A fun lesson in going against the tide

[smallboatlover]

ya i just got back off the harbor patrol boat. And when coming into the basin there was 10' waves and was crazy. we had to surf them in.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by LarryandSusanMacDonald

Some places the current can be really swift.

or



Skookumchuk can run 16.5 knots.

[bornagainsailor]

kiltmadoc,

it's clear from your pixs you're going through Woods Hole (Nobska Light is in background in photo 2), one of the most treacherous cuts on the east coast due to the ledges and the strong currents that often run counter to the channel. I've passed through many times and always try to enter at slack tide. glad you made it safely through. it's not for nothing the coast guard base is located at Little Harbor at the eastern entrance to WH. what is your home port, btw? I sail out of east falmouth in the summer.

[Kiltmadoc]

Originally Posted by bornagainsailor

what is your home port, btw? I sail out of east falmouth in the summer.

Yes, it was woods hole. The first time through, we didnt know any better. A few days later; the second time through (backwards again), we didnt have any other choice if we were going to make it to Cuttyhunk before midnight.

We hail from Salem, MA. Look us up at Palmer's Cover Y.C. sometime. Our boat is Schiehallion...a 32 ft C&C.

For this trip, I met my boat partner in Cataumet at the Kingman yacht Center. Excellent place to stop. Terrible food at the local watering hole next to the yard. The best part of the meal was the packaged chips that came with my son's hotdog.

[YARDPRO]

we have a similar issue here at the beaufort (ft macon) inlet..

on a NE wind and falling tide the water can move 7-8 knotts... coming into the inlet you are nose into the wind.... when you tack, you loose more ground that you could ever make up, and being a narrow channel, you are tacking often...

Once it was getting dark and we were full throttle on the yanmar, and still took 1.5 hours to go a few hundred yards......

now we sail with the tides.