--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Hi Bill,
>
> East Coast sailing used to be fun..............
For many of us it still is.
I have been cruising small boats (under 25 ft for many
years (including Hadley Harbor and Cuttyhunk 30 years
ago in a Tanzer 22) and with the M15 it is only
getting better. The recent trip to Buzzards Bay and
Martha's Vineyard was one of the best I have made. I
would encourage anyone who has not tried cruising in
the Montgomery boats to give it a try.
It is not a hardship. We eat well, sleep well, sail
well and have more fun than the big boats.
Don't be intimidated by the crowds and the big boats
as there is still plenty of good times to be had in
the shallow water areas in these same places.
Judicious use of a lead line or depth sounder will
help you locate a quite cove at Hadley's Harbor where
you are virtually alone. We chose to anchor where we
did.
The free mooring next to us at Hadley harbor had a
1968 Pearson 30 with a very friendly couple on board.
When they left a 60+ ft maxi yacht took up the
mooring. It had bow thrusters and a 15 ft RIB with a
50 HP for a dingy. It was occupied by a couple who
were struggled to say hello. So what, we have more
fun. The 4, 100 year old, pristine condition, Hershoff
12 1/2s with tanbark sails were still a rare and
beautiful sight weaving between the anchored boats and
I doubt if the Maxi yacht couple even paid any
attention.
The Edgartown harbor master made a special trip out to
visit with us because he "new who was having the most
fun in the harbor". Yes the town mooring was $35 for
the first boat and $20 for each rafted boat and the
mooring was in the second mooring field out. Well we
had a choices of secluded private spots but the
forecast was for a 180 deg wind shift as it rose to 30
kts around midnight. We were thankful to be on a
mooring and used the shuttle boat to get to town, take
in the sights and take a fresh water shower.
We thoroughly enjoyed the sight of hundreds of well
kept yachts. The ranged from the many Hershoff 12 1/2s
to sailboats in excess of 75 ft. Many were lovingly
maintained and beautiful. Yes there was a 175 ft mega
power yacht in Katama bay - so what - there was also a
perfectly restored 28 ft Hacker Craft on a private
mooring 1 mile from all of the other boats.
At Tarpaulin Cove on the private Naushon Is. the 3
miles of sand beach is open to the public at no
charge. Anchoring is free. There were two tall ships
at anchor there that night. The 130 ft Shenandoah full
of kids and sail training ship that anchored rather
far out. Clear water, empty beaches and the people
you do meet are very friendly.
And best of all the winds are reliable and come almost
every day. The only problem may be lots of current
and too much wind.
Fantastic trip and I would recommend it to anyone!
I also made a solo trip to the Cobb Island off of the
Virginia coast this spring. (off of Willis Wharf on a
state map). These Islands are uninhabited and owned
by the nature conservatory. I spent 4 days and 3
nights in and around these salt marshes and Islands.
To get from the Salt Marsh to the Islands is a 10 nm
trip through strong currents, narrow channels and
miles and miles of shallow water. You are almost out
of sight of land in any direction when 5 mi out but
the water is only 3 inches deep at low tide outside
the channels.
I never saw another sailboat and only a few power
boats off in the distance. Eagles, plovers and rails
galore but few humans. Another great east coast
sailing trip!
I can go on and on and on. But I really you any of
you reading this are encouraged to go cruising where
ever you find adequate water to sail in.
Thanks
_______________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from Yahoo! Enter now.
http://promotions.yahoo.com/goldrush
_______________________________________________
http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
