Posted by Phil T on 10/13/08 - 5:00 PM
#1
I am happy to report fall boating was had today. While some had to work, I was offered a rare treat. Nate (Newt) offered me a seat on his Revenge 25 for a cruise from Newburyport down around Cape Ann and through Gloucester Harbor, the canal and Annisquam River.
I drove the 80 miles (without my usual tow) south and met Nate and the boat at Cashman's Ramp in Newburyport on the Merrimack River. I was excited to make the trip since Nate acquired the Revenge last fall and I had yet to see it. I also had contemplated doing a gathering this summer with this itinerary but it did not happen. Additionally, I have never been on a Revenge 25.
What a beauty. While she is a big #%^^& boat, very nice lines. Did I say big?
With Nate's excellent trailer setup, she was launched without incident in no time flat. While usually very busy, the ramp was practically deserted. So was the water.
While the forecasts were good, I was prepared. While not as warm or calm as forecasted, it was a great day to be on the water. Temps were upper 50's with 1-2 ft and a light breeze. Water temps? Always cold.
We cruised to the mouth of the Merrimack River and proceeded south ~15 miles and out and around Cape Ann, stopping to enter Rockport Harbor. Small, very scenic and a pretty neat place. We then proceeded around Cape Ann and entered Gloucester Harbor. You can tell this is a very busy harbor with a heavy presence of commercial fishing. (Many boats have shifted from Portland and other northern ports to Gloucester to save on transit time to the Grand Banks.)
As the photos show, some very cool stone faced piers and whalers everywhere. At one point we spotted 8 within 60 feet of each other.
We traversed through a drawbridge entering a canal that joined the Annisquam River. This bisects the peninsula of Cape Ann. This passage has some great scenery, neat anchorages and a tricky channel.
On completing the transit of the Annisquam and entering Ipswitch bay, we proceeded north and back to the Merrimack.
Over the course of ~70 miles, Nate and I caught up on family news, talked about boats and other worthy topics.
With no line at the ramp, and with a stiff river current, Nate retrieved the boat without incident. The boat is very impressive. A
major step (leap) up from my puny Outrage 17.
It was one of the best outings I have been on in the past 6 years. Great boat, company, weather and sights. Since my photos were all taken in high resolution, I have added an album to my webpage on picasa.
Here is the link
Thanks Nate! Your Christmas gift will be early.
Posted by newt on 10/14/08 - 5:04 AM
#2
This was a great trip and Phil - as always - a welcome guest. I had the pleasure of taking a cruise around Casco Bay last year with him, so yesterday was the return of the favor.
Of course there is one important part to of the story that Phil is leaving out. I am an avid fisherman and predominantly use the boat in pursuit of striped bass and bluefish. Phil does not fish. The agenda for the trip yesterday was for the most part a scenic tour of Cape Anne, with an underlying theme of searching out working birds and blitzing fish along the way. I figured that some where along this 70 mile trip, we would find some aquatic life and while Phil piloted I would cast out and catch a trophy of two.
Not so. Towards the end of our journey and many many comments on how dead the bird activity had been, I look at Phil and he's eating a snack. Not just any snack but a BANANA! "What the *>$% is that?" I ask, "You said you were going to eat that in the car on the drive down. Of course I had cautioned him that there was a "no banana" rule on the boat since we all know they are bad luck for fishing. "I thought you were joking" he replied.
AAARRRGHGH! In case anyone was wondering about the validity of the banana superstition, we proved it true without a shadow of a doubt. After all, our lack of fish finding could not possibly be related to my skills as a fisherman!
It's Ok. I'm over it and Phil you are still invited any time you have the time to take a cruise. It was fun to put some miles under the hull and enjoy some good conversation.
I learned a lot about my fuel consumption yesterday. I can accurately report that A 1986 25-Revenge with twin Johnson 150's will achieve more than 1 mpg and less than 2 mpg. :D