Crew Log for May 28th – 29th, 2023
Trip Summary:
• Rockport to York River
• Trip Distance of 29.5 NM, Total Distance To-Date of 5,056.7 NM
What a difference a few nice days and some much needed rest makes!
A week ago we were pounding our way down Long Island Sound and were feeling frustrated and exhausted. A walk on the beach, a couple of days on shore and 2 interesting stops at unique harbors, and we were feeling good again. We also were done with long passages for awhile and could hop up the east coast of Maine. Or so we thought.
sv Acadia planned to wait out the weather in Rockport and do a big hop to Portland in a couple of days. We didn’t think we had the speed, or the energy to do that, so we were headed to Portsmouth, 20 nautical miles north. Portsmouth was one of our least favorite stops on the way down. Our mooring was literately in a different State than the Yacht Club we were staying at, and the harbor was the most uncomfortable we had ever been in. Unfortunately, we didn’t see a lot of other options that were within our daily cruising range.
We woke to sunny skies, with winds 10 – 12 knots out the southwest. Terry and Dave were preparing Cordial to depart for Portsmouth as well, although their marina was 5 miles inland up the river. We did sail along with them for most of the morning, enjoying a nice beam reach.
Given it was Memorial Weekend, there were lots of people out on the water, many for the first time this season. It got a little gusty as the day went on and the air coming off the frigid Atlantic waters had a chill to it. On land, despite the fact that temperatures were unseasonal warm, there were warnings that hypothermia was a real danger for anyone getting in the water.
As we sailed towards Portsmouth we heard 2 reports of overturned boats, a kayak and a small sailing dinghy. The dinghy sailor was apparently quite a way off shore and had trouble righting the boat. Fortunately for them, a passing powerboater offered assistance. We also heard the kayaker had been safely rescued as well.
I got a message from our trip mentor back home speculating on where were headed. When I told him Portsmouth, he suggested York River as an alternative. The cruising guide talked about ridiculously strong currents, but our source told us there were mooring balls available, so, we adjusted our course for York River.
As we made our way into the entrance to the York River it was like we had entered a blast furnace. We started pealing layers of clothing off as we made our way past the beach which was absolutely packed. Despite trying to time our arrival with slack tide, there was still a strong ebb current, as we wound our way into the protected harbor and picked up a mooring ball.
It was freakish hot and given we were in a totally protected harbor, there was very little wind to make things comfortable. We dropped the dinghy in the water and headed back out towards the ocean and landed on a small rocky beach at the north side of the harbor entrance. We found a beautiful trail that followed the coastline all the way back in towards York River Harbor. We crawled around on the rocks and enjoyed the cool breeze, before heading back to the boat. That evening it was still 34 degrees and little wind.
Happy 65th Birthday Judy!!!!
For some reason, York River Harbor is perfectly situated out of range of any cell tower. While we can live without Netflix and Facebook, we do need to be able to update our charts and get access to weather. My solution was to set my phone up as a hotspot and hoist it up the mast. It worked well enough for Judy to video chat on her birthday with family in Ontario and friends from Truro, and talk on the phone with the rest of our family.
After I filled the diesel and water jugs, the plan for the day was to check out the Fishermen’s’ Walk, the Seawall Walk and the trail on the other side of the “Wobbly Bridge”. There were still lots of folks around, but there were only a few hardy souls on the beach.
The temperature change was almost unbelievable. It had to be 20 degrees cooler today, although a lot more comfortable then the day before. As forecasted, the wind was howling from the northeast, so we were glad to be safely tucked in.
I had made reservations for the Dockside Restaurant that evening to celebrate Judy’s birthday, although the celebration seems to have spanned a month. Given its significance, I suppose a month-long celebration was appropriate. Coming back to the boat after supper, there was barely a ripple on the water. It was a beautiful end to a really special day.
I had mapped out a plan to get us up the coast of Maine, but I didn’t like the forecast a week from now, which was just about the time we’d want to cross the Bay of Fundy to Nova Scotia. Gale force, northeast winds were expected to blow for days, which meant we likely couldn’t cross until the second week of June. The following day, we made “the most” impulsive decision we have made during this entire trip. It had to be a Senior Moment.
But more about that, next time.
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