Hi all,
We've been busy getting ready to follow Roger Long along the coast of NH and Mass and have been staying in Portsmouth NH while we load and unload stuff for the winter. At the Portsmouth Yacht Club tidal change has a peak flow of 1.5 - 2 kts which is usually no problem since it's predictable. It does bring into play some memorable moments.
A few weeks back we were here and a barge being pushed up river came close to us but the tug operator got into position just in time. However yesterday we came close to fouling our trip plans for this upcoming weekend.
We got on the boat Thursday and did our usual check. With the four days of rain we had, the bilge had a little water in it and the alarm was buzzing. A quick reset and a little hand pumping took care of that issue. The house bank was down to 85% so we started the generator, again no worries. I walked around top side and no issues with everything in it's place. I did notice the other moored boats were also getting ready for winter hauling.
There was a new lobster buoy, one of those plastic empty gallon containers, behind us about 75-100 feet so I made a mental note to keep an eye on it when we went for fuel. We decided to do a pump-out the following morning at high tide and then fuel up.
Friday morning was brisk at about 40 degrees so we started the generator for some heat and a warm meal before making our way to the local pump-out station. After eating I went topside to set out lines and fenders while my wife took care of everything below. It was slack tide so dropping the mooring pendant would be routine, but we both walked to the bow and talked over our plan for release. I mentioned the buoy to my wife as she was going to undo the line while I operated the helm. We got away with no issues.
The water was flat so we easily made 6 kt during our 15 minute ride down river. Turning into the marina I noticed about 1/2 kt difference between water speed and GPS SOG pushing us into the marina. The fuel dock is usually occupied so we called ahead to see if they were clear and the reply was to proceed in. I don't know why but there's always a mega-yacht tied up to the fuel dock leaving a small portion of dock left for others to use. I decided to do a pivot turn well short of the yacht and back against the current using bow thruster and prop walk to manage the boat. I begin backing and the dock attendant shouts something which I can't hear and my wife relays the message. "Watch the lobster buoy."
I hadn't seen one as we were pulling in, but at high tide they sometimes lurk below the surface. Sure enough off the bow there's another of those plastic jugs right where I had done my turn. Still in reverse I put the engine in neutral as well as the bow thruster as we drifted back. A second buoy appeared, which was the traditional lobster type, and it bobbed near the cheapo plastic jug. I took this as we made it and then went in gear to tie up to the dock.
I didn't give it much thought while we did the pump-out but before starting the engine I looked for the buoys that I ran over.
Now here's the twist that makes me think I should buy one of those paddles from S*^t Creek. The dock attendant said he had seen something dragging behind us while we were coming into the marina. Apparently going in reverse pulled us back out of the tangle and the bow thruster hadn't sucked it in. The buoys had drifted along and wrapped themselves on yet another buoy further in the marina. As we left I asked the attendant to make sure the mess was picked up so no one would get tangled.
By the time we got back to PYC we decided to get fuel and then back onto our mooring. I was still thinking of how we could have been stuck getting hauled out instead of prepping for our upcoming trip. As we went by our mooring ball I was on the lookout for buoys and couldn't see one. Has it submerged with the tide or is it hiding near the ball, nothing, where is it. We tied up to the dock and I looked back out, still nothing. Then the thought enters my mind. That plastic jug was the same one we left in the other marina. We must have dragged the entire mess with us from our mooring about a mile along the coast without getting tangled. The weather had been rough for a few days and it's not uncommon to have floatsam drifting with the tide. Of all the things that could have happened, dodging this bullet will always be in the top three.
All U Get
We've been busy getting ready to follow Roger Long along the coast of NH and Mass and have been staying in Portsmouth NH while we load and unload stuff for the winter. At the Portsmouth Yacht Club tidal change has a peak flow of 1.5 - 2 kts which is usually no problem since it's predictable. It does bring into play some memorable moments.
A few weeks back we were here and a barge being pushed up river came close to us but the tug operator got into position just in time. However yesterday we came close to fouling our trip plans for this upcoming weekend.
We got on the boat Thursday and did our usual check. With the four days of rain we had, the bilge had a little water in it and the alarm was buzzing. A quick reset and a little hand pumping took care of that issue. The house bank was down to 85% so we started the generator, again no worries. I walked around top side and no issues with everything in it's place. I did notice the other moored boats were also getting ready for winter hauling.
There was a new lobster buoy, one of those plastic empty gallon containers, behind us about 75-100 feet so I made a mental note to keep an eye on it when we went for fuel. We decided to do a pump-out the following morning at high tide and then fuel up.
Friday morning was brisk at about 40 degrees so we started the generator for some heat and a warm meal before making our way to the local pump-out station. After eating I went topside to set out lines and fenders while my wife took care of everything below. It was slack tide so dropping the mooring pendant would be routine, but we both walked to the bow and talked over our plan for release. I mentioned the buoy to my wife as she was going to undo the line while I operated the helm. We got away with no issues.
The water was flat so we easily made 6 kt during our 15 minute ride down river. Turning into the marina I noticed about 1/2 kt difference between water speed and GPS SOG pushing us into the marina. The fuel dock is usually occupied so we called ahead to see if they were clear and the reply was to proceed in. I don't know why but there's always a mega-yacht tied up to the fuel dock leaving a small portion of dock left for others to use. I decided to do a pivot turn well short of the yacht and back against the current using bow thruster and prop walk to manage the boat. I begin backing and the dock attendant shouts something which I can't hear and my wife relays the message. "Watch the lobster buoy."
I hadn't seen one as we were pulling in, but at high tide they sometimes lurk below the surface. Sure enough off the bow there's another of those plastic jugs right where I had done my turn. Still in reverse I put the engine in neutral as well as the bow thruster as we drifted back. A second buoy appeared, which was the traditional lobster type, and it bobbed near the cheapo plastic jug. I took this as we made it and then went in gear to tie up to the dock.
I didn't give it much thought while we did the pump-out but before starting the engine I looked for the buoys that I ran over.
Now here's the twist that makes me think I should buy one of those paddles from S*^t Creek. The dock attendant said he had seen something dragging behind us while we were coming into the marina. Apparently going in reverse pulled us back out of the tangle and the bow thruster hadn't sucked it in. The buoys had drifted along and wrapped themselves on yet another buoy further in the marina. As we left I asked the attendant to make sure the mess was picked up so no one would get tangled.
By the time we got back to PYC we decided to get fuel and then back onto our mooring. I was still thinking of how we could have been stuck getting hauled out instead of prepping for our upcoming trip. As we went by our mooring ball I was on the lookout for buoys and couldn't see one. Has it submerged with the tide or is it hiding near the ball, nothing, where is it. We tied up to the dock and I looked back out, still nothing. Then the thought enters my mind. That plastic jug was the same one we left in the other marina. We must have dragged the entire mess with us from our mooring about a mile along the coast without getting tangled. The weather had been rough for a few days and it's not uncommon to have floatsam drifting with the tide. Of all the things that could have happened, dodging this bullet will always be in the top three.
All U Get
