Boston to Norfolk Trip

[Nancy Martin]

Friends are purchasing a boat, Freedom 40, in Boston in several days and we have been invited to crew.

Plan is to move boat from Boston to Norfolk starting July 30th. New owner definitely wants to sail by Statue of Liberty even though we know it will be out of the way.

Any tips from those who sail these waters?

Thanks,
Nancy Martin

[Neil Gordon]

Assuming an inside passage (not around the outside of Cape Cod and offshore)...

Boston to the Cape Cod canal is straightforward... just heed the buoys that mark the rocks if you get too close to the land. The prevailing wind is from the southwest. It will either be light (motoring) or in your face more often than not.

You need to time your passage through the canal, since currents there run 4 knots or more. Early in the day is best... when you exit into Buzzards Bay, you'll be against the prevailing SW wind, which tends to make for large square waves as you exit the canal.

Others have more knowledge of Buzzards Bay, etc., so I'll leave this part to them.

Hell's Gate and the East River need to be timed right.

Have fun on the trip. Will this be a straight through sail or will you be stopping overnight as you go?

[Nancy Martin]

That is our basic plan, go from Boston thru the CCC, down Long Island Sound to New York. John has been thru the CCC before and is familiar with that part. Some of the trip will be overnight but mostly we will be in marinas.

We appreciate the info.
Nancy

[Joe Myerson]

Hi Nancy:

Neil is right about Buzzards Bay.

You should definitely try to get through the Cape Cod Canal and onto Buzzards Bay as early in the day as possible. This is especially true if you have to go through the canal with the current (my little 1GM won't make it against the current, but the Freedom 40 probably could), because you'll be coming out of the canal and onto the bay at a time when the current will be running contrary to the prevailing southwest wind.

Almost every day in the summer, a very strong (up to 20 kts or more) southwest seabreeze kicks up in Buzzards Bay. Since the bay is relatively shallow, this produces some steep "square" waves, especially when the wind and current are running contrary to one another.

This can lead to dramatic standing waves at the mouth of the canal. Certainly, they're no match for a 40-foot boat, but banging head-on into them won't be fun.

Once again, good luck!

--Joe
(who's been sailing on Buzzards Bay since 1958)

[bill2]

Hi Nancy

FWIW

Having just a little experience with Chesapeake Bay the one thing that comes to mind is the "dog days" of August - hot humid and little wind is typical. If the weather "outside" is good you may want to consider the blue water route past the Delmarva peninsula directly to Norfolk.

If you do want to stay "inside" Cape May, NJ is a good spot to take a break before taking the Dela Rr up to Dela City/the C&D canal. The Dela Rr mostly has a decent sized channel ( big enough for sailing/tacking ) south of Dela City but you will share it with freighters. If you happen to go north of Dela City beware the "rock line" designed to keep British frigates out of Phila in 1812. Just keep in mind that the river current can be swift when the tide is running either way though esp when out. The Chesapeake Bay is better described by someone with more experience there - but even C Alberg said its very forgiving - "with a mud bottom" in the shallows.

Good Luck

[Dalton]

Is a wonderful thing, but Eldridge rules. You'll want to consult it for currents all the way from the canal to the Narrows. Check out the section that describes how one can catch a favorable current for 12 hours. If you time it just right and get just northwest of Block Island at the right time you can ride an ebb current down the MA and Rhode Island coast for 6 hours and another 6 with the flood well into LI Sound. Well worth the effort to time that. The NYC Flush, as we call it, is worth the trip especially if there are people aboard that have never seen it. And it is nowhere nearly as treacherous as it sounds. Hell Gate is a piece of cake as long as you are with the current. One very dangerous aspect is floating objects, especailly after a spring tide, so keep a good eye out. Another is barge and ferry traffic. Have the VHF tuned to channel 13 and don't hesitate to communicate with the commercial traffic to let them know your intentions and to make sure they know you're there or if you have a question as to what they're doing. They will be broadcasting there intentions. Once I was approaching the Staten Island Ferry terminal on the NYC side when I heard the captain of one indicate he was departing. I backed down, did a slow 360, and waited for him. This got me a very nice "thank you captain". They like to know you're paying attention and know what you're doing. Another dangerous aspect, people that just don't know what they're doing, especially large power pleasure boats throwing up huge wakes. Nothing you can do but try to avoid them. I always have my main up through here to provide more stability and sometimes "power tack" all the way through, this also helps power through the wakes. Once through the Narrows a great place to duck in and wait for a weather window is behind Sandy Hook. It's worth the extra hour to go all the way down to Atlantic Highlands and anchor or pick up a mooring behind the breakwater. The town can supply almost any need. Instead of contacting the municapal harbor, contact the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club Launch on VHF 09 for any local info or to see if they have an open mooring. They run from 1000 to 2200 hrs Monday Through Thursday and longer on weekends. They will supply launch service to boats anchored behind the breakwater for $20.00 a day.
Unless you're planning on cruising the Chesapeake on the way down, I agree with bill2 you may want to just stay outside all the way down. You could do the 300 or so miles in under 40 hours. Or duck into Cape May and wait for a weather window. Good Luck.

GD

[Neil Gordon]

Is a wonderful thing, but Eldridge rules. You'll want to consult it for currents all the way from the canal to the Narrows.

Make that all the way from Boston. Currents in the outer harbor run to about a knot and a half and departing on the ebb is worth it if the schedule (and the current in the canal 50 miles later) allows.

Check the chart in Eldridge for the best route vs. the harbor currents.