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Cohasset Tidal Rip


Michael Noble

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Anyone know if this is still a blast.....thinking about heading down saturday with a new boat......used to live in Cohasset and had a lot of fun there in the early 90's.

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It is still very much a thing on the incoming tide. When it's not frozen. I haven't been down that way this winter, but given the amount of snow and cold we are still having, I wouldn't be surprised if chunks of ice are jammed in there right now. If you go, though, let us know how it is. It's my husband's fave place all summer.

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One more question.........anyone have luck surfing this with long boats? I've only played there in ww boats. Not sure what the fun factor will be with a 16 footer........more retentive....less.........?????

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I've tried it. Really not a big enough wave to hold a sea kayak, and not much room to maneuver the boat through the many swirls and eddies. I found it frustrating and didn't take a long boat there a second time. Little Harbor is more fun in long boats. Also probably frozen right now.

As always, YMMV on the fun factor, but my sea kayaking friends who go there always go in ww boats.

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Cohasset was fun....fast wave and not all that rententive compared to the way it was. Surfed in a Jackson Karma Rock Garden. My partner was in a ww boat and had a lot of difficulty getting on. Any good tidal rips on the North Shore?.......please advise. Thank you.

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Thanks for the report. I assure you that the wave is very retentive and fun in a ww boat. I think Mark's record for a single continuous surfing of the wave is something around 30 minutes. Like I said, not so much so in a larger boat. There's definitely a point at which it will wash you out hopelessly - because it's tidal and constantly changing. I know of no tidal rip in Mass/NH/SouthME that is better than this one. (you might be interested to watch the Wild Turkey Paddlers site for postings of group gatherings at Cohasset wave, often followed by grilling-picnics..)

Here's one of my videos of the wave with some NSPN friends.: https://vimeo.com/29222494

and one that is older: https://vimeo.com/29216260

Kate

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Although boat traffic can be an issue, Seabrook can get some standing waves under the bridge on the ebb - much softer but bigger. There tends to be a regular weeknight surf session during the summer that will be posted on the calendar. You should at least check it out.

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Hi Mike-

Glad you had fun. Was ice an issue? How big was the tide and how soon before high where you playing? We've been down in short playboats and in longer Necky Jives. Usually the playboats rule from about 3 hours before highwhen it starts to about 1.5 hours. Then the wave flattens and the longer boats are better.

best

Phil

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Thanks for all the replies......ice was not a factor.....little here and there that you had to play Frogger with. High tide was at 1219 and we were surfing at 1000....the best wave must of been about 1015-1030.

Rob, Seabrook sounds interesting....I will have to check that out.

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Just saw the vids.....those are great....those waves looked slower than what we had on Saturday (could just be a perception thing). However, it was a 10.9 foot high tide....does a tide this High effect the wave in terms of making it faster and less retentive or is it all the same. It would occur to me that a lower high tide means there is less volume of water trying to make it's way through the harbor resulting in a friendlier wave. Thanks

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Yes, the tide height makes a big difference, but also the height of the prior tide and how much rainfall there has been (snowmelt, in this case). Mark has it down to a science so he should be the one to comment, but there are multiple variables. Smaller tides are not so very exciting, and a lot of rainfall (or a higher prior tide, if I recall correctly) will wash it out from the river side. I've seen (and experienced) some of the best rides on highest tides very late in the wave development, but there are times when you just can't get across the eddy line to reach it, too. Tricky. Basically, you get what you get, and sometimes it's great and sometimes not.

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It's a great wave, if you don't live on the south shore it always seems like a long drive.

Not only is it fun for people that have been doing it for years, It's a nice learning environment for people that want to learn as you quickly wash out into a very forgiving area.

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