Participants K-1: Dave Chatham 18, Allison Chatham 16, Joe NDK Explorer, Norm Venture Easky 15, and Joe WS Cape Horn 15.
Participants K-2: Mike & Craig Heritage Tandem SOT.
Allison, Dave, Joe and Norm meet in the Wollaston Beach parking lot across from Tony’s Clam Shop around 0800. Joe paddled his Explorer over from Squantum to join the group. Temperatures on shore were already in the low to mid 80’s with a northwesterly off shore breeze between 5 – 10 mph. The boats were launched and the group headed out towards Hangman’s.
Mike & Craig launched the tandem from the boat ramp at the Quincy Marine Center on Hough’s Neck and headed out into the West Gut to round the Nut Is. sewage pumping station and head towards Hangman’s. The light breeze off the port bow had a nice cooling effect fetching across the cooler water of Quincy Bay. As Mike & Craig approached close enough to Hangman’s to see some detail they saw the group from Wollaston Beach landing on the Is. At about 0915 Mike & Craig made landfall at Hangman’s and were informed by Dave that the group from the beach had landed about 20 minutes earlier. Introductions were made all around and a discussion ensued about the next leg of the trip. The group from the Beach seemed eager to get underway which was understandable given the fragrance of the prevalent bird droppings
After some discussion the group from the beach proposed a hop towards Nut Is., crossing the West Gut to Peddock’s, up the Peddock’s coast past Pudding Rock to a rest/exploration stop in Portuguese Cove. After the rest/exploration the plan was to cross the Bay to Rainsford Is. rest again, then cross to Long Is., follow the coast and the bridge to Squantum and then back to the put it on the Beach. Craig & Mike realizing that the proposed route would have them still on the water way past the time they were expected to rejoin their spouses, deferred and instead opted to paddle to Rainsford first then perhaps rendezvous with the other group in Portuguese Cove.
The group of single kayaks headed off for Portuguese Cove and the tandem headed up the bay and over to Rainsford. Mike & Craig got to Rainsford just after 1000, walked around a bit (Craig picked up a shipwreck souvenir for the garden) and decided to go for a swim.
After a refreshing dip in the refreshing 65 degree water snacks were consumed and the first beer break of the day was taken. After drying in the sun for a while we noticed the wind picking up a bit and the sky’s darkening to the north and west of Boston. Mike & Craig decided it would be a good time to head for Portuguese Cove and check in on our fellow travelers.
In the meantime, the group had landed a hundred yards up the beach from Pudding Rock in Portuguese Cove – Allison chose to roam the beach looking for sea glass and interesting rocks, while the men went exploring in Ft. Andrews. On completing their crossing from Rainsford assisted by the freshening tail wind Mike & Craig checked in with Allison on the beach and learned the men were still exploring. While waiting for Dave and company to return from their explorations Mike & Craig checked out the ruins of a cottage on “Sergeant’s Row” and spoke with a resident of the Is. who was initially concerned that they were going to vandalize the ruins.
Dave, Joe, Norm, and Joe returned from their explorations with Dave admitting that once again he had failed to find the elusive Battleship Mural, but claimed to have visited the Jail. However, no pictorial or physical proof of this claim was offered.
Plans for the next leg of the journey were made. The beach group decided against a trip to Rainsford and Long Is and opted instead to complete a circumnavigation of Peddock’s setting out against the tide thru Hull Gut and around Prince Head, thru the West Gut and back to the beach. Mike & Craig decided to tarry a bit longer on Peddock’s to take another beer break before heading back to the put in at Quincy Marine.
In typical fashion Mike suggested the straightest route across the West Gut for the tandem which coincidentally took the tandem thru a confluence of eddies caused by the now outflowing tide and the in pushing wind. At one spot there was some interesting texture which in typical fashion the tandem barged right thru with some splash over passing out via the scuppers. Upon reaching the Quincy side of the channel Mike & Craig paused to see if they could spot the beach group working their way thru the West Gut. Without binoculars the results of the spotting were inconclusive. Mike (with younger eyes) thought he could see the pod progressing against the tan bluffs of Prince Head. Mike & Craig landed at QMC at about 1300, just beating out a Whaler for first dibs on the ramp. The tandem was loaded expeditiously and along with Mike was delivered to his home in Braintree.
On the way home Craig stopped off at Wollaston Beach around 1400 to see if the group had made it back. By some strange fluke of coincidence some of the group (Norm and Joe) had just reached the Beach with Joe, Dave and Allison just about in. Joe hung around and gave Dave some tips on sculling braces and waited for everyone to get out of the water before heading back to Squantum.
Norm and Craig deferred on Dave’s offer of home brewed PPR as they both indicated they were overdue at their respective homes.
It was a good day on the water with moderate breezes freshening as the day wore on and sunny skies giving way to high overcast. The possible PM showers, with the exception of a drop or two at the landing never materialized. It was good to finally meet some of the Turkeys on the water and put faces and boats with some of the newer names.
Respectfully submitted,
Craig (chpaton)
