Hull YC MA: Thur 24 Jun – Clear and Windy, Punchy Skies, SW 15 – 18

Awake at 0430 trying to determine how to employ my time until 0800 when the launch runs and we go ashore for showers, an online fix, and human contact. Before we can determine these imponderables, it’s 0915 and another 4.75 hours have vanished into the “Do More Silly Boat Stuff” cavern. This happens every morning except Sundays during Lent.

John is working the early launch shift. He just turned 73, tells me he feels 15, and proudly mentions that his son is running his own fishing boat (Mass lobster, not Maine!). Since I am 67 going on 12 and clearly the junior crew member, I do not argue with his suggestions. John grew up in Compton RI and his father once cut ice in winter for shipment to the Big Cities. He was familiar with the area near Westerly where my father’s friend Jake lived and where I spent many a summer day getting addicted to and instructed by, the water.

After what seems a long time I am released from laptop prison and return to the boat and the wind. Things could be, and likely soon will be, worse.

Hull YC MA: Wed 23 Jun - Clouds and Sun; Calms and Wind

Today we took early departure from Scituate in the direction of Hull MA and the Hull Yacht Club, our host for the next week or so. The ride covers a bit less than 17 NM and started out in a cloudy and lumpy fashion. After an hour we approached Minot’s Light, the famous “1-4-3” sentinel that guards approaches to Boston Harbor (photo left). Legend has it that each evening one of the first lighthouse keepers would flash “1-4-3” to his wife ashore to signify “I (1) - Love (4) - You (3).” Eventually the light characteristic itself was changed to reflect this and to this day many local folks have “1-4-3” engraved on their wedding rings and keepsakes.

Next up on the “tour” was Boston Light (below right), the oldest lighthouse in the United States and a very pretty sight, especially as the weather cleared and the sun broke through on our approach. Every time I’m told that Boston Light is the oldest lighthouse in the USA, I want to ask “which is the youngest?” and “why does age matter in the first place?”

Eventually we entered Hull Bay from Nantasket Roads, leaving to port the huge windmill on Windmill Point and then winding through the buoys to the Hull Yacht club float. Along the way

are views of the many fine seaside homes overlooking Hull Bay. The yacht club (http://www.hullyc.org/) is a charming low key facility with cordial members and staff. After only a few minutes we can conclude that we are already very glad to be here. Also we can safely say that Phase One of Kerry Deare’s “30th Anniversary Cruise” has been successfully accomplished.

Scituate MA: Tues 22 Jun - Sunny, Light Winds, Slight Seas

We got moving from Onset Bay at 0445 and caught the ebb up the Cape Cod Canal, exiting the east end of the Canal almost exactly 1 ½ hours later. The early morning light as we headed east in the Canal was something to remember (photo left). I quite enjoy this motor boat ride, watching the impressive currents seize the boat’s long keel and push her from side to side. I’ve never attempted to run the Canal against the tide, nor do I plan to.

We then faced the 28.5 NM “slog” up to Scituate MA for the evening. Actually “slog” is too strong a description, since we had only light head winds and very small seas on this leg. With little or no traffic and the boat doing all the work, there was time for another “locker re-arranging” session and also time for ticking off a few small items on the chores list. Did I mention the private sun bathing session?

Scituate is an ideal stop on this route and I was welcomed by Rollie, the launch driver from EZ Rider. He’s a student and lacrosse player at Tabor Academy, and was getting practical experience “at sea” in the harbor. Very helpful chap. The remainder of the day was devoted to recovering from the too early start to the day.

Onset MA: Mon 21 Jun - Sonia’s Birthday and A Diesel Lesson

Started the day off with an early telephone birthday wish to my best friend and wife, Sonia. I am not overjoyed at being away from home on her birthday, but sailing is a tough mistress. Besides, someone has to hold down a real job to support my lavish pleasures (yes, that just may be overdoing it). In fact Sonia will be joining me shortly here for a Boston holiday if all goes as planned.

Meanwhile the “diesel doctor” did make his rounds at Brewers and the diagnosis was close to what we suspected all along. It seems likely that I’ve been over-filling the diesel coolant overflow tank so that even the slightest expansion or pressure increase caused the coolant to flow through the tank pressure release fitting. Solution: drain a little coolant and maintain a lower level. That seems to have worked at least this afternoon because I left Brewers for Onset MA (right photo), a short 8 mile hop, and there was no coolant in the drip pan under the engine when I set the anchor. The price of this lesson: a mere 2 ½ hours of expensive yard labor at something like $95.00 per hour. Ouch, of course, but probably worth the peace of mind.

Brian, the mechanic, also helped with a few other Volvo details. Since the engine was new in 1993, I’d been trying to determine how to change the cooling system zinc. My main mechanic in Annapolis, Richard Vosbury, insisted there actually was no zinc in the system on this particular Volvo model. However all my manuals point out that is not the case and show a large bolt where the zinc is supposedly located. When Brian removed that bolt at my request, there was indeed no zinc. He also inadvertently located a weak electrical lug connection to the starter and replaced it before it shut us down at sea. I would say the Brewer service, while expensive, was of much value.

After some provisioning we headed over to Onset to wait on the tides at the Cape Cod Canal next morning.

North Falmouth MA: Sun 20 Jun - Clouds, Gusty SW Winds, Rolling Seas

Departed Cuttyhunk Pond 0715 aiming for Onset MA just below the Cape Cod Canal, a distance of 24 NM. Buzzards Bay was making up early while we motorsailed along, initially with the main but later with only the Number 3 Genoa (photo at left). The Volvo was just kicking over and not working hard, and the short seas were coming up from behind with a menacing grin. We had a flood tide up Buzzards, so wind and seas were going in the right direction, as were we.

Unfortunately even with light use the coolant leak was still present and while not a deal-breaker, I decided to once again call in the “experts.” Any move in the direction of Newfoundland would depend heavily on a completely reliable power plant. I remembered that my friend Albert from Nova Scotia had good things to say about the Brewer Yard near Falmouth during his 2008 cruise southbound (http://tiptoesgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2008/09/brewer-marine-fiddlers-cove.html). So I “hung a right” for Fiddler’s Cove and here we are in luxury’s comfortable lap (photo of clubhouse at right) awaiting the Monday morning arrival of the “diesel doctor” who will, I hope, diagnose and cure what ails her.

Meanwhile, hot showers.

Cuttyhunk MA: Sat 19 Jun - Sunshine, Light SW Winds, Slight Seas

Departed New Harbor 0500 trying for an early arrival at Cuttyhunk Island MA (photo left). Summer weekends at Cuttyhunk mean crowds and tight anchoring and I was determined to get in early. Motorsailed the entire way (about 38 NM) but alas, even our 1230 arrival made us late to the party so I anchored temporarily in the shallows on a rising tide until I could move to deeper water later in the afternoon. It seemed that every yacht in Padanaram also had the same idea, but considering they came only 12 NM, they won. Quite a colorful day for us boat watchers, with the binoculars getting much use.

On the ride from Block Island I was able to do the first of what will surely become many “re-sorting exercises” of gear and equipment aboard ship. I went through all the lockers below trying to organize the mass of stores and personal gear, plus yacht-related equipment, that had been loaded over the previous 2 ½ months. This is inevitable and boring but unless it is done there is no way to find important gear on the ship.

At Cuttyhunk I made another stab at locating a coolant leak on the Volvo diesel, an annoyance since last summer. Last fall I replaced several coolant hoses and all the rubber gaskets and I thought the issue resolved. We’d seen no leakage since April with about 17 hours on the engine prior to departure. However the leak showed up again motoring into Block Island. At Cuttyhunk I detected one leak in the coolant overflow tank and made adjustments. However this was not sufficient.

To Block Island RI:Thur 17 and Fri 18 Jun - Plenty of Sunshine, Big NW Winds, Big Short Seas, Light NW Winds, Slight Seas

Next morning I entered the south end of the Point Pleasant Canal at 0630 heading for Manasquan Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. I always find this chore unnerving due to the nature of the currents in the Canal itself and at the two bridges. All that is required for a major disaster is one little slip up with the diesel. However we made it without a problem this time and set out at 0730 upon a rather lumpy ocean, with the wind filling in with authority at NW 15 to 18 knots with gusts. There was an uncomfortable aspect to the motion with rather short seas from the NW and a slight SW swell. I set the Number 3 Genoa and two reefs in the new main and we were off and running up the coast.

Once I got set up with the wind vane doing all the work, there was not much to do but hold on, since reading and cooking would have to wait until we enjoyed more civilized conditions. That I did about 30 hours later at Block Island RI (map at left). We had heavy winds and unkind seas until about 0200 the following morning when things lightened up and the boat settled down slightly. Eventually the wind went light and this leg became a motor boat ride (photo above) for 8 or so hours until we anchored in New Harbor on Block Island.

I was happy to get the rest. Each trip starts out with trying to remember where I left my sea legs the last time I used them. I haven’t found them entirely yet, but we are headed in the right direction (East).