Mattapoisett, Padanarum, Cuttyhunk, Hadley, and later on Quissett
The trade-off for three weeks last summer in Maine was none this year!
Our cruising buddy, Paul Merry, had bought a Valiant 40 that arrived from Miami (by land) the end of July. Anything that wasn’t already non-functional on Valkyrie was by the time it had been disassambled and trucked. So we triangulated Buzzards Bay with them as systems were made functional.
It was relaxing but not as adventurous as cruising to Maine. But we were on the water, sailing to harbors small and large, with all of the feelings of being on the boat. Wind in the trees, halyards slapping, meteor showers (okay, not usual), hungry ducks, open skies.
Click to see the photo gallery.
Friday afternoon Onset to Mattapoisett
Calm seas (unusual!) so nice tacks over to Marion, then east to West Falmouth and back over into the big harbor. Looked like we’d cross paths with a barge headed into the canal, but a VHF call to the tug confirmed that we looked fine from his perspective. (And he was right!)
Spent three nights there, relaxing and helping the Merries get Valkyrie working.
Monday to Padanarum.
Powered out and and down past Cormorant Rocks to West Island. Then pleasant tack across Fairhaven and New Bedford Harbor to Decatur rocks. Then loosened up to aim for the breakwater. Hang on a buoy, waiting for the bridge, and then into back harbor to raft up with Valkyrie.
Tuesday off midday to Cuttyhunk.
Weak S wind. Wide tacks and finally motor. Raft with Valkyrie. Question scope.
Wednesday once awake are dragging. Take a mooring and raft. Order lobster on pier.
Thursday to Hadley.
Someone on VHF asked a YC where to take shelter from the storm. Storm? Ah yes, from the west. Got all foulied up (well, Bean rain gear) but only a few drops. Little sailing, light DDW.
We anchor and Val rafts up.
Waking in the early hours, we watched the Perseids meteor shower. Neat! The sky was clear enough to see the Milky Way, without caramel.
Friday morning take a mooring at the turn of the fairway. Predictions of evening storms. None hits but impressive horizontal lightning to the north.
Wind in the trees.
Saturday Val off in afternoon light wind. We stay to get next day’s honker.
Sunday back to Onset.
Leave just before noon and reach/run to the canal in two hours under genoa.
Considerable quartering seas but the AP did really well; perhaps the rudder sensor works!
Later in August…
Quissett Harbor looks llike a rock pile on the charts, but those symbols are of necessity large. It’s not far from Hadley Harbor to the lower left; in fact it’s where we often end up on a tack from Onset into the prevailing SW. Inside, it’s a tight little place: all moorings; no anchoring. Quissett Harbor Boatyard handles the arrangements. The featured photo for this post was taken there before dawn.