04-06-2005
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 654
Rep Power: 12
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mini cruise
I delivered a boat from Boston to Newport and have completed the Newport - Elizabeth Islands - Vineyard - Nantucket trip on many occasions. The first responder is correct. As a sailboat you MUST go thru the canal at slack tide or with a fair tide. The tide RIPS through the canal so expect a relatively quick passage. Sailing thru the canal is not allowed. There is a marina at the Northern most end of the canal where you can wait out a fair tide. I dont remeber if there is one at the other end; consult your crusing guide. Two VERY important things to keep in mind going thru Woods Hole (from Buzzards Bay to Vineyard Sound and vise-versa): 1. The bouys are arranged such that the Vineyard Sound side is considered the sea. So, when you enter the Wood''s Hole, RED RIGHT RETURNING is not applicable. The red marks will be on your port side and the black marks on your starboard. Obviously, coming back red right returning holds true. The tide RIPS thru the hole. I would suggest going thru only at slack or a fair tide as the combination of tide, sometimes high winds, boat traffic, and a confusing bouy system can lead to lots of problems. Dont cut any bouys as there are rocks and dont follow any small powerboats who do. The town of Wood''s Hole is ok. There is a small supermarket downtown as well as several restuarants and bars. You can take a short taxi trip into Falmouth if you need anything major including a West Marine. There are both slips and mooring available in Eel Pond but there is no fuel there and you have to wait for the bridge which opens every 1/2 hour from about 7am to 9pm in the summer. (Check that with the Harbor Master.) If you want a different experience, head over to Hadley''s Harbor on the end of Naushon Island. There are a few moorings but most boats usually anchor. You cannot go onto the island as it is privately owned but you can go onto Bull Island. We saw deer, yes deer, swimming in the ocean from island to island which was pretty cool. Not sure where you intend to stay on the Vineyard but each town is very different. Oak Bluffs has a small harbor with both moorings and quite a few fixed docks both of which can be reserved in advance with the harbor master. Here is where you will find the "camps" and the gingerbread houses. Its not so much my style with throngs of day-trippers getting on and off the ferry there and walking by boats but there are quite a few restuarants and an arcade and stuff to do if you have kids or if its rainy day. A few shops as well. Oak Bluffs is a wet town. Vineyard Haven is a dry town with not alot going on. Try to get a mooring inside the breakwater as it can get a little rough if the wind kicks up from the right direction. On the Vineyard, Edgartown is my favorite. There is little available dock space but lots of moorings. Again. I would STRONGLY advise calling ahead to reserve. Lots of nice shops and good restuarants. The town tends to clear out in the afternoon as the day-trippers go home. The harbor is quite large and teeming with boats. MIND the Chappy Ferry which darts out from both sides with no warning. The rules of the road dont seem to apply to these guys. Be aware and steer clear. I would second the Cuttyhunk rec. above but Cutty is pretty far out of your way. Although you stated you wanted to goto MV, I would strongly suggest you consider sailing the extra miles and goto Nantucket. Its really incompareable in my opinion. Either way, good luck, plan ahead, be familiar with the charts and the tides and you will be fine.
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