I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will be
close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access. I
assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near access),
but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to the Saint
Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I get back the
same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other Great Lake towns)?
etc.

Do I have to pay to use locks or would I have free access? Which channels
are navigable by sail versus which need power?

For any given town, I can look up if it has ports, but it's often hard to
tell if there is a 2-way route to sea. Also, I'm trying to find a list of
all towns with access, not just one at a time. Maybe I just need a good set
of charts which shows river currents and depth. Would they also show ports?
Is there a good book on cities with ocean access?

Are there other factors I need to consider in selecting a city/town with a
port?

Thanks so much,
Colin

On Tue, 15 Nov 2005 13:58:13 GMT, "Aimee Shimlis"
wrote:

I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will be
close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access. I
assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near access),
but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to the Saint
Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I get back the
same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other Great Lake towns)?
etc.

For a list of all US ports (including the St Laurence R and the Great
Lakes, the E coast, W Coast, Gulf Coast, Alaska, Aleutians and
Hawai'i, but not including Guam, America Samoa, US VI, etc), point
your browser to:
http://pollux.nss.nima.mil/pubs/pubs_j_wpi_qresult2.html?qmethod=geo_loc&country=U S&rid=4266

Cheers

Aimee Shimlis wrote:
I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will be
close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access. I
assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near access),
but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to the Saint
Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I get back the
same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other Great Lake towns)?
etc.

Do I have to pay to use locks or would I have free access? Which channels
are navigable by sail versus which need power?

For any given town, I can look up if it has ports, but it's often hard to
tell if there is a 2-way route to sea. Also, I'm trying to find a list of
all towns with access, not just one at a time. Maybe I just need a good set
of charts which shows river currents and depth. Would they also show ports?
Is there a good book on cities with ocean access?

Are there other factors I need to consider in selecting a city/town with a
port?

Thanks so much,
Colin


Yikes! You could fill a book on Nova Scotia alone.
There are cruising guides for sale that describe sailing information on
ports for a particular area. Do you need to work..or are you retired?
http://ca.binnacle.com/online/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=13050

In article VPlef.238$Sb.141@trndny03,
"Aimee Shimlis" wrote:

I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will be
close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access. I
assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near access),
but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to the Saint
Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I get back the
same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other Great Lake towns)?
etc.

Do I have to pay to use locks or would I have free access? Which channels
are navigable by sail versus which need power?

For any given town, I can look up if it has ports, but it's often hard to
tell if there is a 2-way route to sea. Also, I'm trying to find a list of
all towns with access, not just one at a time. Maybe I just need a good set
of charts which shows river currents and depth. Would they also show ports?
Is there a good book on cities with ocean access?

Are there other factors I need to consider in selecting a city/town with a
port?

Thanks so much,
Colin

Aimee, from Burlington VT, the easiest way is down the Canals (free),
down the Hudson, and out into the Ocean. I have not gone up North yet
but a few have.

However, (either way) sailboats are required to drop their masts (most
pick Westport NY and raise them in Kingston NY). I have not done it on
my sailboats but my son and I went down by powerboat. Abusing ourselves
(leaving my home in Malletts Bay at 7:30 AM to reach the canals at 10 AM
and getting yelled at by the lock meisters who figure out your speed by
your passage times, it takes a minimum of two very hard days to reach
the ocean. On a sailboat, figure three - four. Most sailors motor from
Whitehall NY (or even before) to NYC because the Hudson (and the
entrance to Whitehall) is not the widest of rivers and some places are
dwarfed by mountains (e.g., Bear Mountain area)

Unlike the other towns you mention, although our sailing (and boating
season is short (Late May - October) I would assert we have one of the
most beautiful boating regions in the country (nestled between two
mountain ranges), fresh water (better for swimming and boat
maintenance), great cruising, and no fog.

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Aimee Shimlis wrote:
I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I
will be close to water with ocean access ...

Since you are _very_ new to "boating/sailing" how can you be certain that
ocean access is of prime importance? Many "boating/sailing" enthusiasts
spend their entire lives just messin' around on lakes and bays and are none
the worse for it.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare

On Tue, 15 Nov 2005 11:06:17 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote:

Aimee Shimlis wrote:
I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I
will be close to water with ocean access ...

Since you are _very_ new to "boating/sailing" how can you be certain that
ocean access is of prime importance? Many "boating/sailing" enthusiasts
spend their entire lives just messin' around on lakes and bays and are none
the worse for it.

The other variable of course is that what is "ocean access" to a
Sandpiper or a Shark or some other trailer sailer might be something
else entirely to a larger boat. Also, the type of tides and riverine
currents you might have in a certain area (Saint John, N.B. comes to
mind) would dictate what type of boat vs. what degree of access.
Duluth is "ocean accessible" in that sense, but you have to be a
decent sailor in a well-found boat to traverse the first few hundred
miles of Lake Superior, which is likely to have more severe conditions
than anything you'd encounter before the Atlantic.

By contrast, consider the Amazon. I believe sailboats can go over
1,000 miles up it from the Atlantic delta without trouble and with
adequate draft (if you can figure out its ever-changing meanders and
avoid snagging on trees on its banks, I suppose).

The last thing to consider is whether you wish to use locks or not.
Many people on the Great Lakes lock down the Erie and the Hudson to
New York to reach the Atlantic, because at a few hundred miles of
mastless cruising and locking is vastly easier and takes weeks and
weeks less time than going out the St. Lawrence, around Nova Scotia
and past most of New England and is not for the inexperienced or those
on a schedule. (Although it's no doubt the better trip...)

R.

Definitely a possibility, but I have sailed with my father up from the
Caribbean on a ~35' Hunter. I'm pretty sure I'd like to repeat that trek a
few more times in my life (let me stress that at this point, I'm a novice
and totally unqualified for such a trip, but I hope to gain experience in a
safe environment and build up to that). I can also imagine wanting to try
something longer one day too.

I said "boating/sailing" in part because of the name of the newsgroup and in
part because I don't yet have a boat, but yes I intend to sail. I want to
find a home first, boat second. :-)

Thanks,
Colin


"Armond Perretta" wrote in message
...
Aimee Shimlis wrote:
I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I
will be close to water with ocean access ...

Since you are _very_ new to "boating/sailing" how can you be certain that
ocean access is of prime importance? Many "boating/sailing" enthusiasts
spend their entire lives just messin' around on lakes and bays and are
none
the worse for it.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare

I need to work, but I can do much of my consulting work remotely. I also
want a place that has snow cover most of the winter, culture within a couple
hour drive, etc. So, as you can see, I want to cross reference several
factors in looking for a good home.

Because I'm a novice, I'm quite ignorant on whether certain cities have
ocean access or not and how easy it is to get to and from the ocean from
those ports. I want to find out so I can limit my other searches to towns or
cities where I might have a slip off the end of my yard or within a
reasonably short drive.

You said a single book could cover just Nova Scotia. What if we limited it
to just a list of major towns and cities with ocean access?

Any suggestions? Harlan mad a good case for Burlington, which I must agree
is beautiful. Bil's list of ports also looks helpful.

Thanks,
Colin


"Don White" wrote in message
...
Aimee Shimlis wrote:
I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will
be close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access.
I assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near
access), but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to
the Saint Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I
get back the same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other
Great Lake towns)? etc.

Do I have to pay to use locks or would I have free access? Which channels
are navigable by sail versus which need power?

For any given town, I can look up if it has ports, but it's often hard to
tell if there is a 2-way route to sea. Also, I'm trying to find a list of
all towns with access, not just one at a time. Maybe I just need a good
set of charts which shows river currents and depth. Would they also show
ports? Is there a good book on cities with ocean access?

Are there other factors I need to consider in selecting a city/town with
a port?

Thanks so much,
Colin
Yikes! You could fill a book on Nova Scotia alone.
There are cruising guides for sale that describe sailing information on
ports for a particular area. Do you need to work..or are you retired?
http://ca.binnacle.com/online/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=13050

Sorry, sent from my wife's account earlier. Colin here.

I do love Burlington. It's been one of my top choices all along. However, I
like to be thorough.

Thanks,
Colin


"Harlan Lachman" wrote in message
...
In article VPlef.238$Sb.141@trndny03,
"Aimee Shimlis" wrote:

I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will
be
close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access.
I
assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near access),
but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to the Saint
Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I get back
the
same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other Great Lake
towns)?
etc.

Do I have to pay to use locks or would I have free access? Which channels
are navigable by sail versus which need power?

For any given town, I can look up if it has ports, but it's often hard to
tell if there is a 2-way route to sea. Also, I'm trying to find a list of
all towns with access, not just one at a time. Maybe I just need a good
set
of charts which shows river currents and depth. Would they also show
ports?
Is there a good book on cities with ocean access?

Are there other factors I need to consider in selecting a city/town with
a
port?

Thanks so much,
Colin

Aimee, from Burlington VT, the easiest way is down the Canals (free),
down the Hudson, and out into the Ocean. I have not gone up North yet
but a few have.

However, (either way) sailboats are required to drop their masts (most
pick Westport NY and raise them in Kingston NY). I have not done it on
my sailboats but my son and I went down by powerboat. Abusing ourselves
(leaving my home in Malletts Bay at 7:30 AM to reach the canals at 10 AM
and getting yelled at by the lock meisters who figure out your speed by
your passage times, it takes a minimum of two very hard days to reach
the ocean. On a sailboat, figure three - four. Most sailors motor from
Whitehall NY (or even before) to NYC because the Hudson (and the
entrance to Whitehall) is not the widest of rivers and some places are
dwarfed by mountains (e.g., Bear Mountain area)

Unlike the other towns you mention, although our sailing (and boating
season is short (Late May - October) I would assert we have one of the
most beautiful boating regions in the country (nestled between two
mountain ranges), fresh water (better for swimming and boat
maintenance), great cruising, and no fog.

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

In article Lxoef.1540$Rb.663@trndny01,
"WebColin" wrote:

Sorry, sent from my wife's account earlier. Colin here.

I do love Burlington. It's been one of my top choices all along. However, I
like to be thorough.

Thanks,
Colin


"Harlan Lachman" wrote in message
...
In article VPlef.238$Sb.141@trndny03,
"Aimee Shimlis" wrote:

I'm very new to boating/sailing and want to move to a place where I will
be
close to water with ocean access. I have not been able to find a
comprehensive list of U.S. (or global) cities or towns with ocean access.
I
assume all cities on the ocean have access (or at least are near access),
but what about towns like Burlington, VT - can I sail north to the Saint
Lawrence or south down the Hudson and reach the ocean? Could I get back
the
same way? What about Bangor, ME? Rochester, NY (and other Great Lake
towns)?
etc.

Do I have to pay to use locks or would I have free access? Which channels
are navigable by sail versus which need power?

For any given town, I can look up if it has ports, but it's often hard to
tell if there is a 2-way route to sea. Also, I'm trying to find a list of
all towns with access, not just one at a time. Maybe I just need a good
set
of charts which shows river currents and depth. Would they also show
ports?
Is there a good book on cities with ocean access?

Are there other factors I need to consider in selecting a city/town with
a
port?

Thanks so much,
Colin

Aimee, from Burlington VT, the easiest way is down the Canals (free),
down the Hudson, and out into the Ocean. I have not gone up North yet
but a few have.

However, (either way) sailboats are required to drop their masts (most
pick Westport NY and raise them in Kingston NY). I have not done it on
my sailboats but my son and I went down by powerboat. Abusing ourselves
(leaving my home in Malletts Bay at 7:30 AM to reach the canals at 10 AM
and getting yelled at by the lock meisters who figure out your speed by
your passage times, it takes a minimum of two very hard days to reach
the ocean. On a sailboat, figure three - four. Most sailors motor from
Whitehall NY (or even before) to NYC because the Hudson (and the
entrance to Whitehall) is not the widest of rivers and some places are
dwarfed by mountains (e.g., Bear Mountain area)

Unlike the other towns you mention, although our sailing (and boating
season is short (Late May - October) I would assert we have one of the
most beautiful boating regions in the country (nestled between two
mountain ranges), fresh water (better for swimming and boat
maintenance), great cruising, and no fog.

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Pop me a note if you manage to get up here. I'll buy you one of the
decent local brews (the wines are just eh).

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?