Rips out of Essex Basin

[glad]

I love the paddle around the Essex Basin - a nice trip when wave heights are high.  Plus it's beautiful.  

On one trip with a newbie a few years ago after I had studied the tide/current/moon info,  we came across a huge rip on the ebb tide quite a ways upstream from the inlet of Cranes Neck and Wingaersheek.  It sidelined us for a snooze which wasn't all bad. 

Can anyone give me some guidance about the timing of this huge ebb?  It would be helpful for future predictions.   I left a message for the Harbormaster but never got a call back. 

[David M]

Can you pinpoint the location of the ebb you encountered with a bit more precision? 

[glad]

It was a long time ago but I believe it was in the channel that runs around the southern perimeter near Two Penny Loaf of Coffins.  Are there any current tables for that area?

Edited July 26, 2021 by glad
name correction

[rfolster]

I wouldn't expect there to be any tide or current tables for that area since most publications are based on areas of commercial navigation.  That spot doesn't look like it would be particularly prone to strong currents because the basin upstream is not very large in relation to the opening that it empties through.  The only thing I see interesting there is that the flow out around Twopenny Loaf has a southerly direction on the ebb running directly into the northern flow of the rest of the ebb from Essex Bay.  If you look on Google satellite images, you can see the channel in the sand running directly north there.

[Pintail]

<...you can see the channel in the sand running directly north there>

All very well; but the entire mouth of Essex Bay changes all the time as sand drifts in the current and the high spots build and decay...from one year to the next it can look quite different!  I am guessing that I have encountered currents at the mouth at peak ebb of around 2 to 2,5kt?  I find Rob's reasoning not sound: Essex Bay is a large sheet of water that empties (and fills) across a shallow, sandy (ever-changing) outlet/inlet.  I think there is every reason to justify a decent current there at max flood or ebb...and I think it quite a nice play-spot when the waves are up.

[Paul Sylvester]

2 hours ago, Pintail said:

<...you can see the channel in the sand running directly north there>

All very well; but the entire mouth of Essex Bay changes all the time as sand drifts in the current and the high spots build and decay...from one year to the next it can look quite different!  I am guessing that I have encountered currents at the mouth at peak ebb of around 2 to 2,5kt?  I find Rob's reasoning not sound: Essex Bay is a large sheet of water that empties (and fills) across a shallow, sandy (ever-changing) outlet/inlet.  I think there is every reason to justify a decent current there at max flood or ebb...and I think it quite a nice play-spot when the waves are up.

Could have been a big flow day or the wind against the flow on Glad's particular day. Thanks for reminding me that I have to get down to Essex Bay and play. Is Pavilion Beach OK in the summer? What's another launch nearby? Not sure I have been there since Oct. 04 and the day that I will never forget...

[rfolster]

4 hours ago, Pintail said:

 I am guessing that I have encountered currents at the mouth at peak ebb of around 2 to 2,5kt?  I find Rob's reasoning not sound:

Well, of course you do, because you didn’t read my comment right. I wasn’t talking about the flow rates at the mouth. The discussion is about currents inside Twopenny Loaf. Big difference.

Regardless of what the sand actually looks like year to year, the fact remains that the majority of Essex Bay generally ebbs in a NE direction, and the waters inside of the Twopenny Loaf area generally ebbs in a SW direction, so I stand by my theory that the opposing current forces could have potential for creating interesting dynamics. 

[Joseph Berkovitz]

@Paul Sylvester what unforgettable October 4 are you talking about?

[spuglisi]

15 hours ago, Paul Sylvester said:

 Is Pavilion Beach OK in the summer?

My understanding is that Pavilion beach is "residents only" on weekends but during the week it's open to non-residents.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by spuglisi

[Paul Sylvester]

10 hours ago, spuglisi said:

My understanding is that Pavilion beach is "residents only" on weekends but during the week it's open to non-residents.

 

 

Going to seek further info as it is such a nice summer paddling spot and my weekdays are more free. thanks,

[Paul Sylvester]

19 hours ago, Joseph Berkovitz said:

@Paul Sylvester what unforgettable October 4 are you talking about?

I will start a separate thread. 

[Joseph Berkovitz]

This adds absolutely nothing to the preceding discussion, but does reinforce the fact that it's all about reading the water wherever you happen to be in this area.

From the NOAA chart for Ipswich Bay:

 

[Doug Cooke]

6 hours ago, Paul Sylvester said:

Going to seek further info as it is such a nice summer paddling spot and my weekdays are more free. thanks,

I am an Ipswich resident and can confirm Pavilion is for Residents Only on Weekends this year.  However, you can put in at Eagle Hill and park on Jefferies Neck Road. At high tide you can paddle up to Jefferies Neck Rd to put-in or take-out.  I have posted a full description of this process on the www.paddling.com website > Go Paddling > Paddling Locations Map   Then zoom into Eagle Hill before you get to Great Neck on the left on Jefferies Neck Rd.  My screen name is "Fishingman" and the post is from 10 years ago but it still is accurate. 

[Inverseyourself]

South End of Plum/North side of Castle Hill has a nice tide race when tidal range is high and swell is coming in from the E. NOAA current predictions South Plum Island will give you the velocities.

I had very lively tide races on the Essex Bay entry and at the Plum Island Sound entry 2 Wednesdays ago, multidirectional, confused waves refracted on the many sand banks at Essex Bay entry with the occasional uplifting constructive interference. Good stuff but a good long surf was rare. Reaching the South entry of Plum, on the ebb with the sand banks off the N tip of Crane's Beach becoming increasingly exposed but still submerged with nice swell coming in allowed for great surfing (sometimes for up to 30 seconds). You have to be lucky to find great conditions at both ends of Crane's on one trip.

Edited June 25, 2021 by Inverseyourself

[PeterB]

 I believe it was in the channel that runs around the southern perimeter near Two Penny Loaf of Wingaersheek.  Are there any current tables for that area?
Karen, The only nearby  current station I could find is near Annisquam light,  way too far away to be useful in this discussion. There might not be a current station at the  Essex Bay entry for the reason Joe pointed out : the area is perhaps too much  " subject to continual changes" (shifting sands etc)  to provide  consistent & reliable data. Otherwise one might expect a current station there (like for Plum Island Sound and mouth of the Merrimack, though those two move a whole  lot more water &  would feature more significant  currents  than Essex Bay)  as  it is an  area of commercial navigation interest, with lots of  boats entering and leaving Essex Bay. 

 If the  " huge rip" area  you mean  is indeed the channel on the inside of Twopenny Loaf (around its southern perimeter) : it would be surprising to see a " huge ebb"  there , through some standing wave action would not be impossible. As a general guideline for that  little channel  area, I would just avoid it on the ebb as it's diminishing in volume   and  becoming mostly  mudflats (why paddle there?)  anyway. But not sure if you actually mean this area.  It would  help if the area in question were more precisely pinpointed as the description (e.g.  Wingaersheek is nowhere nearby, I suspect you mean Coffins)  is confusing. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by PeterB