Hingham Harbor to Boston Light & Beyond

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Birdseye
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Hingham Harbor to Boston Light & Beyond

Post by Birdseye »

Jordan contacted me on Saturday July 1st and told me he had posted a trip on the Turkey's message board for Monday the 3rd and wanted to know if I was interested. This trip would be from Hingham Harbor to Boston Light and possibly the Graves via Hull Gut. I had one personal day left and was trying to save it until August but who really wants to split up a 4 day holiday weekend with a workday when they can kayak instead. I told him I'd be there.

No one else signed up for the trip so it was just the two of us. I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it all the way out to the Graves and back after just doing a 9.5 miler in Marblehead just 2 days earlier so we planned on Little Brewster and would make a decision from there.

Sunday night I got out the chart and plotted a few legs of the trip with the tools I acquired from my recent navigation classes just to make sure I remembered what I had learned. I plotted a course from the East side of Bumpkin Island to Hull Gut at a bearing of 335 M and one from the North side of Hull Gut to Little Brewster at 65 M. Let's see how that works out?

I met Jordan at Hingham at 9:00 and saw him talking to Mike (Fin McCool) and his wife who had just returned for an early morning paddle around the Hingham Harbor Islands. We talked with them for a few minutes before getting our boats and gear down to the shoreline. The day was absolutely picture perfect and Jordan couldn't have timed the trip better. We were leaving early enough to avoid any of the cursed mud Hingham Harbor is so well known for and were able to ride the tide all the way out to Little Brewster and all the way back. The wind was minimal and was blowing at about 5 kts if that. We were geared up and on the water at exactly 9:30 am.

Jordan was good enough to humor me and play along with my continuing ed. in navigation and let me choose the course. I was happy to see that both of my bearings were correct so I think I have that part of it down anyway. We had expected a fair amount of boat traffic this morning but so far it was practically non existent. We reached Hull Gut right around 11:00 a.m. and made it out to Little Brewster just after 11:30 a.m. I couldn't believe how fast we traveled those 7 miles. Having no wind and tides in your favor really does help tremendously.

We reached the Gut about a half-hour before low tide and enjoyed a nice ride through. There were some confused waves caused by the few boats passing through but nothing we had to worry about. I also noticed that the parking area at the tip of Windmill Pt is still blocked off for what I believe to be some sort of construction. So those of you thinking about putting in there any time soon might want to check out the parking situation first.

As we approached Boston Light the lighthouse keeper came to the water's edge and told us that it was "Family and Friends Day" on the island. Assuming that she meant no tours I asked if we could just stop and take a break. She said that she would prefer if we went to another island so she would have to watch us (maybe she heard I was a fast eater and was worried that I'd choke or something. Or maybe she didn't consider us "friends"? I don't know.). So we paddled over to Great Brewster and found a spot to eat our lunch. While we ate we had a nice view of Boston Light's backside, Shag Rocks and Middle and Outer Brewster. A flock of Cormorants were floating nearby each taking a turn lifting out of the water slightly and flapping their wings vigorously to dry them. They did it in such succession that they sounded like an echo of each other. I only took a few pictures while we were out there but they're nothing to write home about.

<center><a href="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/boston-light.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/boston-light_sm.jpg" border="1"></a>
Boston Light

<a href="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/shag-rocks.jpg.jpg"><img src="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/shag-rocks_sm.jpg" border="1"></a>
Shag Rocks

<a href="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/great-middle-outer-brewster.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/great-middle-outer-brewster_sm.jpg" border="1"></a>
Great, Middle and Outer Brewster

<a href="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/boston-light2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/boston-light2_sm.jpg" border="1"></a>
Boston Light from Great Brewster </center>

We hung out at Great Brewster for somewhere around 30 or 40 minutes before heading out. I felt much better physically than I thought I would and was willing to head out to The Graves which was only a couple of miles away. But after further discussion we both decided to just head back.

On the return trip we paddled out past Great Brewster and cut between Middle and Outer Brewster where we got an excellent view of Graves Light. It was nice to not have to look at a huge LNG plant on Outer Brewster as we paddled by, I hope it stays that way. We heading SW with Great Brewster and Calf Islands on either side of us. A little further on we could see a row of tiny breaking waves that stretched completely across our path. "This must be the Great Brewster Spit I've read about," I said to Jordan. He agreed but neither of us noticed it on the way out. As we got closer it looked like there would not be enough water to clear it without scratching up the bottom of our boats. Jordan, who had is roto-mold Tempest with him opted to go first and test it out. I watched him need to use his hands to lift his boat out of the water a bit to get over the narrow spit area so I elected to get out and carry my "used but still new to me" Sirius over the spit. Back in my boat I caught up with him and we made our way back to Hull Gut. Jordan told me we would reach the Gut just about a half-hour before the current was at its max. This ought to be interesting.

The boat traffic had picked up considerably now and we had to quicken our pace across the channel. The wind had also picked up some as well but wasn't causing any problems. There were quite a few swells wanting to push us to the Southeast but since we were headed Southwest they didn't afford us much of a ride in the direction we were going. As a matter of fact the waves weren't in our favor for most of our trip (unfortunatly). As we neared the Gut we noticed quite a bit more texture to the water and quite a few more boats passing through. Paddling through, the waves steepened and were coming from every direction slapping us around some. I'd hate to be going through here the other way right now, I thought to myself. I was also concerned about careless fishermen on the shore. The last time I went through here one of them was about to cast right at me until I yelled at him to stop. Luckily, I could see no one fishing which was one less thing to have to think about. After making it through we stopped for a few minutes for fluid replenishment before continuing on.

The water, which felt pretty cold on the other side of the Gut was considerably warmer now so Jordan and I took advantage of it and practiced a couple of rolls. The water was truly refreshing and I was happy to build my confidence in rolling my boat with gear. We paddled past the Bumpkin Island dock towards Worlds End before changing course and heading back into Hingham Harbor from the West side. On our way in we ran into a Laurie, a good friend of Jordan's (who I also had the pleasure of paddling with once this year) who was on her way out for a solo paddle to Peddock's. We chatted for a few minutes then headed on our way.

We reached the beach at 2:30 p.m. for an elapsed trip time of 5 hrs. By my estimation we paddled about 15 NM at an average pace of approx. 4.5 nmph. I thought I'd be extremely tired after a trip like this but I felt pretty good and sorry the trip was over. Jordan and I both had things to take care of so we passed up on the opportunity to hit Stars for a Post Paddle Refreshment. Maybe next time. Before leaving I recognized a Impex Montauk pulling into the parking lot. It was Audrey one of our newer WTP members. We helped her unload her boat and chatted for a few minutes before heading our separate ways.

I'd like to thank Jordan for putting this exceptional trip together and for letting me play navigator for a while. Looking forward to more paddles like this in the future.

<center><img src="http://kayaking.pidgeoncoop.com/images/bostonlight06/hingam-boston_light.gif" border="1"></center>[/i]
Last edited by Birdseye on Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:54 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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Post by pat »

Good trip, Nelson - sounds like it was a great ride!

In the photos you took, the water looks dead calm. Were you just in a very protected area, or was that the general conditions out there?
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Birdseye
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Post by Birdseye »

Pat,
That area was somewhat protected by the Brewsters and Shag Rocks but the day was perfect and for the most part the seas were calm with a few gentle swells (more confusion closer to shore and in the Gut). This day was very much like last years trip to the Graves. I hope you have the same weather on the day you plan for your next Harbor trip.
Last edited by Birdseye on Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Conditions

Post by kayakerjnj »

Hi Pat,

The conditions varied from glass when we started to 4' dumpers and back to glass again. We had it all, it was great!

Hope to see you guys Thursday Night.

Cheers,

Jordan
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Birdseye
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Re: Conditions

Post by Birdseye »

kayakerjnj wrote:Hi Pat,

The conditions varied from glass when we started to 4' dumpers and back to glass again. We had it all, it was great!

Hope to see you guys Thursday Night.

Cheers,

Jordan


Were we on the same trip?? I don't remember any 4' dumpers???
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Post by Todd »

Great trip, great pictures, and great report. Good job Nelson aand Jordan.
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Post by getnoutside »

Sounds like a good time
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