So far we have logged about 200 miles on the repaired rudder with no problems (knock on faux wood laminate.) We have been down in the Salem Mass. area and as far North as Cape Porpoise Maine (Just around the corner from you Mike.)
First we went to Great Misery Island near Marblehead in Salem Sound. This is one of my favorite local cruises because of the shore diversity over a 20 mile stretch of coast. We start off from Newburyport where we keep our boat and head down Plum Island which has eight miles of sandy beach before reaching Cape Ann which has all an granite shore with a few small beaches sprinkled in the coves. Then we traveled through the Annisquam Canal, which allows you to go straight through Cape Ann cutting off about twelve miles if one were to go all the way around it. You need to go under a total of three bridges before you end up in Gloucester Harbor at the bronze fisherman’s memorial seen in the “Perfect Storm”. Two of the bridges need to open for you which my four-year-old son thinks is so cool. At first he though it was me using the Force, but I later admitted I radioed ahead when he wasn’t paying attention. Once in Gloucester you head out of the harbor dodging hundreds of lobster pots along a shore with high granite cliffs. You pass a number of small-uninhabited bare islands before reaching Salem Sound where Great Misery Island lies. Such a cool trip. The pictures…
Here was the first of many stowaways on this trip as we left the Merrimack River.
Approaching the Annisquam Canal a few hours later.
This is Gloucester Harbor after motoring through the canal. This is looking at Ten Pound Island.
Too bad it’s blurry, but this is a shot of the sunset after reaching Great Misery Island. That’s my friend’s CD-27. He’s been tagging along on all of my trips. This is his first year sailing. He wanted to learn so he bought a boat and asked if he could follow me around all summer. So far it has worked out great for him. Local knowledge and firsthand experience is unbeatable and he is making great strides.
This is looking behind my boat on it’s mooring at about half tide. We found some great tide pools right there.
Sunrise the next morning.
A couple shots of A-24 sitting peacefully at the mooring.
This island has some great hiking trails. This is looking at Little Misery Island which you can wade to at low tide.
This is looking south toward Marblehead where Carl lived. It’s hard to see because it was Hazy in the morning, but there are hundreds of masts sticking up as the whole entire harbor is walled up with boats. On a clear day you would see the Boston skyline in the background.
Another shot of Little Misery. You can see the remains of an old ship wreck on the beach.
This is a shot of Baker's Island light as we were leaving. This Island is part of the city of Salem.
This is in Gloucester Harbor approaching the Annisquam Canal.
Here is the Bronze Fisherman's Memorial in Gloucester.
we averaged above five knots sailing home with a lateral current. I am impressed with the turn of speed these small full-keeled boats have.
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