The second leg of my Round the Cape trip is from Hyannis to Chatham. I need to get around Monomoy Island and come into Chatham Harbor, rather than coming into Stage Harbor on the west side of Monomoy. This is because I need to do the outer Cape in one fell swoop, since I will be facing nearly 40 nautical miles of open water between Chatham Harbor and Provincetown with no shelter. As it is, I might well be entering Provincetown in pitch darkness even if I make an early start that day. Thank goodness for gps!
This day's sail from Hyannis to Chatham Harbor is a relatively modest 24 nautical miles in distance, but it includes the notorious Pollock Rip, with currents than can exceed 2 knots, and Chatham (not Stage) Harbor, where my chart cautions, "This area is subject to continual change. Buoys are not charted because they are frequently shifted in position. Use only with local knowledge." On the other hand, unless I decide to go ashore, I can probably get into shelter for the night without getting very far into the harbor--simply being east of Monomoy puts me in the lee of the Cape in most seasonal winds.
I will need to time this leg to take advantage of falling tide in Hyannis, a flood current in Pollock Rip, and finally ride the top of the flood into Chatham (which the chart shows as a maze of green patches that signify shallows that dry out at low tide)
Monomoy is a today wildlife refuge, although fishermen lived there roughly for a time. I am looking forward to gradually surveying its entire length from my place at the tiller.
If it's that easy a day's sail, will there be time to go ashore? I'd love to, but even with plenty of time, I've found that shore facilities are not set up with small-time (read: cheap!) sailors like me. I look for places that have (1) a place to anchor or safely beach, with (2) access to the road without having to tresspass on private property (at least, not in plain sight), and (3) are within walking distance of interesting sights, businesses, or food. This is a scarce combination. In more popular ports it can be impossible for me to get ashore legally without paying some kind of docking fee, typically charged by businessmen used to yachtsmen with deep pockets. I'll have to look into the possibilites in Chatham, but with the added requirement that I can get there at most stages of tide and sans motor, I don't hold out much hope.
This day's sail from Hyannis to Chatham Harbor is a relatively modest 24 nautical miles in distance, but it includes the notorious Pollock Rip, with currents than can exceed 2 knots, and Chatham (not Stage) Harbor, where my chart cautions, "This area is subject to continual change. Buoys are not charted because they are frequently shifted in position. Use only with local knowledge." On the other hand, unless I decide to go ashore, I can probably get into shelter for the night without getting very far into the harbor--simply being east of Monomoy puts me in the lee of the Cape in most seasonal winds.
I will need to time this leg to take advantage of falling tide in Hyannis, a flood current in Pollock Rip, and finally ride the top of the flood into Chatham (which the chart shows as a maze of green patches that signify shallows that dry out at low tide)
Monomoy is a today wildlife refuge, although fishermen lived there roughly for a time. I am looking forward to gradually surveying its entire length from my place at the tiller.
If it's that easy a day's sail, will there be time to go ashore? I'd love to, but even with plenty of time, I've found that shore facilities are not set up with small-time (read: cheap!) sailors like me. I look for places that have (1) a place to anchor or safely beach, with (2) access to the road without having to tresspass on private property (at least, not in plain sight), and (3) are within walking distance of interesting sights, businesses, or food. This is a scarce combination. In more popular ports it can be impossible for me to get ashore legally without paying some kind of docking fee, typically charged by businessmen used to yachtsmen with deep pockets. I'll have to look into the possibilites in Chatham, but with the added requirement that I can get there at most stages of tide and sans motor, I don't hold out much hope.
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