be_prepared
Active Member
- Oct 12, 2015
- 377
- Boat Info
- 2002 Sea Ray Sundancer 340DA
- Engines
- Twin Mercruiser Horizon 8.1 inboards
This is our third season with our 340DA Beginnings, but about a week ago we did our first trip to Boston Harbor for the Tall Ships week.
What a great adventure. We left Mattapoisett on Thursday, transited Buzzards Bay, went up thru the Cape Cod Canal, and grabbed a mooring for the night in Plymouth. Great food and drinks at the Cabby Shack on the waterfront in Plymouth. Friday morning, up early, and headed north to Boston. As we got close, we could see the ships that had already arrived anchored north of the city, outside the main harbor. Beautiful even from a distance.
We then started to weave thru the Boston Harbor Islands, and work our way to a fuel stop in East Boston, before heading to our slip at Constitution Marina in Charlestown. Great location, over the bridge from the North End and great food.
The parade of sail was impressive on Saturday, and we were able to watch from our slip, which faced the turnaround area in front of the USS Constitution. It was good skipping being on the water with all the wackos Saturday during the parade. There were a lot of folks out on the water that don't take their boats out very often. Saw some scary things. There were state police and Coast Guard patrol boats of every shape and size everywhere. The Navy had 4 littoral training ships in the harbor, which were pretty impressive.
Really a great trip, we returned Monday, expecting to run all the way back to Mattapoisett, but when we got about halfway from Boston to the east entrance of the Cape Cod Canal, we were blanketed in fog. Although I could see boats on radar, and had our position fixed well with the GPS, I knew there were a lot of other small boats out there, some of them running way too fast for the conditions. Areas along the coast also have lots of lobster pots out, and visibility was only a boat length or two. We decided that the moorings in Plymouth were calling us again, so we did an extra night there. Next day, smooth cruise thru the canal, until the end, where we found Buzzards Bay blanketed in fog again. Worked our way slowly thru the hog island channel, and ducked into Onset. Another extra day, then we were finally home our our mooring in Mattapoisett! Here are some shots, since it didn't happen without photos :smt001
Railroad Bridge, west end of the Cape Cod Canal
Leaving one of the Cape bridges in our wake (10 mph speed limit in "The Ditch")
A bucket of Voodoo Punch at the Cabby Shack in Plymouth
Approach from outer harbor, an Aquarium Whale Watch boat coming in on port
Heading towards Charlestown, the head of the Charles River, and Constitution Marina
The Constitution in dry dock next to our Marina
The Eagle
More later, I think I have too many images on this note already. We learned a few things from this adventure, but overall really great!
Cheers,
Ron
What a great adventure. We left Mattapoisett on Thursday, transited Buzzards Bay, went up thru the Cape Cod Canal, and grabbed a mooring for the night in Plymouth. Great food and drinks at the Cabby Shack on the waterfront in Plymouth. Friday morning, up early, and headed north to Boston. As we got close, we could see the ships that had already arrived anchored north of the city, outside the main harbor. Beautiful even from a distance.
We then started to weave thru the Boston Harbor Islands, and work our way to a fuel stop in East Boston, before heading to our slip at Constitution Marina in Charlestown. Great location, over the bridge from the North End and great food.
The parade of sail was impressive on Saturday, and we were able to watch from our slip, which faced the turnaround area in front of the USS Constitution. It was good skipping being on the water with all the wackos Saturday during the parade. There were a lot of folks out on the water that don't take their boats out very often. Saw some scary things. There were state police and Coast Guard patrol boats of every shape and size everywhere. The Navy had 4 littoral training ships in the harbor, which were pretty impressive.
Really a great trip, we returned Monday, expecting to run all the way back to Mattapoisett, but when we got about halfway from Boston to the east entrance of the Cape Cod Canal, we were blanketed in fog. Although I could see boats on radar, and had our position fixed well with the GPS, I knew there were a lot of other small boats out there, some of them running way too fast for the conditions. Areas along the coast also have lots of lobster pots out, and visibility was only a boat length or two. We decided that the moorings in Plymouth were calling us again, so we did an extra night there. Next day, smooth cruise thru the canal, until the end, where we found Buzzards Bay blanketed in fog again. Worked our way slowly thru the hog island channel, and ducked into Onset. Another extra day, then we were finally home our our mooring in Mattapoisett! Here are some shots, since it didn't happen without photos :smt001
Railroad Bridge, west end of the Cape Cod Canal
Leaving one of the Cape bridges in our wake (10 mph speed limit in "The Ditch")
A bucket of Voodoo Punch at the Cabby Shack in Plymouth
Approach from outer harbor, an Aquarium Whale Watch boat coming in on port
Heading towards Charlestown, the head of the Charles River, and Constitution Marina
The Constitution in dry dock next to our Marina
The Eagle
More later, I think I have too many images on this note already. We learned a few things from this adventure, but overall really great!
Cheers,
Ron
