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A New Landmark on Plum Island Sound!


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The Town of Ipswich has put up a wind generator on Town Farm Road. It's visible from all over Plum Island Sound. On a recent birding trip I took some compass bearings on it.

From the west side of the road at the north end of Parking Lot #1, just south of the entrance gate to the Refuge, the bearing is 217 mag.

From the SW corner of the south building of the Wardens' maintenance sheds the bearing is 223 mag.

From the observation tower at the Bill Forward Pool the bearing is 247 mag.

This afternoon I took a couple bearings from the main road out to Great Neck in Ipswich.

From the stop sign at the corner of Island Park Rd the bearing is 331 mag.

And from the Eagle Hill Public Landing (Ipswich residents only!) the bearing is 304 mag.

Mark your charts! Maybe we can do some nav practice this summer.

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Some quick chart work raised some suspicions about my compass. Now I find it does not agree with another one I have on hand. I will re-shoot the bearings next time I'm out there and report back.

Can you take pictures too please? :)

Thanks -Jason

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I happened to be on Jeffrey's Neck, Ipswich, this week and took bearings on the windmill again with 2 other compasses. From the STOP sign at Island Park Road the bearing is 329 mag, and from the boat ramp on Eagle Hill Road the bearing is 314 mag.

Yesterday I paddled with Christopher out of Lane's Cove and noticed I could see the windmill while sitting in my boat at the mouth of the Cove. Using my boat's compass it bore 300 mag.

Next time I get out to Plum Island I will try to remember to bring a camera and take a shot or two. AND I'll re-shoot the bearings I took with the suspect compass last week!

I will also post lat/lon coordinates for my reference points.

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Lats & Lons for my reference points on Plum Island Sound:

Plum Island NWR Parking Lot 1 Lat 42deg 47' 24" N Lon 70deg 48' 36" W

Wardens' Sheds Lat 42deg 45' 23" N Lon 70deg 48' 22" W

Island Park Rd STOP sign Lat 42deg 41' 57" N Lon 70deg 49' 07" W Windmill bearing: 329 mag

Eagle Hill Rd launch ramp Lat 42deg 42' 20" N Lon 70deg 49' 03" W windmill bearing: 314 mag

As I say, next time I head out to Plum Island I'll re-shoot the bearings from Lot1 and the Wardens' sheds and take a photo.

The bearing using my kayak deck compass was taken from a few yards outside the mouth of Lane's Cove, close enough for a bearing of that range.

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Island Park Rd STOP sign Lat 42deg 41' 57" N Lon 70deg 49' 07" W Windmill bearing: 329 mag

Eagle Hill Rd launch ramp Lat 42deg 42' 20" N Lon 70deg 49' 03" W windmill bearing: 314 mag

Although not the 2 best waypoints for triangulation, I'm coming up with the location of the windmill

as: 42.42.851N 70.50.513W (using GoogleEarth as a nav-aid to locate a new aid to navigation [windmill]).

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