Places to visit in northern MA?

[matt_unique]

I have cruised quite a bit around Salem/Gloucester/Boston but very little to the North of Cape Ann. I'm curious if other Brat's can suggest interesting places to visit by water in Northern MA. Perhaps some islands to suggest? Essex Harbor for example is just to the north of the Annasquam.

Thanks

[Grumpy]

You can have a lot of fun going up the Piscataqua to Portsmouth and beyond up to Great Bay. Watch the current, overfalls, trolls who operate bridges and the shallow water in Great Bay itself.
Portsmouth is a nice stop with great shops and restaurants.

Isles of Shoals (lives up to it's name) are just offshore and make for a nice place to hank on the hook.

Newburyport is also a fun place but a tad tricky.

It's been many years but they were good memories..

Merv & Kathy

[patrick and linda]

CAPTAIN MATTIE,
i think you should take that puppy on it's maiden voyage, south to the chesapeake bay area, sometime around june 6.
pat

[Rick from Maine]

Hi Matt,

You already know how much fun the Boston Islands are, no doubt. If you’re into geocaching there are some caches out on the islands.

From Gloucester it’s fun to go up the Blynman Canal and Annisquam River. You can beach it and swim/walk in the water on the east side of the river in Annisquam, and see the cottages on floats. There is a restaurant with a dock in Annisquam on the west side.

You probably know about Rockport. Tough to get a place to anchor – try Pigeon Cove, and hike to town. Unfortunately, it’s a dry town!

Oh yeah, do you know how Halibut Point got it's name? It has nothing to do with the fish Halibut.

From Annisquam, go up the Essex River to Essex. You can tie up at the restaurant there, and there are antique shops. All the way up, is the Essex Maritime Museum, which sometimes has space to tie up. The nearby town dock only allows tie up for a few minutes. The outer harbor has lots of shallow rivers to explore, and you can beach at Crane’s Beach back side to wade and swim. Don’t try this in July due to Greenheads.

From there, go into Ipswich Harbor, and up the Ipswich River to the town dock, then walk into Ipswich.

From Ipswich Harbor, take the Plum Island River, only at high tide (I have a shiny prop from ½ tide) to Newburyport. You also can go up the Parker River from Ipswich/Plum Island sound. All this area is a National Wildlife area that is famous world wide for the birds.

Newburyport has tie up at the town docks. They charge by the hour when busy. Newburyport is fun to explore with it’s restaurants, museum, shops, and antiques. I recommend Angies Restaurant which is like a local diner with tasty Greek foods, but there are many up scale restaurants there. The book shop and Museum sometimes have local interest publications.

For an interesting trip, go up the Merrimack all the way to Haverhill. It is slow due to No Wake zones, but you should see Eagles.

When you want to go north of Newburyport let me know. I keep my boat in Newington NH, just off the Piscataqua, and have done all the coast to Penobscot.

Rick from Maine

[matt_unique]

Thanks for the suggestions!

Can you offer any advice about visiting the Isle of Shoals? I'm thinking about heading up that way this weekend weather permitting for a few seal dives and to explore the area.

--Matt

[Rick from Maine]

Hi Matt,

You probably already know how much fun it is to dive with the seals at Duck Is ( the northern most island). I know of the seals pulling on your flippers when you try to exit the water. They like watching snorklers and divers. You have to get in very, very close to the island to anchor, as there is rough water in the area as waves meet the shoals. Follow the lobster buoys in as close to island as you dare. I don't remember which tides are best to play with the seals; you could check with local divers. There are strong currents.

This is a Holiday weekend. So, the mooring buoys at Gosport harbor will probably be taken by the yacht clubs, who put them out. If the weather is calm you may find some room to anchor. But, given the speed of your boat, anchoring at the shoals isn't a priority. You can get to them from Portsmouth in 25 minutes. Although it is nice to spend the night there, if the sailboats tie off their halyards, which they rarely do! You can beach the boat at Haley's cove at the right tide, and go ashore. Or, if you have a dingy, you can go to Star island and hike around.

If you can't spend the night at the shoals, some options are:

Tie up at Prescott Park in the middle of Portsmouth. There is a marina, and you're within walking distance of all the Portsmouth restaurants and store.

Anchor close to shore in Little Harbor, or beach it at Odiorne's Pt beach. There are several places to anchor here, or tie up at Wentworth Marina for a swanky night. Explore Sagamore Creek in this area.

Go up the Piscataqua to Great Bay area to anchor for the night, if you want to anchor out in a quiet area. Some anchor on the SW side of Fox Pt. You can go up the Oyster R and anchor in a smooth cove. Also, you can go up the Bellamy R to anchor. In Great Bay, there's good anchorage south of Adams Pt. This is an interesting cruising area. You can go up the Cocheco all the way to the covered bridge in Dover ( unfortunately, the restaurant with the dock changed hands, but you may be able to Dock at George's marina to do Dover). Exploring the Squamscott and Lamprey rivers is fun, too. Ya got to pick your tides.

Maybe I'll see ya this weekend, as I intend to put my boat at Great Bay marine this week.

Rick from Maine

[matt_unique]

Thanks for the suggestions!

This will be a day trip. I will be cruising up from Salem - Gloucester - up Annasquam - straight shot to the Isle of Shoals. Without having my charts in front of me, I recall the first island is 19 nm north of the Annasquam. I know Duck Island is the northern most island. From what I read the seal colony is on the South East portion of the island. I suspect it would be most direct for me to approach (and go around) the islands oceanside.

I found a rough chart online for reference purposes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Isles_of_Shoals_Map.png)

I will of course be looking at my real charts and chartplotter. Is the seal colony behind Shag Island? If you happened to have a chart and could provide coordinates I would really appreciate it. This will be my first cruise to these islands. I have read about a little hike on Star Island. I might check it out.

Hell - if you're out and about and feel like a cruise - it would be great to meet another Brat in person and get some local knowledge. I will be carrying Guinness and my home brew "Napoleon Amber" in the fridge. This was my first home brew attempt and it came our great! Ha - I guess I can follow instructions.

Right now I'm not sure if it will be Sat or Sun. I was planning to watch the marine forecast and head out on the better of the two days.

[patrick and linda]

capt. mattie,
i might be interested in purchasing one of those "napoleon amber" franchise. please therefore, email contracts, fees and any required down payment.
i think ohio is prime territory for this finer beverage opportunity!
pat
ps: will need several hundred cases for sampling

[matt_unique]

Ha ha - well Captain Pat I can't make enough to sell it! It keeps disappearing every time I got out on the boat!

I have uploaded a nautical chart snapshot of Duck Island. Rick if you can suggest exactly how I might approach for the best spot for seal diving I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Rick from Maine]

Hi Matt,

Yes, the seals are usually in the area South West of Shaq Rock. Anchor around 43 00.2, 70 36.3. You'll see breaking waves nearby all around this area. That's why I follow in the lobster buoys. I approach from the west, and give a wide berth to Southwest ledge. When the seals are there, they're in the area from Shaq Rock to Southwest ledge. They usually climb up on Southwest ledge for sunning. I've watched the local dive charter boats go between Duck Is and Shaq rock. I've never been brave enough to do it. The currents are strong here. Snorklers leave a line trailing from their boats to get back to it.

Shaq is a nick name for cormorants. Duck Is is a conservation area and has thousands of gulls, terns, and cormorants. If you get leeward of Duck Is, you'll smell it!

If you're just there for a short day trip, you should be able to pick up a mooring in Gosport Harbor or find room to swing on an anchor, to take a break.

If I don't see you out there this wknd, let me know how you make out, Rick

[matt_unique]

Thanks for the intel Rick! I have a good idea of exactly where to go based on your description. Hopefully everything will come together so I can check it out this weekend.