On to the Next Cruising Ground

[Roger Long]

I woke up this morning anchored across the river from the Battleship Massachusetts. The fog was so thick I thought the only way I might find my way ashore for my meeting at the shipyard which built most of my research vessels would be by listening for the sound of the bridge traffic. However, it had cleared up into a beautiful and sunny day by the time I rowed ashore. It was a very nice morning. This yard built the first boat of my design in 1974 so we have a lot of history.

I was back on Strider by 1100 and wasted no time in heading down the Mount Hope Bay and the Sakonnet River in flat calm and full sunshine. Sorry, I got so wrapped up in the scenery that I forgot to take pictures. Too bad as it is the most beautiful section of Rhode Island.

The wind came up as I neared the river mouth along with showers inland. I raised the sails and set out reaching along the shore with the wind vane steering while I watched the thunderstorms pacing me along inland.

About the middle of Buzzards Bay, a small shower materialized astern as the wind dropped. It began to spit rain so I decided to furl the sails and get into Cuttyhunk with all deliberate speed. Just as soon as I get settled down with the autopilot on and the engine running, the sky cleared and the wind began to come back as the shower took a dog leg out to sea.

I decided to anchor just outside the jetty entrance both for the great view and to save $45 on a mooring in the harbor. After anchoring, I fired up the computer to double check the weather and, yikes, a severe weather alert came up. There were tornado warnings not far inland with the cell moving southeast, pretty much my way. There were also several other cells with hail and strong wind warnings.

By the time I got back on deck, the sky was looking ominous. The speed of the change was ominous in itself and $45 suddenly didn’t seem like a lot of money. I raised the anchor and ran in to pick up one of the town moorings.

Just as I got settled, a very expensive looking 40 something boat came in and dropped their anchor in the spot that would be directly upwind when the storm now visibly building on the horizon arrived. There isn’t really any anchoring room in Cuttyhunk so, with proper scope, I would be very close to being inside their swinging circle even if they didn’t drag. I politely suggested this and the fellow thought, I’m sure,“(I’ve been cruising since before you were born., and said, “Don’t worry, I’m using all chain so I don’t need much scope.” Yup, that’s what I was afraid of. Time for me to say brightly, “Oh, no problem, I’ll just move to another mooring.” Which, I did.

The sky began to look like those SiFi movies where the mother ship is landing. (I did take some pictures but they didn’t begin to do it justice so I’m not posting them. Tough lighting.) The wind swung around 180 degrees and began blowing in cold blasts as the rain started. I was gratified to see the clueless boat raise anchor and go across the harbor to pick up one of the moorings.

It was all just a sky show. No strong winds or fireworks. There’s a lot of stuff out to the west on the radar though so I’ll be glad to spend my first night of this portion of the cruise on a snug mooring in a very quiet harbor.

 

[Rick486]

Actually there is quite a bit of anchoring room north of the mooring field, and good holding to boot. It's quite deceptive. Also there is room east of the mooring field. I have been anchoring there since before they put in the moorings, I'd guess in the late 80's or early 90's. It used to be great fun on nights such as you describe with 100 boats anchored inside and a front would come through in the wee hours and you'd hear lots of yelling, engines roaring, and you'd see spotlights all over as the fleet readjusted scope and positions to deal with the 20 kt NW breeze. Now it's fun to watch on a summer evening as boats come in to find the moorings all taken and they go outside, rather than anchor inside, to anchor pick up an outside mooring, only to find a shift to the NE and a miserable night outside. Cuttyhunk is a great stop and a good breakfast is to be found at the Fisherman's Club. Follow the signs at the main intersection in town.

 

[Roger Long]

Actually there is quite a bit of anchoring room north of the mooring field, and good holding to boot. It's quite deceptive.

You are right. I just looked at my GPS track and they have left quite a bit of clear space to the north (Unlike some Florida towns that fill up every available space so that people will be forced to use the moorings.). Unless you look at the GPS, it appears that the moorings run right up to where the 2 foot soundings are shown on the chart.

All the less excusable that the fellow would drop his hook less than a rode length away at what would clearly soon be directly upwind of me with only five boats in the mooring field.

There is a sign that says, "No Anchoring in Channel Areas". As a former harbormaster, I would consider that space channel because the mooring are so closely packed that it would be difficult to work your way through the field and you would want that northern area clear for boats to go around and get as close as possible to the far moorings before going into the field. Since it doesn't prohibit anchoring entirely, I presume their interpretation is different.

Note to self: Never come here on a summer weekend. It's a great place to be right now.

 

[TomY]

Actually there is quite a bit of anchoring room north of the mooring field, and good holding to boot. It's quite deceptive. Also there is room east of the mooring field. I have been anchoring there since before they put in the moorings, I'd guess in the late 80's or early 90's. It used to be great fun on nights such as you describe with 100 boats anchored inside and a front would come through in the wee hours and you'd hear lots of yelling, engines roaring, and you'd see spotlights all over as the fleet readjusted scope and positions to deal with the 20 kt NW breeze. Now it's fun to watch on a summer evening as boats come in to find the moorings all taken and they go outside, rather than anchor inside, to anchor pick up an outside mooring, only to find a shift to the NE and a miserable night outside. Cuttyhunk is a great stop and a good breakfast is to be found at the Fisherman's Club. Follow the signs at the main intersection in town.

I agree, we've spent many, many nights anchoredin the pond in the shoal water outside the moorings having plenty of swinging room. The moorings are nice too but not as private. Cuttyhunk is a favorite of ours when we're sailing in the area. Great island to explore. The outside anchorage looks like an uncomfortable night is almost guaranteed.

 

[Roger Long]

I saw going out that the sign says "Marked Channels" so anchoring is clearly allowed north of the moorings. I ran out along the line where the sterns of most boats on the moorings would be in a south wind and it is 100 yards to the charted edge of the dredged basin. Tight but OK if no one drags.

 

[JohnS]

What timing. I just finished reading Roger's referenced thread, then picked up the paper and see that today's Washington Post "Weekend" entertainment section has the cover story "Explore tall ships, rediscover Baltimore during the 1812 bicentennial", and a full page picture of the crew of PoB II up on a yard arm wrestling with a furled sail.