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Cruising Guide for New England?

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
So I am starting to plan a New England Cruise for next summer on Escape Plan. Thinking I will go non stop up to Falmouth, then have the wife and kids fly up and take a week to 10 days to cruise west, maybe 2 weeks if we can swing the time. Plan to end up at Sandy Hook NJ, maybe leave the boat for a week or 2 then do the delivery back with some friends.

Would like to hit Nantucket, Block Island, and as many good spots on LI sound as possible. I cruised this area as a kid but its been 20 plus years. Can anyone reccomend a good guide for cruise planning? Also would welcome local knowledge on places to avoid and must sees. THanks.
 

treilley

Sustaining Partner
I guess you mean Falmouth, MA. Let me know if you plan on coming downest and I can make some good recommendations for Maine.
 

Akavishon

Member III
Ted, I went from Boston to Block Island and back this summer, and thought the following places were really pretty - look them up here for an in-depth description, and here for a visual impression.

Quisset Harbor (close to Falmouth and Woods Hole) - "Old Money Yachting" place: scenic, smaller and more intimate, no free moorings but has a nice anchorage. Take taxi to Falmouth and/or Woods Hole.

Hadley Harbor (~Woods Hole) - quiet and very scenic anchorage, no access to town.

Lake Tashmoo (~Vineyard Haven) - very nice and quiet anchorage, catch bus from there to explore rest of Martha's Vineyard. Don't miss Menemsha on the west side - small and charming fishing harbor.

Cuttyhunk - perfect mid-point between Cape and Newport, small but sheltered anchorage, charming village.

Newport/RI - "the" yachting place on the east coast, busy, you'll see anything from laser regattas to mega yachts to tall ships. Nightlife, dining, jet-set, anything you need (and more).

Prevailing winds are SW, and Buzzards bay can get rather choppy. Also, mind the tidal currents (everywhere, but especially going through Woods or Quiks Hole). Currents can make a huge difference in SOG - check sailing advice in Eldridge!

Zoran
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
Thanks. Been to the Vinyard and Newport enough that we'll probably skip those two but the other spots sound great. Would love to find a "cheap" place to catch a mooring or tie up close to Falmouth or maybe Newport to pick up and discharge crew. My wife's family lives in Sandwich so thats why I was thinking Falmouth. Whats the going rate on moorings in this area for transients? Can anyone reccomend a good guide book, sounds like there are a few to choose from but was hoping to find one that was agreed to be superior.
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Check out Mystic, Block Island, Newport, Cuttyhunk, and if you are into Herreshoff check out the museum in Bristol, RI Narragansett Bay is a great place to sail if you have the time to check it out. A great anchorage is Potters Cove on the North side of Prudence Island. RT
 

John Butler

Member II
or Onset, MA

Ted,
I don't have any input on a cruising guide. However, another jump off place to consider is Onset, MA. That might be a little easier for Claudia and the kids to get to. We tucked into Onset Bay on a pea soup foggy day on a friend's Halberg-Rassy after coming down the Cape Cod canal. It was a bit tricky in those conditions. Once in Onset Bay, there is a wonderful protected anchorage. We didn't make it to the town dock, but my friend had on the way up. I think that area be a good place to hang out waiting for a rendevous.
Sounds like a great trip!
John
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
Thanks John I'll take a look at the chart. Was initially thinking either Falmouth or Newport as I will probably have Claudia and the kids fly to Providence and rent a car. Then the delivery crew has a ride back to the airport. My wifes family is in Sandwich near Falmouth. I like the idea of a place I can anchor or catch an affordable mooring instead of high priced dockage.

No reason why this trip can't be the Chesapeake Ericson Owners summer cruise too!
 

John Butler

Member II
Hmm ... making it a Chesapeake Ericson Owners summer cruise is an intriguing idea. I'm not sure if Red Rover is ready to make that kind of trip. One of the concerns I have is the rigging. We should talk.
John
 

Emerald

Moderator
apologies for drifting this off topic, but perhaps Chesapeake Ericson Owners circumnavigating the DELMARVA peninsula? Continue this summer cruise idea to someplace in the local forum? :egrin:
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
Just got a copy of Doziers waterway guide for New England. Guide looks pretty good so far. Looks like the cruise will be 2 weeks. Start at Falmouth MA then to Nantucket, Cuttyhunk, Mystic, Gardiners bay/Shelter Island area, thimble islands, port jeff, cold spring harbor/ huntington, city island, atlantic highlands/sandy hook.

From there I am not sure yet if we will leave the boat there for a week and come back with a delivery crew for the 36 hours back to annapolis or if the family and I can take the time to go: Manasquan, absecon, cape may, C&D canal, annapolis...
 

Steve

Member III
Mystic info

FYI ..Not sure what your plans call for, but typical anchorage in Mystic is very limited if impossible, however many moorings and slips available from $1.50/mooring to $2.50 for dockage. The Mystic Seaport has dockage combined with a day pass for $3.75. (Welcome to the pricey southern NE)

Anchoring is safe on the lee side of Ram Island 41-18'-82" 71-58'-36" or about 5 miles east in Napatree 41-18'-51" 71-52'-3"
 

ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
Mooring was probably where we will be headed. I figure most of the more popular spots like Cuttyhunk, Nantucket, Mystic etc will require shelling out some dough for a mooring. From the sounds of it Nantucket will require a reservation for the mooring not sure about Cuttyhunk. Hoping to anchor most other areas. Anyone know if fuel docks/marinas are charging to just fill water tanks? Thats the main reason we stop anywhere these days.
 

Steve

Member III
Fyi

Coincidentally, an IP-35 has blogged a route similar to yours for the most part, very interesting. I give them credit for a flawless 160 mile run from Cape May to Block Island, they were lucky the weather and tonnage traffic gods were on their side. Fortunately for you they also did the inside route to compare.

http://islandspirit35.blogspot.com


Steve
 
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Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
or if the family and I can take the time to go: Manasquan, absecon, cape may, C&D canal, annapolis...

Ted - FWIW, my son & I did the trip from Liberty Landing in Jersey to Barnegat Light to Cape May with no problem in his E-32 in September last year. We had to get up a little earlier, but it saved a day down to Rock Hall.
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Cuttyhunk can be hit or miss. If you want a mooring then plan on getting there in the late morning and cruising the mooring fields waiting for someone to drop. There is room to anchor inside as well but that fills up quickly as well. Timing is everything. That said, there is a mooring field on the outside of the harbor and plenty of good anchoring ground as well. The only issue is if it blows out of the NW, then that area is quite exposed. I spent a night in 20+kts with Cutty as a lee shore and it did suck. Pay close attention to the charts there is a few spots where all of a sudden there is no water. RT
 
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