf on a sandy beach and were happy to get out and stretch our legs after 3 hours straight in the boats. We immediately pulled out our lunches and sat down to eat.

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Being a Wednesday, there was very little boat traffic, but while we were eating, a few powerboats buzzed by. I don't recall seeing any sailboats offshore all day.

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After eating, Briggsy and I decided to take a walk to the south to see if we could get around to the other side of the island. Bea decided to lay back and rest on the sand. Not sure if she fell asleep or not.

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The shoreline just curved around slowly and it was tiring to walk in the sand so we stopped and turned around when we reached the point where we could see the Monomoy Point marker bouy.

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Briggsy told me about the offshore tide rips where the incoming water splits and heads around either side of the island. The rip is somewhat visible in this picture of the bouy.

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Our walk on the beach was less than a half mile and less than 15 minutes. When we got back, Bea was still resting comfortably and I was feeling jealous that I didn't choose to sit and rest also.

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Briggsy had mentioned he wanted to get back on the water by about 1:00pm, so I didn't have much time to rest. I grabbed a few more shots of the grassy inland part of the island without leaving the beach. We had stopped near a nesting area so we could not venture inland anyway.

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I got to lay flat on my back for about 10 minutes and then it was time to pack up and tackle the surf launch. Bea went first with help from Briggsy and I. I went second and took advantage of Briggsy's offer to help me. Bea and I waited offshore while Dave launched into the waves without a helper.

We now headed north with the wind pushing us along at a good clip. We stayed closer to shore with the intention of seeing what the big blue sign said near the lighthouse. It seemed to take no time at all (15 minutes) to reach the sign and see that there was a nice little protected area to land without surf.

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We got out and decided to take a walk inland to the lighthouse.

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The next little sign showed a lot of forbidden activities but hiking and photography were allowed so we headed along the trail.

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There was a pretty good distance to the lighthouse but there was a nice trail and beautiful scenery along the way.

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As we came over a sand dune, ponds to the left and right of the trail became visible.

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The closer we got, the more of the lighthouse we could see.

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This side of the island seemed to have quite a bit of vegetation and freshwater ponds.

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When we reached the lighthouse, there was a man sitting reading books on the deck with a rifle beside him. Briggsy and Bea chatted with him. I continued to take pictures and missed some of the conversation but apparently his job is to protect the nesting birds from predators. There is now a land bridge to the island and coyotes have become a problem.

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The ranger was very friendly. He was trying to find books with more information about the island and the lighthouse history but was not having much luck. He told us there is no power or water on the island and he is just camped out in the lighthouse keepers house. He invited us to go in and take a look around so we took off our sandy shoes and went in.

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There is an old generator building separate from the house, but it is not operational.

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The ranger had just returned from a walk to the southern end of the island. There is a trail south from the house, right down the center of the island.

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He told us the eastern beach was not too far and there was a colony of seals on the beach so we decided to check it out. The landscape to the east of the house seemed much sandier.

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A look back at the house shows the trail and the change in landscape.

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A closer look at some of the plants and flowers on the way to the eastern beach.

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Looking north up the eastern beach you can see fairly tall grassy sand dunes and something black on the beach near the water.

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Using the maximum zoom on the camera, the black on the beach is the colony of seals the ranger told us about. Much too far for us to take the time to get any closer.

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Out in the water, just offshore, a lone seal pops his head up to take a look at us. The water was much calmer on this side of the island with the day's wind direction. There were almost no waves at all.

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Looking down the beach to the south, a closer look at the make-up of the sand dunes on this side of the island.

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We didn't stay on the beach long after realizing the seals were so far away so we headed back across the island past the lighthouse again. On the way back, the keepers house is almost completely hidden by a steep dune.

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A couple more views of the eastern side of the island.

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Most of the the keepers house windows are still boarded up. The ranger is only using one main room and a second room was available for visitors to stay the night. I didn't see a stairway to the second floor. There is a plan to renovate the house this year after all the birds are done nesting. Right now all they have done is marked the trail they will use with flags. See the story in Cape Cod Times online for more info: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs. ... -1/NEWSMAP

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A final look at the trees and landscape of the western side of the island.

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When we got back to the beach where we left our kayaks, there were a couple seals keeping an eye on them for us.

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It almost looks like Bea and Briggsy could try a seal launch off the beach.

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I had parked my boat a little further down the beach, using a little sand bar to get completely out of the waves. The water had risen quite a bit while we were on our walk across the island. We had walked 1.5 miles and spent another hour on the island.

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Our trip back to the take-out was much faster and somewhat easier with the wind at our backs and the tide high enough for a direct shot back to Stage Harbor. We really had to pay attention when the waves and wind were quartering or directly from the side - there's no time for a lapse in concentration when the next wave could completely wash over your deck. I was hit broadside by waves a few times throughout the day but I was always ready and aware it could happen. I found it much easier to handle than the washing machine type wave conditions you get in a busy boat channel where you're not sure which side you'll be hit from next.

I'm sure I had the fastest surfing rides I've ever experienced in a sea kayak just as we were about to enter the harbor and had the wind directly behind us. It was just like you read about it in the books - you feel the stern rising, give a couple quick strokes to match the wave speed and just ride it out with a little bracing to keep it straight - lots of fun. When we got into the harbor and the waves disappeared, we all relaxed and tried using our paddles as sails to take us back to our take-out.

It was a fantastic trip. Perfect weather - not too hot or cold. Very comfortable water temperature. Good wind direction and strength, strong enough to provide a challenge and extend our capabilities (Bea and I anyway). The only thing left to make it a perfect day was PPR. Briggsy had a plan for that also. He proposed we stop in Chatham at the Squire Tavern. We followed him into town and found plenty of parking in the lot out back. Bea and I had burgers and Briggsy had a bowl of soup. Ahh, perfect finish to the day. Bea and I said our good-byes and thanks to Briggsy for an excellent day. It was the best Wednesday I've had this year.

Here is a topo map showing the route we took. This topo map is not at all accurate showing the islands. It does give you an idea of how we had to swing so far west on our trip south and then were able to hug the shore of the island and head straight back to the harbor entrance. The charts Briggsy printed and laminated for us gave a much better delineation of the separate islands (I don't have a jpg of the chart to share here.)

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Google Earth Satelite views show the islands and sand bars much better and gives you a better understanding of the route we took.

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A few stats from the trip:
Launch Time: 9:00am
Stop for lunch: 12:05pm (Lunch break was 1 hour, 5 minutes after 9.5 miles of paddling)
Walk at lunch: 0.7mile
Stop at lighthouse landing: 1:25pm
Walk across island at lighthouse: 1.5 miles (Time walking at lighthouse: 1 hour)
Take Out Time: 4:10pm
Number of stops: Two
Total Distance Paddling: 18.22 miles
Total Distance Hiking: 2.2 miles
Participants: Dave(Briggsy), Norm (norm), Bea (NorwayLady)

There are many other places amongst these islands to explore. Good on-line information can be purchased for a few dollars from Adam Bolonsky. I wish I had spent more time reading his information before the trip (and wish I could remember the details better) but it turned out the route we took skipped many of the spots he describes. There is still plenty to explore closer in next time, now that we've been all the way to the end. Information by Adam can be found at: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1992&hilit=monomoy

Thanks for a great trip Briggsy and excellent company Bea. I'm planning on taking more Wednesdays off this summer and hope to paddle with you both again.

Norm
Last edited by norm on Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:35 am, edited 4 times in total.
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kayakerjnj
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by kayakerjnj »

Fabulous write up Norm!

Loved all your photos!

You three had a perfect day :D
Paddle with a big smile, its contagious 8)


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Todd
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by Todd »

Great report again Norm. I enjoy all your pics and details.
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by NorwayLady »

Fantastic day on the water. Awesome trip report Norm. It was fun having you as my wing man. I kept looking at you when we were out in the rough stuff, and all I could see was waves washing over your boat and a huge BIG GRIN! You were in your zone!!

Thank you Briggsy for planning and posting the trip. Can't wait for the next one. I know you have something in mind!

NorwayLady.
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lora925
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by lora925 »

Great report Norm. Next best thing as to being there - which is where I hope to be next time :)
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by KAYAK KEN »

Norm , You are the trip report master! Thanks, Ken
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by Kayak widow »

The lighthouse-keeper's house reminds me of ours, with all that clothing drying on every wall! Love the little seal face peeking at your lense from behind the other boats - great pictures, as always, but that one's my clear favorite :P
Like a "football widow", I lose my spouse to kayaking for some part of pretty much every weekend :-)
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by Finn McCool »

Another well-told tale of high adventure on the briny....eh...."deep." :lol:

I'm envious. When I was a kid we used to go fishing in my uncle's boat out in the Pollock Rip off the Southern extremity of Monomoy -- in sight of the lighthouse. We'd always make our way out to the eerie shipwreck sticking out on the Atlantic side a few miles offshore. (It stuck almost vertically out of the ocean floor.) That place still ranks as the best bluefish and striper fishing I've ever experienced. It also ranks as the location of the most predictable sea-sickness bouts too...but thats another story. My cousin still raises gales of laughter when he tells about the time his dad let him pilot a trip at 15 years of age ... and he ran their very nice 30 foot "Lyman Islander" aground on the sand flats, stranding a group of inebriated adults on a severely tilting craft overnight until the tide came totally in.

Monomoy is special. Can't wait to get back there, myself.

Great shots and report, Norm. Per usual.
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Re: Monomoy Island - Wednesday - June 16, 2010

Post by Briggsy »

Great report Norm. Here are a couple more GPS waypoints for anyone else heading out this way. Also on the return journey you can see 2 tall white towers with red and white checkered pattern on the top from several miles out, these are you reference points to get back to Stage Harbor. It can get foggy out there so use the Gps co ords for Stage Harbor entrance or just head North !!!
Looking to get out there again soon.
Cheers Briggsy
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