kevinfre Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm considering using the Gloucester High School put-in for an AMC trip I'm doing. Do we know if it's OK to park there on a Saturday in June? Also, as I recall there's a little bit of a rip under the small bridge on the way out of Blynman Canal. Am I remembering that right? If so, can we avoid it by going through at slack water? And is it safe to assume that the tides at the High School are about the same as the Gloucester Harbor Station reading? Any answers or other comments are appreciated.Thanks,Kevin Fredette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm considering using the Gloucester High School put-in for an AMC trip I'm doing. Do we know if it's OK to park there on a Saturday in June? Also, as I recall there's a little bit of a rip under the small bridge on the way out of Blynman Canal. Am I remembering that right? If so, can we avoid it by going through at slack water? And is it safe to assume that the tides at the High School are about the same as the Gloucester Harbor Station reading? Any answers or other comments are appreciated. Thanks, Kevin Fredette If you park at the HS you should park out of the way of the power boaters with trailers as they pay to use the ramp. I normally launch to the left of the ramp keep the ramp free as I am not paying the $5 to use the ramp. As for the bridge I haven't spent much time thinking about it, as it runs at max 2-3 knots and it's quick to get though. If you time it at slack you won't have to paddle against it or have any push from it. -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyson Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Follow Jason's instructions on where to put in and staying out of the way. You likely won't get through the canal if the flow is against you. It is a brisk ride when the current is with you. I've experienced a bit of a bumpy ride through there with some reasonable current induced swell. You also need to be careful about the other boat traffic. Its narrow enough to be a "single lane". The boats take turns going in each direction. If you have confidence in your participants or can time it for near slack, you'll be fine. If you have a group of folks with limited skills and hit it when its flowing well, you may find find yourself with your hands full. I don't think you need to worry about the tides at the school. Its the current at the canal you need to be concerned about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Allen Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Kevin-I don't know the details of your trip, but an option on either end is to use both the high school and the greasy pole beach put-in. It's about a 5-10 minute walk between them.Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfre Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 Thanks for the tips. I'll either time it for slack or just use Greasy Pole. I don't have any particular attachment to the High School put in, I just figured I'd think about it as an option. If we do go there, I'll make sure people know where to park and where not to.The trip, BTW, is to go to Manchester Harbor and back. Which brings up another question: I've done the route several times, but I'm not sure about which beaches are suitable for a short break and which ones have lifeguards that will chase away kayakers. I know I've had it happen. Any thoughts on that?Thanks again,Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Allen Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 In June I gotta believe that all the beaches are off limits short of an emergency. You might consider the rocky western end of Kettle Island as a breakpoint.Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzert Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 In June I gotta believe that all the beaches are off limits short of an emergency. You might consider the rocky western end of Kettle Island as a breakpoint. Phil I think you could use either of these two beaches (known locally as White beach and Black beach) . Parking at them is Manchester residents only, but that should not be a problem! I dont believe they are life gaurded. Also the far right (from the sea) of Manolia beach is known as Grays Beach Landing and is a public landing. You should not be hassled if you land all the way to the right. The far left (again from the sea) of Magnolia is under lease to the Trustees of Reservations. Not sure if that would include landing a bunch of kayakers! In any case as Phil points out the tip of Kettle island is actually a pretty nice landing. A good resource to check for coastal access is Mass. Coastal Zone Management Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfre Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Very helpful, thanks again. I always appreciate the resources of this group.Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 I haven't seen anyone mention that there is ice cream across the street from the greasy pole put-in. Also street vendours during the peak season. Of course that's why the parking is such a hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Allen Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 I haven't seen anyone mention that there is ice cream across the street from the greasy pole put-in. Also street vendours during the peak season. Of course that's why the parking is such a hassle. Always good to know where the ice cream is. Thanks Bob Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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