CSR Northeast Flotilla 2017

From Block to Shelter Isl is fairly well protected from most wind directions, so even later in the day its not a bad run.

From the hurricane dike in New Bedford its about 45 miles to the entrance of block, and 75 miles to Coecles Harbor on Shelter where we met last year. From Cuttyhunk you can subtract 9 miles from each. I haven't charted to west harbor yet.

For those coming from north of the canal it would be best to break up your run especially if the wind is up out of the SW. Onset is a great spot to grab a mooring, there is a launch to the town pier and at 3-4 restaurants in walking distance of the pier.

Once we know our personal plans and once the group has a full list of destinations we should coordinate the pre/post trip stops it would be a great extension to the trip.
 
What seems to be the typical conditions for mid-day from outside the canal to block island? I understand we get a prevalent SW wind during the summer months which equates to some wind chop. We haven't spent much time not he south side of the bay with the exception of a couple trips to the vineyard. We are going to be moored in onset Marina this year which should be nice, warmer water than Plymouth for sure.
 
What seems to be the typical conditions for mid-day from outside the canal to block island? I understand we get a prevalent SW wind during the summer months which equates to some wind chop. We haven't spent much time not he south side of the bay with the exception of a couple trips to the vineyard. We are going to be moored in onset Marina this year which should be nice, warmer water than Plymouth for sure.

It can get pretty uncomfortable with a decent SW wind in the afternoon. As you get out of the bay more out towards block the frequency of the waves lesson in the open ocean it is a little more tolerable than when the wind is pushing the waves up into the bay. We have been coming back from Block in the afternoon a few times in 3-4ft wave with a short frequency and it was not a very comfortable ride in a 340DA.
 
What seems to be the typical conditions for mid-day from outside the canal to block island? I understand we get a prevalent SW wind during the summer months which equates to some wind chop. We haven't spent much time not he south side of the bay with the exception of a couple trips to the vineyard. We are going to be moored in onset Marina this year which should be nice, warmer water than Plymouth for sure.

By looking at the chart, you can see that closer to the Canal it becomes a natural funnel. This is what makes this buddy of water especially challenging. When SW winds kicks up, especially with opposing tide, all this mass of water from Rhode Isl and Buzzards Bay has no were to go. This where the difference is being in Buzzards Bay vs. the open ocean at the same time. In the ocean you can be in 4-5 footers. In the Buzzards bay, those sees hit a "dead end" and you're in a washing machine of 6-8'ers. One time I was coming back from Boston and made the attempt to meet the 20-22kts SW wind on the nose. While still in the canal I was wondering why I'm hearing so many calls people looking for mairnas or some kind of shelter. As soon as I came out of the canal, it didn't take me too long to realize the reason. With anchor in the water every other wave (which is pretty much hitting a 7-8' wall of water every 4-5 seconds), for the safety and comfort of the crew and the vessel, ducking in Onset was the best move.

Granted, afternoon is common for the wind to kick up. But, your priority for this body of water, is to watch the wind direction and also the tides. 95% of the time, you get the best chance of a calm ride very early in the morning. Just keep an eye on the forecast and for all you know, it could be pretty calm on your travel day all day long. Your best approach is to have plan A, B and C. As we get closer to the date and could see the 5-7 days forecast, feel free to post specific questions here and you'll get good suggestions from the forum.

Buzzards_Bay.JPG
 
Hmm. Sounds like I'm going to be keeping a surfboard on board for the buzzards bay experience. That triangle looks like it could shape up to be no joke. Kinda like the Bermuda Triangle, All jokes aside though, 5-8' at 4-5 seconds can rip big boats apart. I've been in that snot in Cape Cod on multiple lobster boats and it made for some hairy rides home. I've been in 40+knot NE blows that kicked up in Cape Cod that made me think twice about why I consider working part time fun. Definitely will be staying on top of forecasts(and hoping they got it right of course) as I always have. I'm hoping for a summer of 5knots or less all day, all summer!
 
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Hmm. Sounds like I'm going to be keeping a surfboard on board for the buzzards bay experience. That triangle looks like it could shape up to be no joke. Kinda like the Bermuda Triangle, All jokes aside though, 5-8' at 4-5 seconds can rip big boats apart. I've been in that snot in Cape Cod on multiple lobster boats and it made for some hairy rides home. I've been in 40+knot NE blows that kicked up in Cape Cod that made me think twice about why I consider working part time fun. Definitely will be staying on top of forecasts(and hoping they got it right of course) as I always have. I'm hoping for a summer of 5knots or less all day, all summer!

Keep in mind there are plenty of days when it is a beautiful ride in the bay. I would say most of the time you are dealing with a 2-3ft short frequency chop.
 
I like the itinerary so far! P1 for me!!

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I like the itinerary so far! P1 for me!! 

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Todd,

Does this mean you're ready to jump on the list of participants?
 
Todd,

Does this mean you're ready to jump on the list of participants?
I'd like to but, it will probably depend on where you go & when. That's why I was waiting to see where this thread goes.

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Hey guys,

I know that between now and the end of July seems like a lot of time. Since majority plans on rafting, there's no need to rush with marinas reservations. I'm not sure if the lack of response is due to the fact that most are in favor of the itinerary I proposed earlier (Shelter->Sag->Block) or just not sure yet what the preference is, I would like to make a suggestion. Perhaps, shifting our focus on the Flotilla kick off feast and the weekend will help us get moving with some decision making.

Even though I agree that we have plenty of time, Id like to point out that we have one very important reservation to make, which is the place where we hold the feast. If we wait too long, we might find ourselves in a difficult situation. Learning from the past experience, having the feast either in Westneck Harbor (Island Boatyard Marina) or on Taylor's Island (Coecles Harbor) was something really special. Having our raft in a beautiful anchorage during the weekend and facilities that allow us to hold the feast worked out perfect. For this reason, including the fact that geographical location worked very nicely for the group, made us keep going back to these two places as the Flotilla starting point.

So, the point is, if we all agree to go back to Westneck Harbor this year to start the flotilla and have our feast there, I need to hear your voices. In order to make this type of arrangement, we need to make a commitment, as I have to reserve the place. Let's not forget that we're looking at the prime season here in NE and the places are getting filled fast. Unless you have suggestion on other "Start of the Flotilla" port, who's voting for rafting in Westneck Harbor and renting the picnic area at Island Boat Yard for holding the Feast?

If anyone has any questions or comments, don't be shy.

WNH_Anchorage_Chart_Blank.jpg
WNH_Anchorage_Marked.jpg
 
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We're in!
 
Not everyone rafts either so, the longer this takes, the more difficult it may become for those looking to dock.

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Not everyone rafts either so, the longer this takes, the more difficult it may become for those looking to dock...

Very good point, Todd.
 
I think I already mentioned it, but I'm all for Westneck harbor for the first weekend and feast. We're definitely in for that. It's a great spot (beach, shipwreck bar, salt restaurant, etc.) We're looking forward to it. Unfortunately we can't join you during the week as the kids are already signed up for basketball camp, but we'll try to meet back up with you the following weekend...wherever you are.
 
We will probably only be joining you for the eastern portion of this adventure, whether that's Block Island, Newport, etc... I'm assuming that wherever the easternmost destination is, it will be probably Thursday or Friday thru Sunday? It seems from some of the earlier responses that there are others from Mass that might not make the whole trip, but would be up for a night of pre-gaming somewhere in Buzzards Bay maybe on Tuesday or Wednesday night? Our small flotilla can rendezvous with the rest of you after that?
 
We are going to connect at the Block Island stop with everyone. Can't do the first weekend unfortunately for the feast. We would like to raft with the group once we get to Block. I need to ask if the Anchorage there is well protected? That going to be one of the factors we need to weigh out to determine weather that will be an option for us. We are new to this so please bare with me here.
 
Onboard with this for sure. let us know the details for the pregame...

We will probably only be joining you for the eastern portion of this adventure, whether that's Block Island, Newport, etc... I'm assuming that wherever the easternmost destination is, it will be probably Thursday or Friday thru Sunday? It seems from some of the earlier responses that there are others from Mass that might not make the whole trip, but would be up for a night of pre-gaming somewhere in Buzzards Bay maybe on Tuesday or Wednesday night? Our small flotilla can rendezvous with the rest of you after that?
 
We are going to connect at the Block Island stop with everyone. Can't do the first weekend unfortunately for the feast. We would like to raft with the group once we get to Block. I need to ask if the Anchorage there is well protected? That going to be one of the factors we need to weigh out to determine weather that will be an option for us. We are new to this so please bare with me here.

Sorry we'll miss you during the feast. No worries about the questions. All are welcomed and we're here to help.

Regarding the anchorage in Block. Here's the areal view. The are 3 prime anchorage locations in the Salt Pond. Looking at the arrows under "Anchorage" label, the most to the right is by the dinghy beach. It's the best spot as it's shallow and close to the beach. But, it's most crowded and there's just no room for our raft there. For this reason, we usually position the raft by the middle arrow. It's kind of across from Champlin's (behind the mooring field) and very close to recreational area (where we do water activities). The spot has much deeper water (17'-20'), so we have to use a lot of scope for properly securing the raft. How protected, oh well, that of course depends on the direction and the strength of the wind. With anything having Eastern component we have greatest protection, as we're just off the eastern shore. During the W or SW blow, we're exposed to the bigger part of the pond. For the most part it's pretty calm, but if a storm is passing by, there are options to help you maximize the comfort.

P.S.
I was trying to find a pic of the raft in Block and it's always a lot of fun to read the posts about the flotilla: http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/76231-CSR-Northeast-Flotilla-2016/page60


Block_Areal_View.jpg
 
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