Red Headed Seals?

[bob budd]

As we approached the Graves lighthouse we saw something red moving about at the base of the tower. Was it one of the fabled red-headed seals? No, it was Brad Gwynn who had made his way here from Swampscott.

Since you've joined this in the middle, let's go back to the beginning. Six of us eventually met at the Deer Island parking lot and launched for the Graves. Eventually since the path is marked "Deer Island Truck Route" at critical juncture(s) and some sought instead the car route, etc. In the future I'll try to remember (yeah, good luck) that from the north the turn is at the light after Suffolk Downs. This road joins 145 in Winthrop at a small rotary, continues some distance to the intersection with Shirley Street. It takes perhaps a bit of resolve to continue down the isthmus to the gates of the water treatment plan where we met.

Eschewing caution due to the stout hearts and timid seas we made straight for the lighthouse, clearly visible on the horizon. Turns out there are buoys that line up pretty well with the beach and don't take you to far out of the straight line. Especially if you don't cross at right angles, 'nuff said.

Not enough traffic to raise any goosebumps but attention to all crossings was well advised. Buoy #1 was visible at a distance but it eluded me for awhile on the chart. The channel lines don't extend out to it but when we clearly in line with certain features on the shore and the lighthouse you could draw a mental line, follow it, and there was that green symbol. As we approached the rocky shores we made contact with Mr. Gwynn via radio and then via voice within proximity that allowed for hand gestures and body english as well.

After a relaxed meal and some sunbathing we headed for Great Brewster via the cut between Outer and Middle Brewsters. Once beyond Outer Brewster we instead continued west to Boston Light where some of us took the tour while other plyed the labyrinth, the latter pod finding considerable wisdom and inner peace.

Returning between Great and Middle Brewsters we struck out for the mushroom-shaped tower at Deer Island. At the edge of the second channel we slowed our pace a bit to allow a boat to easily pass before us. Problem, the boat slowed its pace. We eventually waved it onward as it should have done in the first place. I thought of Chip and Dale.

A bit of rolling practice was then had off the sea wall before we made landfall. Photos found at

http://djlewis.smugmug.com/gallery/1902610

[traction]

Thanx for planning your trip out to Graves light guys..

Gave me an excuse to do something i had wanted to for a long while.

Although i actually launched on kings beach in Lynn, near the Swampscott/Lynn line, the same place i always launch when i use my wheel kit from home.

I am interested in doing some other longish trips around Boston and the north shore including some possible one ways to various locations.

One of the things i would like to do is paddle to Boston, put my boat on the ferry to Provincetown, launch out to somewhere, like race point, make camp, spend part of the next day, paddle back to the the ferry, back to Boston and then paddle back home..

Anyone know if you can take a 16 ft. kayak on the ferry?

I know you can take bikes.

There is also a Salem/Boston ferry nowadays...

Wonder if you can take a kayak on that one.. hmmm..