Little Bird Island - Jib Only
Weds. 18 June 2014
LW 1844, HW 0140
~1h30' (18:22-20:06)
5.4 nm; Ave 3.0 kts
Now that we had a foresail, I was very eager to get out and test it. Early into his summer vacation, Dylan agree to go out with me one evening after dinner. He is a quick study -- a fast learner who likes to take care of things himself. As soon as he climbs aboard, he gets to work. He unlocks the cabin and stows the companionway boards down below in the V-berth forward. He brings out the seat cushions for the cockpit, stows away the solar charger, sets up the Garmin chart plotter, grabs the boat hook and goes forward to standby the mooring lines. The only time I feel compelled to speak is to remind him not to cast off the mooring until I tell him to do so. I like his eagerness and his initiative, yet all the same I prefer to have real-time knowledge of the boat's condition and status. So I have requested that he inform me of what ever he is doing -- or about to do. I once tried to tease him, asking if he wanted to be Gilligan. He shot back, "Eh, why not? You're fat enough to be Skipper."
I recruited Dylan to the boat crew through the lure of fishing, which he does but I don't. The first few times we went out he always brought along his fishing pole. He'd cast colorful but bait-less lures from the cockpit, but the only thing he has caught from the boat so far is a snag on a bottom-laying mooring chain. To commemorate his end of school transition, I bought him a more serious fishing pole at a bait and tackle store at the Wareham Narrows. The proprietor offered a small container of free bait as a gift, and Dylan chose worms (over squid). We explained to him that these were sea worms, or sandworms, a bit different from the earthworms with which he was familiar. "No," he insisted. "Daddy uses worms. I don't want squid. I want worms." Later, the look on his face when he opened the container aboard the boat was priceless.
"Just reach in there and grab one, Dylan."
"Nah. You reach in and get one."
Sandworms, or Ragworms (Alitta [Nereis] virens), are annelid worms that burrow in sand or mud. They are a major part of sea-bait industry, both in the United States and in Britain, (click here for Ragworming in the U.K.). Harvesting of sand worms has become a significant part of the aquaculture industry in Maine (for more, click here). To some, they are nasty-looking creatures. They have a set of sharp pinchers at their mouth. They bite. To avoid what could be a painful nip, you must handle them with care. They rear up, pinchers flaring, twisting and stretching for you.
Sandworms inspired the desert-burrowing giant worms of the planet Arrakis in Frank Herbert's 1960s sci-fi classic, Dune. They featured prominently in David Lynch's (1984) cinematic interpretation, with Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Max von Sydow, Linda Hunt, and Sting, as well as in John Harrison's three-part mini-series (2000) with William Hurt and Alec Newman.
Inspired by the sandworms in a different way, Dylan soon put aside his fishing gear and concentrated on working the boat. We left the mooring at about 18:20. I work the motor and tiller until we are safely through the rocks of Dexter's Cove and out into the Weweantic River. A few hundred meters downstream are positioned a pair of locally maintained red and green navigation buoys, closely-set to mark a narrow in the river channel. We call this site, "The Teeth." To the seaward side of this point, the First Mate takes the helm. Once we clear Cromeset Point and the "Red 6" navigation aid (marking the mouth of the Wareham river on the other side of the Point), then we set sail.
I recruited Dylan to the boat crew through the lure of fishing, which he does but I don't. The first few times we went out he always brought along his fishing pole. He'd cast colorful but bait-less lures from the cockpit, but the only thing he has caught from the boat so far is a snag on a bottom-laying mooring chain. To commemorate his end of school transition, I bought him a more serious fishing pole at a bait and tackle store at the Wareham Narrows. The proprietor offered a small container of free bait as a gift, and Dylan chose worms (over squid). We explained to him that these were sea worms, or sandworms, a bit different from the earthworms with which he was familiar. "No," he insisted. "Daddy uses worms. I don't want squid. I want worms." Later, the look on his face when he opened the container aboard the boat was priceless.
"Nah. You reach in and get one."
Sandworms, or Ragworms (Alitta [Nereis] virens), are annelid worms that burrow in sand or mud. They are a major part of sea-bait industry, both in the United States and in Britain, (click here for Ragworming in the U.K.). Harvesting of sand worms has become a significant part of the aquaculture industry in Maine (for more, click here). To some, they are nasty-looking creatures. They have a set of sharp pinchers at their mouth. They bite. To avoid what could be a painful nip, you must handle them with care. They rear up, pinchers flaring, twisting and stretching for you.
Sandworms inspired the desert-burrowing giant worms of the planet Arrakis in Frank Herbert's 1960s sci-fi classic, Dune. They featured prominently in David Lynch's (1984) cinematic interpretation, with Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Max von Sydow, Linda Hunt, and Sting, as well as in John Harrison's three-part mini-series (2000) with William Hurt and Alec Newman.
Inspired by the sandworms in a different way, Dylan soon put aside his fishing gear and concentrated on working the boat. We left the mooring at about 18:20. I work the motor and tiller until we are safely through the rocks of Dexter's Cove and out into the Weweantic River. A few hundred meters downstream are positioned a pair of locally maintained red and green navigation buoys, closely-set to mark a narrow in the river channel. We call this site, "The Teeth." To the seaward side of this point, the First Mate takes the helm. Once we clear Cromeset Point and the "Red 6" navigation aid (marking the mouth of the Wareham river on the other side of the Point), then we set sail.
Cromeset Point is the confluence of the Weweantic and Wareham Rivers.
On this trip we had headed out just at low tide, which meant Dylan had an opportunity to see the exposed rocks of "Little Bird Island" in northern Buzzards Bay. He had been there once before, a week earlier, when he and I had motored out without sailing. But it had been high tide in that instance, and all but the highest rocks were submerged. To the south, off Butler Point at the mouth of Marion's Sippican harbor, lies Bird Island and its lighthouse. The kids are familiar with Bird Island light, which is visible from several town beaches. Little Bird Island, by contrast, was something more special: a small rocky shoal posing a navigation hazard to boats, to the local landlubber it was less accessible, more remote, or even unknown. Dylan wanted to go there.
About fifteen minutes later, we were off Great Hill and well into the northwest corner of the Buzzards Bay. Under a gentle breeze, we unfurled the jib and sailed ENE to approach Little Bird Island.
Dylan hails Little Bird Island
It was just a bunch of rocks, but the First Mate was so excited.
Little Bird Island at low tide
About fifteen minutes later, we were off Great Hill and well into the northwest corner of the Buzzards Bay. Under a gentle breeze, we unfurled the jib and sailed ENE to approach Little Bird Island.
Dylan hails Little Bird Island
It was just a bunch of rocks, but the First Mate was so excited.
Afterwards, we turned around and sailed back close-hauled SSW for Great Hill, then NW back up to the Weweantic River and our mooring. It was a short ninety minute sail, covering about five-and-a-half nautical miles. But it was our first successful use of the jib. I was happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I welcome your comments and suggestions....