Sun Morning in Boston Harbor

Trip reports that don't have a page dedicated to them.

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rcasewst
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Sun Morning in Boston Harbor

Post by rcasewst »

Or "I went to Hull and back for breakfast"

I saw Craigs post early Sun AM and PM'd him that I was heading out and was waiting for his call. Unfortunately no call came in so went by myself. It was 25deg when I left Westboro but warmed to 45 at Columbus park where I put in.

The shallow slope of th beach makes it hard not to get your feet wet on entry, but I managed. The wind as very slightly from the west and the water calm.

I headed towards Spectacle Is to shoot under the long Is bridge. I quickly got warm and didn't need gloves and probably not my jacket either.

Boat traffic was very light compared to the last time I was in the harbor when the blues and fishermen were still active. I put in just before high tide and the current was almost slack.

After passing under the bridge I was still feeling good and refreshed and was looking at the Hull windmill barely turning. So with the return wind low I decided to head to Hull. The distance to Peddocks Is is deceiving as it seemed about a mile and a half but is actually more than two and a half miles. I kept paddling and it got no closer.

During this stretch there were a lot of pintails peeping at me. I enjoyed their long take off attempts that often ended in a collision with another pintail.

I finally rounded Peddocks and had the gut to contend with. High tide had passed and the out current was building. The current runs through the gut at an angle running toward Peddocks. This does not leave much room along the shore to cheat your way in.

I pointed into the current and sculled through the shear. I was moving at ~ 3-4 knots I paddled hard and made good headway and was in the harbor at last! And hungry!

I remembered that diner from the trip to the Graves and wondered if they were open in the off season. Luckily they are, and I had a fishermans breakfast.

I ate quickly knowing that the current was building with every bite. By the time I was done and buttoned back in my boat the current was around 5-6 (observed) knots with 1-2 foot waves at the apex.

Along Hull point there is about 10- 15 feet of calm water inside the eddyline. I cheated through this past the worst of the current then did a 180 turn and faced the outgoing current. Paddling enough to keep pace over land I crabbed over to Peddocks. VERY exciting.

Well warmed up again I set back to work getting pintails colliding with each other. Back under the bridge I realized that my return was taking much longer going into the peak tide. I decided to skirt inside of Thompson island.

I was too far north as I saw the spit extends well out to the south and had to pass around it. A little scraping and I was through. and the beach was just in front of me.

1.5 hrs to Hull and 2 back with 30 min for breakfast and I was hunrgy again! My arms were kind of shagged and getting the boat all the way on top of my expedition was tough. A good morning with some excitement. I hope that I can get some company as the weather continues to be pleasant,
Roy
Last edited by rcasewst on Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mark
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Post by Mark »

By the time I was done and buttoned back in my boat the current was around 5-6 knots with 1-2 foot waves at the apex.


The "official" max ebb current in Hull Gut on this past weekend's full moon tide was 2.4 knots. This is based on NOAA's tide and current tables. I'm sure I have seen it closer to 4 knots, but it never gets higher than that.
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Todd
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Post by Todd »

Another nice report Roy. Very exciting day for you.
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Birdseye
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Post by Birdseye »

Nice report Roy. Sorry you had to do it alone.
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rcasewst
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Post by rcasewst »

Hi Mark
I make 5-6 knots paddling hard and could not make headway into that current. 2.4 knots at spring tide in the gut dosen't seem to match what my eyes and gut are telling me.
Roy

PS what is the current in to little harbor?
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Mark
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Post by Mark »

Roy: 6 knots is like 7MPH. I've paddled through the Gut at max ebb on a spring tide just to see if I could. I'd say it was around four knots. I don't think I can sustain 6 knots for very long. I agree that the 2.4 knots is crazy though. :D

No idea what the current speed in Little Harbor is.
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pat
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Post by pat »

Terrific report, Roy. I'm so envious of you. I'd LOVE to get out to that diner and have some breakfast. ;)

That sounds like it was a great trip.

When we paddled into Little Harbor that time when you were with us, my GPS clocked us at 10mpg. I was probably paddling 3-4 of that. And that certainly wasn't at the height of the current speed. Maybe we could put a GPS in a plastic bottle, toss it in at the entrance and then fish it out at the other side.
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rcasewst
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Post by rcasewst »

6 knots is 6.9 mph. I completed this trip in 3.5 hrs 15 miles and added 2 extra miles on the return due to the tide. An ave of 5mph for 3 .5hrs. I have paddled at 6.5 mph for an hour and a half and believe I could sustain 7mph for 10 min although I have not clocked it. Not being able to dig my way into the current leads me to believe that the current at the surface is running faster than that measured by NOAH beneaththe surface. Whatever it is it was strong and exciting and all things are relative at that point. :shock:
Roy
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