Sailing Buzzards Bay August 2017 - Salem to Plymouth and Through the Canal

Monday.

Well we were going to stop at Scituate, but the weather is threatening so Captain Lee decides we should continue on to Plymouth and stay two nights, waiting to go through the canal until Wednesday. That works out fine but brother Monday's sail just went on forever. The problem with Plymouth is that even after you turn into the approach to the harbor, you still have a couple of miles to go. And even after you turn into the harbor itself, you have to go wayyyy around before you can go behind the sea wall. It just was a very long day. 

The dogs were extremely happy to get off the boat. I don't know how they do it, their bladders are much much stronger than mine. We have a carpet square on a grommet that they theoretically could pee upon but so far they don't cotton to that idea. Mainly they just sleep.

Finally on our mooring and Lee gets to try out his new sun/rainshade. It works great, at least for keeping out rain. We were able to eat out in the cockpit and stay dry. I think it will provide plenty of shade as well, once the sun comes out.

Tuesday.

The clouds are certainly threatening but the small craft advisory has been lifted. We could have probably made it through the canal to Onset today after all. Oh well! I'm able to go for a run since we don't need to rush, along the coast. Beautiful as always. Then I can take a shower at the very nice Plymouth Yacht Club. 

In the afternoon we walk around town, go to the park, explore the old mill. For dinner we go to the nearby Surfside Smokehouse. My goodness, good BBQ in New England! We are duly impressed.

Wednesday. 

We make our way across Cape Cod Bay to the canal. We know how they time it now so that we are going the direction of the tide. That makes us bounce through the canal pretty fast, 7 or 8 knots! The wind has swung around and is coming from the south. This can be bad if it keeps going that way for several days, but this has just started so when we leave the canal there is a little chop but not bad. Before we know it we've turned the corner and we're in Onset Marina, our home for the night. They are full service so we get fuel, water and get pumped out. We should be good to go now for awhile.