Wood's Hole to Nantucket

[Guest guest]

Trip Report

Location : Nantucket Sound

Routes :

1. Wood's Hole to Nantucket via Cape Poge and Muskeget Island to Madeket Harbor

2. Madeket Harbor to Nantucket Harbor

Date : August 28, 2003 to August 29, 2003

Distance : 27 nautical miles day One ; 8 nautical miles day Two

Duration : 10 hours day One (with layovers) , undetermined day Two

Description :

Day One : At approximately 9:13 am on the morning of August 28, 2003, 5 individuals departed Wood's Hole bound for Nantucket by kayak. They landed 10 hours later at Mateket Harbor on the west end of the island. This time period included layovers to make the 27 nautical mile crossing. The trip was carefully planned by one Jed L. and was therefore eventful, yet went off like clockwork. The accomplices were just along for the ride and contributed little to the event. The current flushed them out of Wood's Hole and they floated on down to Cape Poge where they met up with a local Vinyarder who had crossed to Nantucket by kayak, 10 years before. As the time and tides were favorable, they left Cape Poge on a heading to hit Muskeget Island that was well over the horizon and out of view. The perpetrators reported seeing "things" and having to paddle hard to make the landing on Muskeget Island. The group was anxious and decided to depart Muskeget early, passing to the south of this island and landing briefly on the east end of Tuckernuck Island. The final piece of open water and passage into Madeket was not easy for the group and some reported that at times they felt to be going backward. On shore was the "wheel-man' ; waiting for the pickup. This individual is a well know Nantucketeer, who's identity must remain confidential. He flashed his head lights as to guide the spread out group of kayakers toward the landing zone. The kayakers were removed from this location to be held over night in another undisclosed location. They reported being forced to take hot showers and eat too much spaghetti and beer. Many in the group must have had a bad night if the horrible sounds they made while sleeping were any indication of the vicious nightmares playing in their pathetic little minds.

Day Two : The group was taken back to Madeket. They departed the beach at around 8:47 am. The winds and current were strong and in their favor. They entered Nantucket Harbor via the breach in the west breakwater. It was a quick 8 miles. They found a take out point in the middle of town where they changed into civilian clothes in a public facility and blended into the crowd of vacationers. They staked out at dinner in town, waiting for their opportunity to eat. The proprietor felt so bad for ignoring this desolate crew, she gave them a late breakfast on the house. The group reported to be in kind of a reflective daze, a distant funk, after their little adventure. They drifted over to put their kayaks on the ferry after a quick trip to the whale museum where this reporter bought a copy of the "Essex". My trip across on the ferry was my introduction to this well know Essex tale of desperation and cannibalism in a 4000 mile, 90 day epic in a 25' whaling boat.

Other details of this outing may be recorded below by those involved. To date, they seem to feel uncompelled to tell their side of things. It is this reporter's feeling that this kind of "trip' may become common place. The whereabouts of the perpetrators is unknown. This reporter traveled to Vermont's West River looking for some disguised as whitewater paddlers but none were sited. There is a rumor that one is soloing the MIT at this time.

That is all.