Plan for transiting the Cape Cod Canal

[Nancy Ann]

I have often read about the big water at the West end of the Cape Cod Canal, especially when the tide and wind are in opposition.  The authors are always careful to warn boaters to pick their time carefully, but they never say how to do this.

I would like to know what the correct method is of planning a East-West transit.  Where should I plan to be and at what time in the tide cycle?  It may seem stupid to those who boat there, but how would a stranger even know which way the flow is on a rising tide? With those two big bays filling up, which one is stronger? I have always thought the flow was West to East on a rising tide (?).

Can anyone help?  I would like to fill in this sentence: "For a West-East transit you should be at <where> about <time> before the <high or low> tide."

Since I have to get back, I really need the advice for East-West also.

Thanks!!!

[Scotia Mist]

Jim,
 I'm no expert but this is what we did after asking a lot of question about the canal. This is the info I gathered.

 The biggest trouble maker is the wind against the current/tide (as you already know). Try to make your transit as early as possible to avoid the SW wind. Going with the current makes things much easier and more fuel efficient. However given the choice I would rather travel against the current with no wind as opposite to travel with the current with a 15 to 20 knot wind. With the wind blowing the water up the bay and funneling it into the narrow Hog Island channel it can very easily build a very tight 5' chop even in the morning if there is a steady wind. Last summer we came out of Onset after spending the night on a mooring. With the wind blowing all night and we ran into some very nasty conditions like I metioned above, It was not life threatening but nasty.

The easiest we I could find to gauge traveling with the current is to use the the Army Corp web page. If you look at the first column in the tide chart it gives you the times the current changes from East to West at the railroad bridge.
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/ccc/navigation/TideChart2008.htm

If you hit good weather it is a great time. We went to P-town last summer and had a lot of fun. Here is a little of what you will be seeing.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqEdYzRz0vk

Like I said I'm no expert but I hope this little bit of info helps. Pete Platt does the the canal yearly and maybe he'll post his comments.

Jim,
 Still planing to stop at Cuttyhunk on the 4th of July?

 

[Nancy Ann]

Barry -

Thanks for the info. I think I am still missing the crucial piece of advice that tells me where to be when the current changes at the RR bridge.  Coming West seems to be the worst trip, and I ASSUME that I want to be at the RR bridge just when the current turns to the East.  That way I exit the canal when the tide is turning from low, so I get an incoming tide with the wind behind it.  I wonder if it is better to try to hit the low tide at Wing's Neck (about 1 1/2 hours before it turns at the RR bridge). Would that reduce the impact even more?  I will be doing this (probably) on July 7th.  The RR bridge time is 07:18, so a 06:00 start from Sandwich should be perfect.

Going East, we will hit this on June 30th.  The Low tide at Wing's neck is 11:13 and the RR current turns East at 13:28.  We should be about on time for this as we will be coming from Point Judith. Might even get to sleep late!

We will be in the Charles River on the 4th of July.  We plan to drop back to Scituate on the 5th, go to Sandwich on the 6th, and on to Cuttyhunk on the 7th (Monday).  I'd like to do this a day faster, but I don't see getting into Cuttyhunk on a Sunday.

[Scotia Mist]

 

Barry -

 I think I am still missing the crucial piece of advice that tells me where to be when the current changes at the RR bridge.  Coming West seems to be the worst trip, and I ASSUME that I want to be at the RR bridge just when the current turns to the East.  That way I exit the canal when the tide is turning from low, so I get an incoming tide with the wind behind it.

Jim,
 I looked over the tide chart and your timing seems to be pretty good (from my understanding of things which could be wrong?). Ideally you would want to be through the canal before the current turns east but at the time of the morning you should be fine (esp in your boat  ) If you come out of the west end of the canal (Hog Island Channel) around 7:30 AM you should be in pretty good shape as long as the wind hasn't been blowing all night.
 
 If Karen and I are off we will try to make a run out to Cuttyhunk on the 7th of July.
   We would like to just stop in and say hi and thank you in person for your web page and support when we were full of questions in regards to the Rosborough.
 

[Nancy Ann]

Barry -

I talked it over with a guy at work who has been through the canal.  He doesn't know any more than I do!

We have changed our plans (again) and will come through the canal (westbound) on Sinday afternoon.  I don't know what the effect of this will be, certainly more wind.  I guess we will find out what we are made of! We plan to stay in Marion, Fairhaven, somewhere, on Sunday night. For what it is worth, I posted our preliminary plan on our website. www.nancyann.org

It would be great to see you in Cuttyhunk.

[MattinRI]

Laurie & I plan to be outbound fron Newport to Nantucket on June 30th maybe we'll pass within hailing distance! We plan to finish up on Cuttyhunk from 3 July so we don't miss the 4th of July parade.  We may still be there on the 7th.  If you are looking for a harbor close to the canal, consider Onset.

Matt & Laurie

[peteplatt2000]

Jim,

Nice website. Nancy Ann looks great - just like a grown up RF-246! The layout looks almost identical but with more room & storage. Looks like I'd fit in it much better than "Sooner".That's a very impressive trip plan you've posted - I've obviously been left behind in my posting skills. The pictures & layouts are really nice.

As far as the canal goes, you really want to avoid an opposing current & wind at the West (Buzzards Bay) end. Eldredge is a neat little book that tells you when the current will turn East at that end. Obviously, the current flowing West will lessen as it gets near the time of change so that's not too bad but it's at it's worse at max current halfway between the changes. There's no way to predict the wind until you get much closer in time but as you've heard, the earlier you are in the morning, the better your chances are of less wind from the SW. As Barry points out though, I too have had it blowing hard out of the SW early in the morning but it's not as likely as later in the morning or afternoon when it's almost a daily thing.

Having said that, I've hit it pretty badly in a 21' open boat (a Wahoo) & lived to tell about it. I was pretty happy to turn into Onset Harbor ( OK, Very happy!) but it was doable. The Nancy Ann looks like she'll handle some pretty rough seas, not that you want to go looking for them.

As Matt pointed out, Onset is one of our favorite harbors. We usually anchor out behind the island right outside of the Pt. Independence YC mooring field. There are lots of neat areas to explore in the dinghy & some good restaurants within an easy walk of the town dock.

Have you ever gone to Hadley Harbor just off Wood's Hole? That could be the single most beautiful harbor around & free moorings. It can get pretty crowded on the weekends so Monday might be a better day. Nashon Island surrounding it is owned by the Forbes Foundation & they maintain the moorings. Apparently, they have enough money so they don't need to charge! Again, lots of terrific areas to explore by dinghy.

Hope you have a great trip. Let me know if you have any questions about the Boston area - my neck of the woods - although going into the Charles River for the 4th? - We'd rather be by ourselves in some remote gunkhole but that's what makes the world go around - different strokes for different folks!

Pete "Sooner"
Hingham, MA

[Scotia Mist]

Jim,
 If you stop over in Fairhaven were do you plan on staying the night? We keep our boat at Pope's Island Marina in Fairhaven/New Bedford harbor.
  I believe Pope's Island has transient slips available for $2.25 a foot.
    Pope's Island has clean restrooms/showers and coin operated washer and dryers. The pumpout is there also but they have lousy hours (10AM to 4PM?)
  I don't have much info to relay on Fairhaven Shipyard. I know they have Gas/diesel.
 There is also gas/diesel available were the commercial guys go, Sea Fuels close to the Ice House/Fish Island.