I was doing some serious soul searching as I drove into seas that had the color and apparent weight of molten lead this morning. Any time you are looking a scene like that just a couple hours after a mesocylone warning, a bit of self doubt can be forgiven.
The tide running hard out of Boston Harbor through Nantasket Roads was colliding with the big sea kicked up by several days of northeast winds and the severe thunderstorm just before dawn. Waves were breaking randomly across the channel in 36 feet of water, just from the collision of forces. I was trying to calculate the probability of Strider being at the right place at the wrong time but was hampered because I never took any statistics courses. A reason for that is that I knew you use such numbers to prove almost anything you wished. Well, a bit of self delusion would have been very comforting at that point.
The little guy between my… I mean in my head, was saying, “Oh it will just crash down on the foredeck and roll over the cabin top, you’ll duck down and hug the steering pedestal, no problem.” I was thinking, It’s got to get better just as soon as I get out of the tidal flow.
It didn’t get better, of course. As I got farther out of the fast channel current, I was just in deeper water and larger waves. By that time, my usual rational was setting in, It will be worse turning and running with these on the stern. Besides, I might lose the dinghy and I’ve gotten to kind of attached to the little thing,
About the time I was wondering how silly my obituary would look here after my previous post, I was able to clear Hull enough that things improved to just damned uncomfortable. Finding a cushion to put behind my back as the boat rolled it hard against the cockpit sides also helped.
Off Minot’s Light, things took a turn for the worse as the tide was running hard around that collection of ledges and shoals. I could see that going into Cohasset wasn’t an option.
The sky was lightening and the wind dropping by the time I was off Situate. I could see waves breaking in between the breakwaters so no temptation there. However, I was now off the wind enough to set a bit of jib. Even though backed, it steadied the boat considerably.
The day steadily improved as the swells spent themselves and I was soon motoring over glassy water surface on top of lumpy left over chop. The forecast 30 knot NW gusts turned out to be 5-10 knot headwinds off Plymouth and the day had turned warm and summer like. It’s was positively pleasant, though long, finishing the leg to the canal where I refueled (first time since Portland and I haven’t sailed yet). They wanted 20 bucks to let me tie up to wait for the current change. I figured diesel was cheaper and it would be nice to be anchored earlier after a day that began at 0300 so I transited the canal against the last couple hours of the current and anchored in a secure spot just inside Hog Island with protection, good sand holding ground, and plenty of room even to do drag if the 30 knot gusts finally do arrive.
I’m now south of the Cape, the first of the big humps. It’s all easy legs with lengths of my choice from here to New York. I’m going to hang our here for a day or two to meet some friends and readers and rest up.
The tide running hard out of Boston Harbor through Nantasket Roads was colliding with the big sea kicked up by several days of northeast winds and the severe thunderstorm just before dawn. Waves were breaking randomly across the channel in 36 feet of water, just from the collision of forces. I was trying to calculate the probability of Strider being at the right place at the wrong time but was hampered because I never took any statistics courses. A reason for that is that I knew you use such numbers to prove almost anything you wished. Well, a bit of self delusion would have been very comforting at that point.
The little guy between my… I mean in my head, was saying, “Oh it will just crash down on the foredeck and roll over the cabin top, you’ll duck down and hug the steering pedestal, no problem.” I was thinking, It’s got to get better just as soon as I get out of the tidal flow.
It didn’t get better, of course. As I got farther out of the fast channel current, I was just in deeper water and larger waves. By that time, my usual rational was setting in, It will be worse turning and running with these on the stern. Besides, I might lose the dinghy and I’ve gotten to kind of attached to the little thing,
About the time I was wondering how silly my obituary would look here after my previous post, I was able to clear Hull enough that things improved to just damned uncomfortable. Finding a cushion to put behind my back as the boat rolled it hard against the cockpit sides also helped.
Off Minot’s Light, things took a turn for the worse as the tide was running hard around that collection of ledges and shoals. I could see that going into Cohasset wasn’t an option.
The sky was lightening and the wind dropping by the time I was off Situate. I could see waves breaking in between the breakwaters so no temptation there. However, I was now off the wind enough to set a bit of jib. Even though backed, it steadied the boat considerably.
The day steadily improved as the swells spent themselves and I was soon motoring over glassy water surface on top of lumpy left over chop. The forecast 30 knot NW gusts turned out to be 5-10 knot headwinds off Plymouth and the day had turned warm and summer like. It’s was positively pleasant, though long, finishing the leg to the canal where I refueled (first time since Portland and I haven’t sailed yet). They wanted 20 bucks to let me tie up to wait for the current change. I figured diesel was cheaper and it would be nice to be anchored earlier after a day that began at 0300 so I transited the canal against the last couple hours of the current and anchored in a secure spot just inside Hog Island with protection, good sand holding ground, and plenty of room even to do drag if the 30 knot gusts finally do arrive.
I’m now south of the Cape, the first of the big humps. It’s all easy legs with lengths of my choice from here to New York. I’m going to hang our here for a day or two to meet some friends and readers and rest up.
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