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Circumnavigation of Cape Ann

Lbeale

By Lbeale
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Lbeale

Lbeale

Posted
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The tide goddess is with us on Sunday to do a circumnavigation on Cape Ann. The routine is unload at Pavilion Beach in G. Harbor then move car to G High School if you do not want to go through the cut. Or park your car at the high school in the A.M. go through the cut and meet for beach briefing at 10:15 am. Be ready to launch at 10:30 am.

For those who do not want to do the whole trip, you can meet up with us along the way--we will be on channel 72. Another option is to drive tandem to Lanes Cove--leave one car and meet us at the P beach at 10:15 for briefing then leave us when we hit Lanes.

I am hoping for a southerly wind which will make this trip easier.

The plan:

Paddle to Thatchers--rockplay along the way--stop at Thatchers or Milk to stretch legs--go behind Thatchers for rockplay--then head to Lanes or lighthouse for lunch--then to river to high school take-out.

This trip is a L3+ given the length (20 miles+) and limited to 10 people. Not a racing pace but not a slow pace. If you have not done distance paddling (at least 15+ miles) the whole trip is probably not for you. There is the option of meeting up at different points along the way.

Sunday is a good day for tides and less traffic but will cancel by Saturday evening if conditions are too jumpy. Please post here or send me a message if interested.

I am not a leader, just initiator.

Les

aka swearing ferret

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Lallen

Lallen

Posted
Posted
Hi Les- I'm interested and I'm guessing that Lorrie is as well.

Phil

Yes, I'm interested too, provided Hurricane Earl isn't barreling down on us, in which case Les would cancel it anyway!

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Pintail

Pintail

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Les, I think I shall likely join you...as others have written: the storm may play havoc with local conditions.

Also of note: the Schooner Fest is this weekend in Gloucester harbour, so there will be interesting traffic (and racing outside the harbour)

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maurik

maurik

Posted
Posted

Hi Les,

I would like to join all of you as well. It sounds like Earl will have passed by then (I'm hoping the forecast is correct about that!).

I haven't launched from Gloucester before, so I am a little puzzled by the description of the launch place and the parking. Looking on the map, my guess is the launch is right next to the "Tavern on the Harbor", off of Western Ave? About 1/2 walk from the high school, or is that shorter than it looks?

Thanks, see you there!

Maurik

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maurik

maurik

Posted
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Here are the charts for the area. "Not For Navigational Purposes" ^_^

You can print them on a 8.5x11 paper.

post-101592-1283527822_thumb.png

post-101592-1283527858_thumb.png

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djlewis

djlewis

Posted
Posted

I'm thinking of coming on this.

Any specific arrangements for shuttling cars from Greasy Pole to the High School? What time will folks be meeting at the Greasy Pole to do that? Or should I just assume there will enough car seats at the HS to get me back to the launch site?

Or, I see that the canal will be ebbing (flowing east) at 2 kts around 10:00 AM, so paddling from the HS to the Greasy Pole should be easy, "just" a matter of dodging boat traffic in fast current. ;^)

--David

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djlewis

djlewis

Posted
Posted
I haven't launched from Gloucester before, so I am a little puzzled by the description of the launch place and the parking. Looking on the map, my guess is the launch is right next to the "Tavern on the Harbor", off of Western Ave? About 1/2 walk from the high school, or is that shorter than it looks?

On this map http://bit.ly/dBe9NJ, A is the launch/parking behind the high school, and B the "greasy pole" launch/parking. The map shows one mile between them, but you can drive or walk through the HS parking lot to shorten it a bit to 3/4 mile or so.

At the greasy pole, you can usually park in the small lot by the launch area or on Western Ave, but neither may work this time with the Schooner Festival. Just observe the restriction signs.

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bbjorn

bbjorn

Posted
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Leslie,

By my count, the roster is still under 10, so I'd like to join the fun.

I've unfortunately been stuck on land most of this season, but have been working hard over the past few weeks to make up for lost time.

This should be a lot of fun.

Blaine

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Lbeale

Lbeale

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Great group of paddlers going on this trip--if a couple more want to jump in that would be fine--just post here. It looks like Earl is calming down somewhat for Sunday. I will post no later than 9:00 PM Saturday either way.

Thank you for the maps and the directions.

L

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rylevine

rylevine

Posted
Posted
Great group of paddlers going on this trip--if a couple more want to jump in that would be fine--just post here. It looks like Earl is calming down somewhat for Sunday. I will post no later than 9:00 PM Saturday either way.

Thank you for the maps and the directions.

L

Leslie,

Would like to join. If too many show up, I'll head back to the Willows! Thanks.

Bob

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prudenceb

prudenceb

Posted
Posted

Les - I've managed to misplace (aka lose) the contact info that you gave me on Wed. Assuming the trip will be on, could you either email me at:

prubax@aol.com or leave contact info on this thread so we can arrange either going up together or in convoy. Thanks! I'm looking forward -

prudence

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djlewis

djlewis

Posted
Posted

Hey, guys:

Are we sure this will work, given the Schooner Festival on Sunday? Look here...

http://www.capeannvacations.com/schooner/schedule/

In particular...

Sunday, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Parade of Sail as Schooners proceed from Inner Harbor, past the Fishermen's Memorial on Stacy Boulevard, to the race starting area off Eastern Point.

At the very least, parking near the Greasy Pole / Pavillion Beach launch is likely to be impossible. And, won't the water will be hull-to-hull with powerboats, not to mention schooners, on almost exactly the same track that we are planning (to Eastern Point, launching 10:30)?

Just asking... Could be fun, but might also be dicey, especially for a large group (or should we break into two pods?)

--David

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Lbeale

Lbeale

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Hey, guys:

Are we sure this will work, given the Schooner Festival on Sunday? Look here...

http://www.capeannvacations.com/schooner/schedule/

In particular...

At the very least, parking near the Greasy Pole / Pavillion Beach launch is likely to be impossible. And, won't the water will be hull-to-hull with powerboats, not to mention schooners, on almost exactly the same track that we are planning (to Eastern Point, launching 10:30)?

Just asking... Could be fun, but might also be dicey, especially for a large group (or should we break into two pods?)

--David

Hi David,

Good questions--two pods is optimal--parking at the HS is more realistic than at greasy pole-- and either paddling through the cut for the brave at heart or doing a 10 minute walk back to the boat--there is a short cut for the walk--I prefer the walk myself--there should be no problem with parking at the HS--

We could hug the coast out of the way from the boat traffic and watch the sights as we pass dog bar--we can decide at the beach briefing which is the safest route given the boat traffic.

Les

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glad

glad

Posted
Posted
The tide goddess is with us on Sunday to do a circumnavigation on Cape Ann. The routine is unload at Pavilion Beach in G. Harbor then move car to G High School if you do not want to go through the cut. Or park your car at the high school in the A.M. go through the cut and meet for beach briefing at 10:15 am. Be ready to launch at 10:30 am.

For those who do not want to do the whole trip, you can meet up with us along the way--we will be on channel 72. Another option is to drive tandem to Lanes Cove--leave one car and meet us at the P beach at 10:15 for briefing then leave us when we hit Lanes.

I am hoping for a southerly wind which will make this trip easier.

The plan:

Paddle to Thatchers--rockplay along the way--stop at Thatchers or Milk to stretch legs--go behind Thatchers for rockplay--then head to Lanes or lighthouse for lunch--then to river to high school take-out.

This trip is a L3+ given the length (20 miles+) and limited to 10 people. Not a racing pace but not a slow pace. If you have not done distance paddling (at least 15+ miles) the whole trip is probably not for you. There is the option of meeting up at different points along the way.

Sunday is a good day for tides and less traffic but will cancel by Saturday evening if conditions are too jumpy. Please post here or send me a message if interested.

I am not a leader, just initiator.

Les

aka swearing ferret

I am 60 [yes]-40 to come

karen

I am 50/50 to come

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Pintail

Pintail

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Glad: make your mind up, will ya? 60-40; 50-50; what odds next?

David: stop micro-managing! The harbour is unlikely to be <that> busy -- and, besides, we have as much right to be there as anyone else. As Les (the swearing ferret) writes: we can always hug the edge of the harbour until we need to cross over...

With regard to actual schooners, there are perhaps a dozen or dozen-and-a-half in port...not exactly overwhelming?

Smilingly, as ever...

Yours, etc!

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Gcosloy

Gcosloy

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Posted

Sorry to miss this Les, especially with your great planning. I'm trying to get my cranky right shoulder back to acceptable fitness so I'm eschewing longish paddles these days. I will miss the laughs and fun, but since I can't keep up with you and Christopher anyway maybe I won't miss anything. Have a ball.

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djlewis

djlewis

Posted
Posted
Glad: make your mind up, will ya? 60-40; 50-50; what odds next?

David: stop micro-managing! The harbour is unlikely to be <that> busy -- and, besides, we have as much right to be there as anyone else. As Les (the swearing ferret) writes: we can always hug the edge of the harbour until we need to cross over...

With regard to actual schooners, there are perhaps a dozen or dozen-and-a-half in port...not exactly overwhelming?

Smilingly, as ever...

Yours, etc!

Yes, Sir Godfrey. I shall repeat three times -- I will be an inconspicuous child; speak only when spoken to. Just like y=o=u ;-)))))

And, yes, we have every right to be there! Just like the right that the swimmer had to swim at the beach just before the great white violated his constitutional prerogatives and had him for breakfast. Last I heard the shark was doing 15-25 at Concord MCI, but hoping to get time off for good acting in a movie.

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djlewis

djlewis

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Posted
Sorry to miss this Les, especially with your great planning. I'm trying to get my cranky right shoulder back to acceptable fitness so I'm eschewing longish paddles these days. I will miss the laughs and fun, but since I can't keep up with you and Christopher anyway maybe I won't miss anything. Have a ball.

Hey, Gene -- c'mon along. We inconspicuous kids will form a slower leisurely pod, while the hot sh*ts take off.

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leong

leong

Posted
Posted

I might launch from GHS at about 11:00. I'll try to catch up with everyone somewhere along the circuit. VHF Channel 72?

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