Headed for Nahant

Woo Hoo! Sailed all the way from Boston Harbor to Nahant and back – no instructor on board! It was a perfect sailing day with plenty of sun and perfect wind. Our new sailing comrade, Collin and his girlfriend, Teresa, joined us for the trip. Ramon and I had plotted the course the night before and our en route bearings matched well. We sailed out of the harbor via President Roads, keeping Deer Island Light to our port and then headed into the Boston North Channel. Once past R “6” in the Channel we were able to head direct to Nahant passing Winthrop and Revere Beach on the way.

As we venture into these new areas, I sometimes find it difficult to match the chart with the actual land in sight; they can look so different. Given that I am directionally and geographically challenged, it’s not that surprising. Definitely have to improve my skills in these areas.

Once we reached Nahant, we proceeded to anchor in Dorothy’s Cove. Collin and I lowered the anchor while Ramon was at the helm. The anchor set, we waited for the bow to turn into the wind but it just wouldn’t do it. We watched our sites to see if we were drifting, Collin realized we were and we reset the anchor. Still, the boat would not turn into the wind as it should. We pulled up anchor and headed toward the beach. Anchor was firmly set, but still no turning into the wind. The only possible variable that was interfering was the running (in neutral) motor, once Ramon shut it off the bow turned into the wind. We ate our lunch (whatever we hadn’t already eaten on the trip out), took up the anchor and headed back.

The wind was awesome on the way back, hauling us steadily around 5 knots. We made the trip back in about a quarter of the time it took us to go out. We moored before sundown at BHSC.

There’s just something about being on a boat, with nothing but wind to glide you over the water…

                                                                                                Ready to Set Sail

Night Sailing Course May 25th

It is definitely a different feel out on the water after the sun has set. There is a calmness that you cannot achieve amidst the sounds and turbulence of motoring traffic during the bright light of day. In the darkness of the night, I found a feeling of solitude, even with five of us on board.

Heading out into the night at sunset

Vern was again our instructor, and this time we were sailing on a Pearson 31. As Vern pointed out all the buoys, beacons and other navigational aids along our route to Spectacle Island, we quickly learned that the low beam flashlight that we brought from home could not begin to help us identify these markings within a safe range. A new flashlight was added to our list of items needed.       

Collin and Vern

Once at Spectacle, the four of us (Ramon and I, and fellow students, Collin and Carl) each took turns docking. It was a great exercise, talking through who needed to do what and trying different approaches and departures. The currents and wind inside of Spectacle’s docks can be challenging. On a couple of our approaches to the dock, no matter how hard the wheel was turned to move the bow starboard, it just wouldn’t go. For two of the departures, we backed the boat out from the dock to the entrance of the Island. The other two departures, we turned the bow 180 degrees at the dock so we were facing out and then pushed off. We safely moored back at BHSC by 12:30am.

                                                                                                                      Ready to Set Sail

Basic Navigation with Vern

On May 13^th we met up with Vern and fellow students, James and Collin, at the BHSC launch at 9:00am for the Basic Navigation course. We sailed around the harbor islands for the day on a Pearson 26. As we approached Hull Gut, with Collin at the helm, Ramon and I shared with him our two experiences traversing the gut against its strong contradicting currents and winds. We warned him to of its rocky shore line and narrow passage and did our best to prepare him.... for what turned out to be utterly unremarkable! No discernible cross currents and no winds to fight against!

We returned under Long Island Bridge on a broad reach. A run would have been a more direct tack to our mark, but the winds were shifty, increasing the risk of an accidental jibe. Once on the other side, we did complete a controlled jibe and safely headed back. We moored back at BHSC before 6:00pm.

                                                                                 Ready to Set Sail

First Sail of the 2012 Season

This sailing season, which opened May 1^st, Ramon and I joined The Boston Harbor Sailing Club. We were sorry to leave Piers Park Sailing Center behind, but knew it was time to venture out on larger boats that we could sleep aboard.

Our instructor, Vern

We began the season with BHSC’s Coastal Navigation course on May 12^th. We were to meet our instructor at the launch at 9am. Vern was easy to spot with his black captain’s cap atop his curly salt and pepper hair and his matching beard; Herman Melville himself, could not have conjured up a more fitting sailor. 

We boarded Speedy Gonzales, one of BHSC’s Albin 28s, with Vern and fellow students, James and Jim. First stop was the fueling dock where we learned how to empty
waste from the boat and refill the boat’s water.
From there, we practiced anchoring off of Spectacle Island, then plotted our trip to Cohasset with the following markers, “15” Nixes Mate, “3” George’s Island, “3” Pt Allerton, “1HL”, and “3” Chittenden Rock. The bearings we plotted on the chart matched well with the actual bearings read at each mark. Success!

We docked in Cohasset Harbor just long enough to jump off and stretch our legs. We followed our marks in reverse order back home again to Boston Harbor, arriving just after 8:00pm.

                                                                   Ready to Set Sail

We did it! Our maiden voyage cruising Boston Harbor Islands

Our maiden voyage around the Boston Harbor Islands began with the hoisting of our sails around 10am at Piers ParkSailing Club in East Boston. We headed out on a steady broad reach, and were soon sailing between Spectacle and Thompson Islands. From there we could see the tip of Long Island. This is when we realized that Ramon has virtually no long distance vision! Chen Ye, Michaela and I were all pointing to the Long Island Bridge up ahead and Ramon kept asking “What bridge?” Clearly, he will need to get a better prescription before we cruise too far from land or we will end up in Timbuktu on our way to the Caribbean!

We approach the bridge and wait our turn to pass beneath. The optical illusion upon approach, that the mast is taller than the bridge, provides a twinge of adrenaline. We pass safely with room to spare and find ourselves in open waters with Peddocks Island in sight. Suddenly, the wind becomes a slight breeze. We drift lazily around the tiny island of Rainsford and the north side of Peddocks, basking in the unseasonably warm October sun. On the southernmost tip of Peddocks, the wind finally picks up and we search for a place to dock.

We are surprised and disappointed to find that the only docks available are for the ferry boats. Determined to visit one of the islands today on foot, we sail on. We travel northeast up through Hull Gut. This was a passage we had previously sailed through during our cruising course on a 30 footer so we were aware of its dangerous cross currents and heavy traffic. There is no lack of wind or currents trying to push us onto the rocks along Pemberton Point, but we safely maneuver through.

Sailing on to George’s Island, we first sight the ferry docks and then the smaller slips. There is a strong wind blowing onto the dock and it’s a bit crowded. We decide not to risk it and continue on. Next stop, Lovells Island where we finally find available dock space! We tie up and head off to have lunch and explore the island a bit. We stumble upon a few underground forts and thankfully a bathroom. Picnic tables are open at the top of the beach and we sit, eat our pb&j sandwiches and relish in our latest sailing accomplishment. Little did we know, the most challenging part of our journey had yet to begin.

Pushing off from Lovells, we headed north across President Roads towards Deer Island. Looking to the west, we could see that all the boats in the distance were traveling across the entire mouth of the harbor on a beam reach before tacking. That could only mean one thing; we would be sailing into the wind. This last leg would be slow going, requiring a lot of tacking.  We followed the other’s lead, but were quite far behind. Midway into the harbor, with no other sail boats in sight, the wind died. Literally, zero wind. It was dusk, no lights on our Sonar 23 and we were going nowhere. We radioed for a tow and sat virtually motionless while we waited for the power boat to arrive.

It was dark as we tied off back at Piers Park and we felt like newbies all over again. We should have been safely docked before sunset.  As we rolled up the sails, we learned from another sailor that the wind dies in the harbor every evening at dusk. We should have known this. We also should have better planned our return time knowing we would be fighting the wind.  A valuable lesson learned.

                               Ready To Set Sail

                                           

Size does matter: downsized to a 40 footer

Valentine’s Day, for these two aspiring world cruisers, is celebrated at the New England Boat Show. We spend the afternoon boarding every sailboat packed into the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Before boarding, we confirm the boat’s length; size does matter. Ramon believes the smaller, more manageable, the better. For me, small spaces trigger my eyes to frantically hunt for the nearest exit. Ergo, the thought of living in a small space gives me pause. Thankfully, my desire to revel in the outdoor pleasures of living aboard, wind on my face, sunrises and sunsets sparkling on the sea, and dreams of adventures ahead, emboldens me to live aboard…. a 50 footer.

Our conversations go like this when viewing boats over 45’:

Beth, “Feels roomy. Good overhead, lots of windows. This could work.”

Ramon, “It’s a lot of boat to handle. I think we could do a 30’.”

Beth gives the look.

As we view boats under 45’:

Ramon, “This is pretty roomy? Could you do this size?”

Beth gives the look.

And so it goes....

We had this same conversation last month at the Newport International Boat Show. This time, it did not end with me giving the look. Was it the cocktails we had at lunch while sitting outside overlooking the harbour?  Or perhaps, it was the scents and sounds of the ocean as we meandered along the pier? I may never know, but somehow, Ramon lulled me into believing that I could live aboard a 40 footer and not freak out. We shall see.

                                                          Ready To Set Sail

                                                                                                                                

Sailing close hauled to Spectacle Island

There is no better way to spend a September afternoon than sailing out of Boston Harbor on a close haul in 12 to 15 knots of south southwest winds. We didn't tack until we reached Spectacle Island, and that was only to move off shore a bit. Circling behind Spectacle, the winds calmed allowing for a gentle jibe in front of Long Island. Then it was back into the winds and cresting waters on a beamy broad reach towards the airport and back to our starting point of Piers Park Sailing Center.

The afternoon’s sail was a milestone for my husband Ramon and me, being our furthest solo sail out of the harbor. It was fast, fun, stress-free and well-deserved after four years of learning to sail through sailing lessons, studying and just plain doing it.  Thirty days left to the season for 2011 and we plan to make use of it, sailing a bit further out next weekend to Georges Island and Peddocks Island. 

We haven’t been able to convince any of our four children, ages 16-23, to sail with us. Still, we are hopeful that they will be unable to resist jumping on board when we are living our dream of cruising full time to ports unknown! In the meantime, we are happy to share the experience with our high school foreign exchange students, who are enjoying the new adventure; who knew we would have to recruit teenagers from as far away as Italy and China…?

                                                                  Ready To Set Sail