Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 2011

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norm
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Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 2011

Post by norm »

Yet another incredibly great weekend. This time even the wind cooperated so we could get back into some open salt water. Sue is always itching to get on the water and pm'd a few of us likely paddling partners to drum up a trip for Sunday. But, I couldn't make it for Sunday, so she made arrangements to come out on Saturday instead. Just as well we switched days because it seemed pretty foggy on Sunday morning.

Sue would be coming from the Cape, so we chose to launch from Nelson Beach in Plymouth so she'd have easy access to Route 3. I chose a launch time of 10:00am to let the day warm up. We both were hoping somebody else would join us, but nobody responded to my trip posting.

Sue arrived first at the put-in. I pulled into a spot across from her. As we started preparing gear, a new car with a familiar face pulled into a spot near Sue...it was Ron. He says he has put his boat away for the season and now he doesn't have a vehicle to carry it. Sue and I both gave Ron a hard time for not buying a car with kayaking transportation in mind. Ron hung around as we prepared for launching and then was headed to camp to split wood.

It's great to have friends stop by to say hi even though they're not going to paddle. It happened to me 3 or 4 times this year and it's always a nice surprise.

I couldn't believe how clear the visibility was across the bay. I took a couple quick snapshots from the parking lot. Looking north toward Duxbury.

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Reaching out for a long distance shot of Bug Light and the end of Plymouth Beach with my little waterproof camera.

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We had no predetermined plan on where to go, but it was so nice, it seemed we could go anywhere. We decided to head for Saquish. I was curious to see how much beach would be left with a 12.67 foot tide. (There's been a funny traffic sign board on Morrisey Boulevard in Dorchester this week: "Wicked High Tides") The tide here was just a little higher Friday at 12.69 feet. Originally I thought there might be too much water flowing into the bays for it to be safe for just two of us to cross at Bug Light, but there was no wind generating waves at the inlet, so it was calm enough.

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Sue said she could see the current flowing around the lighthouse.

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We crossed on the inside of the light. Later on in the day we looked back out at the light and there appeared to be rocks where we had crossed. Thinking back to other crossings, I seemed to recall we always went to the outside of the light and there were shallows on the inside. The water was deep enough today that it didn't matter. We did encounter some swirly current spots, so that was probably when we were right above the rocks.

The spot on Saquish Head where partiers gather at low tides in summertime had just about no beach at all and it wasn't quite high tide yet.

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Looking to our left at Clark Island you can see there isn't much shoreline exposed there either.

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The regulars will recognize this little cottage on the little peninsula off Saquish Neck. It's still open and there was a person visiting.

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Sue remembered my trip report about the marsh behind Gurnet Lighthouse and wanted to check it out, so we headed along the back of Saquish Neck. From a distance, Sue commented on how bad this cottage looks. It really could use windows on the sides.

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The creek that leads to the back of the lighthouse was basicly non-existent with the height of the tide. We were able to easily glide over the top of the marsh grass and head straight in.

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The water was up to the edge of the roadway at the end of Duxbury Beach and at some spots it was underwater.

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It was much easier to get an angle on the road signs from the water this trip and see what they say.

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Sue is quickly checking items off her bucket list. I think she should get credit for Bug Light and Gurnet Light with this trip, but I know she already wants to visit the other side of Gurnet Light.

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This house has caught my attention on previous trips but I've never had this clear a view. It has so many decks and power turbines and solar collectors. I'd love to get a look from the roof deck to see if they have a clear view in all directions. It might not be high enough to see over the top of the hill where the lighthouse is located.

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The high water allowed me to even get a look at the landward, south facing side of the house where it looks like they have a wall of glass.

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The road from Gurnet Point to Saquish Neck crosses the marsh and today there was water rushing across the road for a stretch of 70 yards or so. At first I didn't realize it was the roadway. Sue heard the water rushing and we took a closer look. We didn't catch a car crossing the flooded roadway but we did see one further out on the neck later on that must have crossed it while it was flooding.

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Cottages on the lower, skinny section of the neck just beyond the flooded section.

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A sign on the roadway beyond the cottages. I don't think there was any front beach to drive on today.

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Throughout the day, small planes seemed to cruise around the bay, usually along Duxbury Beach to the Gurnet and beyond. I wondered if there are sight-seeing excursions for tourists that come out here from Plymouth airport.

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At this point it was time for a lunch stop. We searched for a place to stop along the back of Duxbury Beach, hoping to find a spot with a gap in the fences so we could cross to the ocean side and see if there was any surf. The roadway turns uphill at this spot and I thought there was an opening here.

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It was about a half hour after high tide and it was tough to find a shallow spot to land without a steep drop-off. It was nice though that the soft sea grass at the high tide line was close for dragging the the boat up and keeping it off the rocks.

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We made our way through the prickly bushes, over the iron cable gard-rail, crossed the road and went up to the double storm fence looking for an opening to the ocean side but there was none nearby.

Looking north towards Marshfield.

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Looking south to the Gurnet.

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Looking east. Almost no wave action at all today.

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Looking northwest toward Duxbury.

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While eating lunch, we watched a boat in the middle of Duxbury bay and tried to figure out what they were doing. I got out some little binoculars to see if they'd help but it was too far away. I also looked for crimson sails off in the direction of Duxbury as instructed by Nelson. I suspect there wasn't enough wind forecast for him to bother taking out the little sailboat. Too bad he didn't come out and join us paddling instead.

After our break, we headed straight across toward the Standish Monument which brought us close to the boat we were watching. It looked like they were pulling up lobster traps and repairing them in the boat.

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There were plenty of ducks and sea gulls around the bays. These two ducks looked different than the rest, but I couldn't get close enough for a clear picture.

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The Standish Monument.

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Earlier in the year I saw this house along the beach that I thought was too close to the water. I was wondering if the extra high tide had reached it today. It was about 2 hours after high now. It looked like the water reached their little ramp to the beach but not the foundation. Sue wondered what kind of foundation a house on the beach could have.

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Looking back out to Clark Island and Saquish, you can see how calm Duxbury bay was. The winds diminished throughout the day.

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The trip back to Nelson Beach went quickly and there was enough time to head into Plymouth Harbor for a look around.

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There were tons of tourists walking around. Many took the warm, sunny walk out onto the breakwater.

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We paddled around to take a look at the Mayflower and found that they still have not repaired the starboard side.

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Sue went in for a closer look and checked the open hatch on the stern but found it impossible to move.

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When in Plymouth Harbor, you gotta swing by and take a look at the rock.

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It looks like there are still a few pleasure boats in their slips at the yacht club south of the rock.

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It appeared that there were only commercial boats at the moorings in the harbor.

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The sunny side of the breakwater bridge, on our way back to Nelson Beach.

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Another little motorboat with a work table in the middle that looked like it was headed out to fix traps. Plymouth beach in the background.

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Back to Nelson Beach or its proper name now Nelson Street Recreation Area.

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They did a nice job rebuilding the park and expanding the playground and parking lot last year. I was told it was all done by Plymouth town departments. The pre-fab concrete ramp down to the beach is nice, but the little creek that empties the marsh is seriously undercutting the end of the ramp. Too bad they couldn't modify the course of the creek a little.

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On this day, almost 4 hours after high tide, there was still a six inch deep stream cutting through the beach area that we sometimes drive down onto.

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Here is a topo map of the area with our track highlighted.

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A few specs from the trip:

Launch time: 10:00am
Stop for lunch: 11:58am at 6.34 miles
Back on the water: 12:58pm
Take-out time: 3:11pm
Total Distance Paddled: 14.12 miles


Thanks Sue, for coming out on Saturday instead of Sunday. Too bad nobody else could join us. I hope we can squeeze in another nice day or two before the end of the year. I've never paddled outdoors in December.

Norm
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kayakerjnj
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Re: Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 20

Post by kayakerjnj »

Looks like you guys had an awesome day out there!
Paddle with a big smile, its contagious 8)


Jordan
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Re: Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 20

Post by Birdseye »

Nice Report Norm. I still want to check out that Marsh. Never knew it was there. You were right though, not enough wind predicted. The last time I went out I made it to Clarke's and the wind died and I had to row back. I wish I had joined you but a yard full of leaves took second priority (shoulda paddled :( ).
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Re: Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 20

Post by centered »

Thanks for getting out there with me Norm, I had a great time. Another nice trip report/pics, as usual.
Sue
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Re: Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 20

Post by NorwayLady »

Totally awesome, guys. Looks like you had a great day. The high tide just blows me away. The Gurnet creek area looks so different. Cool that you were able to paddle all the way in to the check point and beyond!

Bea
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TraceyJ
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Re: Plymouth and Duxbury from Nelson Beach - November 26, 20

Post by TraceyJ »

Great report and pics. Looked like an incredible day on the water.
You guys are really taking advantage of all the great weather we're having.

Tracey
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