Travels with Martha

Memorial Day Weekend- What a beautiful 3 days for boating and exploring Martha's Vineyard! How did I love the long weekend? Let me count the ways. Had a super easy light wind crossing from Falmouth Sat Morning. Visited Mytoi Japanese Garden on Chappaquiddick. Kited at Katama Bay. Anchored and took the Chappaquiddick ferry to Edgartown for a hot shower and supplies. Walked most of the Joseph Sylvia State Beach looking for kite launches, found some. Explored Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary by packraft and on foot. Tied up at the Dinghy dock in Oak Bluffs for a Lobster Roll. Had a super easy light wind crossing back to Falmouth Monday evening. Mytoi Japanese Garden Anchorages   Friday Night- Falmouth, Eel Pond, off Waquiot Bay, N wind.   Saturday Night- Edgartown, Chappaquiddick Point, in no wake zone, SW wind.   Sunday Night- Sengakontacket Pond, Bran Point cove, SW, NW, NE wind.     Next time- Anywhere around Felix Neck in Sengakontacket Pond, very quiet, pretty.     Next time- Caleb Pond, off Katama Bay, a few houses but very scenic, not official anchorage? Shear Pin Rd, Lighthouse Rd, and a fish. This must be Chappaquiddick. Low Bridges   Kennedy Bridge on Chappaquiddick- I fit under at dead low only.   Sengakontacket Pond, Center bridge, (Jaws bridge)- I fit under at dead high or low.   Sengakontacket Pond, North Bridge- I fit under at dead low only.     I used to fit under all these bridges but my boat keeps growing, (windshield, roll bar). Packraft on my roof. Now I don't fit under any bridges. Motor trouble? Yeah, it's still not running right.

Congrats Ben!!!

5/19/19  Ben- It seems like just a few minutes ago you were helping wooly bears cross the street. You were catching tadpoles and falling into vernal ponds. You were a tadpole yourself. Now you're measuring the electrical potential of stem cells as they differentiate into bone or muscle cells. I don't know exactly what that means but I know that I've loved watching you grow into the miraculous adult version of yourself. Much love to a budding scientist! Ben Cooper, Bachelors of Science in Biology, Summa Cum Laude, Highest Honers Thesis.

Chatham, Ups and Downs

4/27/19 Anchored in Stage Harbor- Winds blowing to 30, temp down to 42, no moonlight, patchy clouds and some drizzle. Yay, first night on the water this season. After the clouds clear, the stars seem to burn extra fiercely in the black night sky. My winter sleeping bag is soft and toasty, perfect for these temps. I had almost forgotten how much I love sleeping on the boat. I'm in one of those, just happy to be alive moments. Stage Harbor Sunset That feeling lingers until the next day when I take the motor up to full throttle. It only hits 4400 rpm. The entire top end is gone. Along with my vacation plans to go to Nantucket for a week starting next weekend. I'm not making that trip with an unpredictable motor. I also discover that the weepy leak on a seam I thought I fixed last year is still crying. Yeah, that about sums up boat ownership. A rapture of stars at night and tears in the morning.

Hemlock Gorge

Paddling: Charles River, Newton at Needham St to Lower Falls pedestrian bridge. Water was pretty high and fast. It was fun to paddle through the Hemlock Gorge! I just had to be careful to pull out before the falls. Those drops don't have a soft landing. 3.5 miles. 4 waterfalls to portage around. 2.5 hours including short walk back to my house from the river. Waterflow was 650 CFS on Charles in Waltham.

To My Packraft

12/9/18  This trip is to welcome you, my new Alpacka Raft, into my family of outdoor toys. I bought you to be a dinghy to my dinghy but that doesn't sound very flattering. I want you to feel appreciated for who you are. You weigh less than nothing, pack down to the size of almost nothing, but you're as tough as toenails. Your special! Welcome. Groton, Ma- I paddle about 3 miles downstream on the Squannacook River then 2 miles downstream on the Nashua River. These 2 rivers make a big U. Then I deflate the raft, break down the paddle, throw the whole mess in a backpack and walk back 1.5 miles to my starting point. Definitely a fun way to ride the rivers! Put in- Squannacook River below dam on Rt 225. Take out- Nashua River at Rt 225 bridge. 4 hours including walk back. Plenty of rapids and downed trees on Squanna. Current flow was roughly 200 CF/second, about double normal for Dec. Temp was just above to just below freezing. My next fun adventure is cataract surgery.

Snow Boating

11/16/18 - 11/18/18   A weekend exploring the Connecticut River- Old Saybrook, Essex, Gillette Castle.  2 nights, 2 days.    I drove thru a snow flurry on my way to the boat ramp on Friday. Hey you can't scare me away that easily. Snowy Anchorage near Gillette Castle Friday Evening- I left the boat ramp at sunset, headed north, pulled into the Essex Yacht Club as the last light was fading from the sky. I just wanted to ask for directions to the town dock but the manager, Bob, was fascinated by my "floating tent".  We had a friendly chat and he offered to let me tie up there for the night. Wow, does that make my boat a yacht?! I walked into town for dinner and I was careful to mention to anyone in earshot that my powerboat was docked at the Essex Yacht Club. Just saying that seemed to add roughly 20' to the length of my boat in my mind. I was very impressed with myself for owning such a big boat. Essex Buoys Saturday- Northbound, I took Selden creek, the scenic route around Selden Island. I had plenty of water at mid tide. This narrow, secluded channel felt like a secret passage through a beautiful landscape painting. Selden Creek Further north, I hiked all the hilly trails around Gillete Castle in the new snow. It must be beautiful here in the Fall foliage season. It would be fun to see the inside of this funky eccentric castle when it's open to the public.  North again, I stopped at East Haddam, before the bridge, and got some ice cream, perfect refreshment for a cold Autumn day. There isn't much else here in the tiny hamlet of East Haddam. North, the Salmon River was pretty shallow on mid tide. This is when I started having motor trouble. It wouldn't run over 3000 rpm. I turned south to Deep River Marina and tied up to a small floating dock in Pratt Creek.  During the night I noticed that the view had changed. I knew my boat was firmly tied to the dock so that shouldn't happen. Then I saw that the entire dock had pivoted 180 degrees around it's single anchor pole! Probably due to a change in the tidal flow. My boat was now up against the shallows. I raised the motor, checked the tide chart, which showed high water in the the morning, and slid back into my sleeping bag. If I got beached overnight, no problem, I'd be floating when I woke up. Life is good. Frosty the Windshield, Sunrise on Pratt Creek The temp was down to 30F overnight with zero wind. I was cozy and happy in my synthetic mummy bag with long underwear and hat and my heavy winter jacket thrown over the foot of the bag. In the morning it took about 1 hour of motoring before the thick layer of frost melted and dried off the windshield enough for me to see through it. Sunday- I headed south to the mouth of the Conn river mostly keeping my motor under 3000 rpm to keep it running. I checked out almost all of the Lieutenant River, paddled the marsh in the Great Island Wildlife Area in my new packraft, and found a nice kiting beach in Griswold Cove for a west wind day. The small channels in this area were deep enough for my boat on the mid tide but getting in and out of the channels was scratchy. The connection of the Back River to the Conn River was especially challenging to navigate even on shallow water drive where I draw less then 1 foot of water. A Dinghy for my Dinghy Packraft- This super lightweight inflatable raft worked great as a dinghy to get to shore or I can add a home made rudder and use it to go exploring. I found that I could half deflate it and put it behind my seat or leave it fully inflated, tied to the side of the boat and flipped up, if no wind. My tiny boat is getting better and better for this kind of cruising and gunkholing but this was probably near my limit for having fun in cold temps in a boat with no heater. Now I have to get my almost new motor to run like an almost new motor. Gillette Castle 40 miles, 5 gallons gas.

Bathed in Solitude

Bath, Maine- 2 nights on my boat on the Kennebec River. Wild wind, surging currents, cold temps, rugged coastline. What's not to love? Perkins Island 10/20/18, Saturday- I boat down the Kennebec river to kite at Popham Beach but it's too windy to cross the last half mile where the river widens into a small bay. The SW cross wind is gusting to 35MPH. I can see the fort where I was planning to anchor but I can't make it. How's that for irony? I take a break from the wind and chop to dock in the lee of Perkins Island. Nice spot! Public dockage, small pine needle campsite, unmanned lighthouse. I have it completely to myself. Things seem a little quiet around here this time of year. I have no idea know why. Perkins Dock I have fun crossing Merrymeeting Bay where the Kennebec joins the Androscoggin. Fierce current and chop with 25MPH gusts. It's too shallow to hug the upwind shore. But I make it to Swan Island to tie up to their kayak dock overnight like you're not supposed too. No matter. I never see a ranger or even another person. I see some friendly white tailed deer though. One comes right up to me and licks my hand. When I bend down it tries to lick my face. I'm pretty startled but I ask myself, am I really scared of Bambi? Maybe. Beaver work I also see some beavers slapping their tails for warning around my boat at night. Different from the usual fish jumping sound. Yes the river is fresh water, with 4' tides up here. Go figure. Temp is down to 39F Sat night, plenty warm for my synthetic fill mummy sleeping bag with my long sleeve shirt and bathing suit. High temp of 45 Sunday is cold but doable as long as I stay out of the water. Falling in is not an option. Beaver On my way back on Sunday the howling NW wind is blowing with the ripping current, (luckily). It's gusting to 35 again. I turn off the motor and clock myself drifting/blowing at 5.8 MPH. Places I wanted to visit but didn't- Popham Beach State Park- Looks like a beautiful beach for kiting! And nearby hiking. Maine Maritime Museum- $17 includes museum entrance, overnight dockage, shower. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens- Free dockage, mooring, complimentary dinghy, (seasonal?). Bath Town Dock- 3 hours free dockage, (docks were pulled out already for the season). Popham Fort- Might be interesting. I've got to come back here! But not this year. Swan Island Itinerary- Friday night- South launch boat ramp, near Maine Maritime Museum, south to Morse Cove, anchor for night. Saturday- South to the beginning of Atkins Bay, north to Perkins Island, way north to Swan Island kayak dock. Sunday- 9 mile hike on Swan, South to South launch boat ramp. 54 miles, 8 Gallons gas.

Mahatten or Sink

Connecticut River, Old Saybrook, to 79th Street Boat Basin, Manhattan, and back. 361 Miles, 44 gallons gas, 16 nights, 2 dozen hard boiled eggs. Yeah some of them spoiled in the cooler. Coming into New York Harbor with the Big Boys I really loved this trip!!! I kited when it was windy, boated when it wasn't. Tried to stay dry when it rained 6 of the first 7 days. Not successful. Enjoying a Break in the Rain I kited 5 days in a row during the second week, mostly on Fire Island. Airing my Laundry at Watch Hill Marina, Fire Island   I had a I nice visit with Ruth in Manhattan. I was super lucky to get 2 glassy days to make the run in and out of the city. Over the phone they told me that I couldn't get a slip at the Boat Basin because my boat was too small but when I showed up they relented. My boat may be small but it has a big personality. Leaving the Big Apple in the Predawn Twilight In 2 weeks I was treated to a gale, dense fog, deluging rain, occasional sun, and a couple of small craft advisories, including the remnants of Hurricane Francis, which gave me some big wave kiting at Robert Moses Park on Fire Island. Overall the very best moments were often when I was anchored for the night in some secluded cove, nestled in my sleeping bag, watching the lights winking across the bay, listening to crickets on shore, wind blowing through trees, waves gurgling and singing, loving life. Coziness! That's my Toilet Hanging over the Steering Wheel

Twister and Shout

6/23/18  Pleasure Bay, NE Wind, 11-16 MPH, Foiling, 10.4 Cloud Kite I get lofted. I'm foiling in light winds. A big lull hits and I'm working the kite to keep it up and stay on the board. I pull hard on the bar and I'm up about 20' in the air before I can blink. It's like I'm just plucked out of the water, right off my board, by some large invisible hand. By the time I can think about punching out I've leveled off so I sine the kite to try to keep from plummeting. I drift for a second, then I plummet. I hit pretty hard but I'm in deep water, far enough from the beach. I'm O.K. just a little shocked and dazed. If I was launching or landing at the moment that it hit I would have landed on the concrete wall, steps, flagpoles, sidewalk, or parking lot. None of those surfaces would feel soft and cushy from a 20' drop. It could be unpleasant. We'd have to change the name of the bay. Earlier in the day I had seen a mini twister of sand spin across the beach down near the lifeguard chairs. I'm guessing that what's picked me up. I was kiting down in that area when it hit. Scuttlebutt says these mini cyclones are caused by planes that are routed low over P Bay in a NE wind coming in to land at Logan Airport. They're known as wake turbulence or wingtip vortices and in extreme circumstances have caused following planes to crash. They can last for up to 3 minutes before dissipating. I kite for another 15 minutes but I can't get it out of my head. Every time I approach the rock wall or the beach I think about how I don't want to be a bug on that windshield. P Bay in NE is off my list. Sorry P Bay. I know it not your fault. I want to live to kite another day.

Cuttyhunked

6/10/2018  Sat- I boat Waquoit Bay to the Elizabeth Islands, exploring Cuttyhunk by water and foot. Sat night- I meet up with Walter and Jeff in Cuttyhunk Harbor, tieing up to Walters 42' sailboat like a little toy boat next to the real thing. Jeff cooks up a gourmet dinner and we spend the evening talking about boating and kiting adventures past and future. Nice times! Sunday- Heading back, I find a great gunkholing spot in the Elizabeth islands. It's a secluded little pond off of Northwest Gutter, not tide dependent (I think), SW of Uncatena Island, not far from Woods Hole. Maybe I'll be back. Watch out for crazy currents near Wood Hole. Bathing Beauties on Nashawena Island on my way to Cuttyhunk 2 Days, 69 miles, totally glassy water, average boat speed about 18 to 20 MPH, 6 to 7 gallons of gas.

Foiled

2/10/2018  Alright, I've been trying to avoid being sucked into the foilboard craze. Anybody round here who can crash a kite is learning to foilboard. I thought maybe I was different. That I could resist. I'm not and I couldn't. Here goes nothing. Kitesurfed, West Dennis, 12M Rally/Slingy Foilboard, with Frank, Sam, Andre, Phil, others.

Shimmy Like Your Life Depends on it

1/14/2018  There was some drama on the mountain today. As I'm heading up the trail, groups of hikers are coming down saying the stream crossing isn't passable. What!? The recent rain had melted the ice bridges. There was a downed tree but a hiker had just tried to shimmy across and fallen in. The fast water knocked her over, completely soaking her, and she didn't have a bathing suit on. As I'm scouting out the crossing, an intrepid hiker approaches, takes one look and shimmies across. Then her friend does the same. That's how you do it. I rearrange my pack to be more waterproof, just in case, and follow. No problem. I have a beautiful hike. No bathing suit needed. Note- I'm having some trouble with sore knees, hips and feet after hiking so this might be my last Winter hike for this season. My goal of hiking all 48 of the New Hampshire 4000 footers may be put on hold indefinitely. Hiked, My Liberty and Mt Flume, 10.5 miles, 0 to 10 Fahrenheit, Solo.

Lake W

Since kiting is prohibited for me for another month, I'm boating and exploring places where no sensible human would normally go to kite.   Lake Winnipesaukee- Boated Alton Bay to Stonedam Island for a little island hiking in Fall foliage. It's crowded up here! I thought people went to New Hampshire to get away from it all. Stonedam Island is the only island I can find in the lake that isn't privately owned and lined with boathouses and docks. I'll have to go back to Boston or The Cape to have a little elbow room.          36 miles, 3 to 3.5 gallons gas, cruising around 20 to 24 MPH, no wind.     I have a new prop on my outboard. The old one was attracted to sandbars. My max speed is back up to 26MPH, 5800 RPM. If I trim it out just right, no wind, no current, I can just hit 27 MPH. The boat feels a little skittish at about 25 MPH and up.

Casco Bay

Oct 3rd- My right eye develops 3 tears in the retina due to a vitreous detachment gone wrong. A little laser surgery mostly fixes it up but it needs time to heal. No kiting, jogging, mountain climbing, working out for 8 weeks. Ouch! Oct 22nd- I'm cleared to boat and do easy hikes. I'm not asking twice. I launch from Bug Light Park, Portland. A sign says no overnight parking without prior approval. Oops. But I don't get ticketed, maybe because it's so late in the season. I cross Casco Bay in glassy water, hike, then anchor for the night in Long Cove, Harpswell Sound. I'm so glad to be back in the great big outdoors! Hiking- Cliff Trail and Devils Back Trails in Harpswell. Devils Back Trails are really nice, pine forest with constant water views. But my favorite spot is a trail through golden bittersweet on Little Chebeague Island on the way back to Portland. Kiting Spots- I see nothing enticing in my entire trip. It's mostly pine trees and rocks, hilly, rugged and beautiful, but very few sandy beaches. Lots of islands close to each other to disrupt the wind. Between Little and Great Chebeague Islands are some sand bars at dead low that could be fun in the right wind direction. Might be gusty though. Note- some areas in Casco Bay are completely filled with lobster pot buoys. 2 days, 50 miles round trip, 4 to 5 gallons of gas, averaging about 20 MPH, zero wind. I'm sure my gas milage would go down in rougher water because I would have to constantly adjust speed to smooth out the waves.

260 Miles in a Bathtub

Fire Island Sunrise Connecticut River to Fire Island NY Friday Old Saybrook, Baldwin Bridge Boat Ramp. Launched my bathtub at sunset. Anchored in a shallow cove near the mouth of the Conn river by moonlight. Was grounded on a sandbar for 4 hours in the morning. Oops. Saturday Crossed Long Island Sound to Orient Point, 8 miles open ocean. Kited on a sandbar near Gardiners Island until a security boat told me that the sandbar was private. Oops. Anchored in Montauk Harbor overnight. Gardiner's Very Exclusive Sandbar Sunday Found a secluded Anchorage in Northwest Harbor for the night after a beautiful walk through the Walking Dunes in Napeague. They're called the Walking dunes because they walk right across trees and forests. I couldn't actually see them walking. Napeague, Dunes Walking Across Trees   Monday Kited on Cedar Island. Climbed some scenic cliffs. Went through Shinnecock canal and lock. My gas tank fitting broke, bilge pump malfunctioned and I found a slow leak on a seam of the boat under where I keep my tools. Oops. Anchored near the canal and a marina for evening. Cedar Island Sunrise I always like to dry clean my wardrobe before neatly folding and putting away Tuesday Tied up at Great Gun Marina for night. But first I bought a new bilge pump and gas fitting at that nice marina that I slept near. Then I celebrated making it to Fire Island! Had the whole public marina to myself. 52 slips, I was the only occupied boat. Took my first shower in 4 days. Scary cold shower. Open Tent Closed Tent Wednesday Anchored in a buggy marsh near the Smith Point Bridge for sleepytime after visits to the Sunken Forest and Cherry Grove. Cherry Grove is for hobbits. Cherry Grove with Fire Island's Famous Boardwalks Cherry Grove Ambulance Thursday Spent another peaceful night at Great Gun after spending the whole day lazing around the marina, waiting for wind so I could kite the ocean side point break (sandbar/point). Love this spot! Endless fine white sand dunes devoid of human activity. Jogged to Moriches inlet then took another scary cold shower. Had a chat with a local boater, Robin. Thanks for the beer, (or 2). Great Gun Marina After 2 Beers Friday Snorkeled in north end of Shinnecock Bay. Lots of Blue Crabs. Made me hungry. Went through Locks again. Anchored in North Sea Harbor overnight, not my favorite anchorage. Shinnecock Lock, Waiting for the Green Saturday Left the bathtub anchored in Majors Harbor, went for a soul satisfying 6 mile hike (round trip) through Mashomack Preserve to a general store for some fresh eats. Signs say NO BOAT LANDING but friendly Shelter Harbor Patrol boat told me just anchor offshore and swim in. Next time I'm doing the whole 10 mile hike! Or else. Anchored in Cocles Harbor, Shelter Island for bedtime, very nice cove. Fields of Gold in Mashomack Preserve Sun Morning Motored to Orient point in intermittent dense fog. Waited 1 hour for fog to clear. It didn't. Crossed Long Island Sound in intermittent dense fog, One hand on my air horn, constantly scanning around me, slowing to 5 MPH at times. Couldn't count on a big boat seeing my little bathtub in the mist. Glad for a safe crossing but very sad for my adventure to be over. Now I'm trying to relive it here. It's not the same. Limited Visibility Total- 9 days, 9 nights, 260 miles, 1 gas tank fitting, 1 bilge pump, 1 leak. B B Kiting Spots: The Inland Bays- Peconic, Gardiners, Shelter Island Sound, had places to kite but they weren't that exciting. Napeague was a stand out for- NW wind strength, a shallow safe spot in all wind directions, and secluded, scenic. The Coastal Bays- Shinnecock, Moriches, Bellport, Great South Bay. I saw beautiful inviting spots all along the way. Great Gun Marina on Fire Island had the best wave spot I saw. Old Inlet in Bellport Bay had nice waves and slicks but watch for tides, and for sandbars boating in and out. Sandbars inside Shinnecock inlet looked enticing. I couldn't actually try any of the really nice spots. Zero wind. That means I have to go back next year for two weeks. It's officially on my bucket list.