Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

"Mark Borgerson" wrote in message
My personal experience is that fjords are not really a top attraction
for sailors. The winds in them usually end up right on your nose
and you spend a lot of time on short tacks. At least that was my
experience in trying to SAIL up to Princess Louisa Inlet in BC. IIRC, I
motored more than half the time. Of course, the extreme tidal currents
at the entrance make it necessary to time your arrival at Malibu
Rapids--which gives you little slack for coping with fluky winds.

Oh, and the fjords in BC are not much for anchorages--water depths are
often several hundred feet just a few hundred feet away from the
rock wall.


Somes Sound is not a great sailing spot, but its only 4 miles long. The
attraction is the view, which includes an anchorage under a 600 foot cliff.
There is also a quiet anchorage at the head that's a short walk from the best
bookstore on the island.

Frankly Mt Desert is nice but it is a bit hectic. If you want quiet beauty
there are dozens of other spots, within 20 miles.

-jeff

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

In article , jeffmo@nospam-at-all-
sv-loki.com says...
"Mark Borgerson" wrote in message
My personal experience is that fjords are not really a top attraction
for sailors. The winds in them usually end up right on your nose
and you spend a lot of time on short tacks. At least that was my
experience in trying to SAIL up to Princess Louisa Inlet in BC. IIRC, I
motored more than half the time. Of course, the extreme tidal currents
at the entrance make it necessary to time your arrival at Malibu
Rapids--which gives you little slack for coping with fluky winds.

Oh, and the fjords in BC are not much for anchorages--water depths are
often several hundred feet just a few hundred feet away from the
rock wall.


Somes Sound is not a great sailing spot, but its only 4 miles long. The
attraction is the view, which includes an anchorage under a 600 foot cliff.
There is also a quiet anchorage at the head that's a short walk from the best
bookstore on the island.

600 feet! They must be really cliff-deprived back there!

http://www.oes.to/ships/PLouisa.jpg

Princess Louisa Inlet and the approaches often have 600 foot cliffs
under the water---but no bookstore within 20 miles, though. ;-)


Frankly Mt Desert is nice but it is a bit hectic. If you want quiet beauty
there are dozens of other spots, within 20 miles.

It was certainly hectic when I drove around the area in the summer
about 15 years ago.

-jeff


Mark Borgerson

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

In article , jeffmo@nospam-at-all-
sv-loki.com says...
"Mark Borgerson" wrote in message
My personal experience is that fjords are not really a top attraction
for sailors. The winds in them usually end up right on your nose
and you spend a lot of time on short tacks. At least that was my
experience in trying to SAIL up to Princess Louisa Inlet in BC. IIRC, I
motored more than half the time. Of course, the extreme tidal currents
at the entrance make it necessary to time your arrival at Malibu
Rapids--which gives you little slack for coping with fluky winds.

Oh, and the fjords in BC are not much for anchorages--water depths are
often several hundred feet just a few hundred feet away from the
rock wall.


Somes Sound is not a great sailing spot, but its only 4 miles long. The
attraction is the view, which includes an anchorage under a 600 foot cliff.
There is also a quiet anchorage at the head that's a short walk from the best
bookstore on the island.

600 feet! They must be really cliff-deprived back there!

http://www.oes.to/ships/PLouisa.jpg

Princess Louisa Inlet and the approaches often have 600 foot cliffs
under the water---but no bookstore within 20 miles, though. ;-)


Frankly Mt Desert is nice but it is a bit hectic. If you want quiet beauty
there are dozens of other spots, within 20 miles.

It was certainly hectic when I drove around the area in the summer
about 15 years ago.

-jeff


Mark Borgerson

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

Wow! what great responses. I think I owe it to you to fill in some
more details about myself and my needs.

I will be sailing with just my wife with whom I race in Portland. She
has limited cruising experience. Boat size is always a compromise of
a number of factors so we tend to prefer a boat in the 30-35 foot
range. We're both athletic and don't like being stuck on-board for
days at a time so shore activities are important. State Parks, like
those in the San Juans, are ideal because the better ones have nice
trails that one can spend considerable time walking around and
exploring the entire island.

I expect that we'll use just one week but two weeks are not out of the
question. Because it's going to be a charter we'll need to schedule
in advance. We are pretty flexible about what time of the season. Of
course the longer days, earlier in Summer give you more time to travel
and go ashore.

All of my sailing has been in the PNW. I have probably a year on-board
sailing the leeward side of Vancouver Island: Puget Sound, San Jauns,
Gulf Islands, Strait of Jaun de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, Desolation
Sound, Johnstone Strait, Queen Charlotte Strait, and probably 100 days
on the Columbia river between Portland and Astoria. I have sailed in
fog (prefer not to repeat). My chart reading and dead reckoning
skills are fine, of course GPS with built in charting make those
skills less important these days. I have lots of experience coping
with strong currents. I have no real offshore Pacific coast
passage-making experience as I'm not a big fan of the sea-sickness
that seems enevitable with the Pacific swell.

Dean

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

Wow! what great responses. I think I owe it to you to fill in some
more details about myself and my needs.

I will be sailing with just my wife with whom I race in Portland. She
has limited cruising experience. Boat size is always a compromise of
a number of factors so we tend to prefer a boat in the 30-35 foot
range. We're both athletic and don't like being stuck on-board for
days at a time so shore activities are important. State Parks, like
those in the San Juans, are ideal because the better ones have nice
trails that one can spend considerable time walking around and
exploring the entire island.

I expect that we'll use just one week but two weeks are not out of the
question. Because it's going to be a charter we'll need to schedule
in advance. We are pretty flexible about what time of the season. Of
course the longer days, earlier in Summer give you more time to travel
and go ashore.

All of my sailing has been in the PNW. I have probably a year on-board
sailing the leeward side of Vancouver Island: Puget Sound, San Jauns,
Gulf Islands, Strait of Jaun de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, Desolation
Sound, Johnstone Strait, Queen Charlotte Strait, and probably 100 days
on the Columbia river between Portland and Astoria. I have sailed in
fog (prefer not to repeat). My chart reading and dead reckoning
skills are fine, of course GPS with built in charting make those
skills less important these days. I have lots of experience coping
with strong currents. I have no real offshore Pacific coast
passage-making experience as I'm not a big fan of the sea-sickness
that seems enevitable with the Pacific swell.

Dean

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

The most encouraging destinations discussed so far are on the New
England coast. I have a few questions that I'd like to push back
about Maine:
Is the Maine fog less of a problem in September? Is the high season
fog all that bad? Does it burn of in the afternoon?
Do the winds hold up in Maine in Sep.?
What is the public land situation in Maine? Are there public parks
where one can wander around?

Thanks,
Dean

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

The most encouraging destinations discussed so far are on the New
England coast. I have a few questions that I'd like to push back
about Maine:
Is the Maine fog less of a problem in September? Is the high season
fog all that bad? Does it burn of in the afternoon?
Do the winds hold up in Maine in Sep.?
What is the public land situation in Maine? Are there public parks
where one can wander around?

Thanks,
Dean

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

I also have a few questions about Southern New England:
Do the winds hold up in Sep.?
It sounds pretty commercialized. I'm worried about not finding a
place to anchor. Is there much hope for a primitive experience or are
you at the mercy of the local property owners?
Don't get me wrong, I do like to stop in at the occasional small port
but there are only so many gift shops and book stores that I can put
up with.

Dean

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

I also have a few questions about Southern New England:
Do the winds hold up in Sep.?
It sounds pretty commercialized. I'm worried about not finding a
place to anchor. Is there much hope for a primitive experience or are
you at the mercy of the local property owners?
Don't get me wrong, I do like to stop in at the occasional small port
but there are only so many gift shops and book stores that I can put
up with.

Dean

Best East Coast Summer Cruising Grounds
 

Dean B wrote:

Is the Maine fog less of a problem in September?

Usually, but maybe not when _you_ are there.

Is the high season
fog all that bad? Does it burn of in the afternoon?

Usually, but maybe not when _you_ are there.

Do the winds hold up in Maine in Sep.?

Usually, but maybe not when _you_ are there. BTW September is cold in Maine
(but maybe not when _you_ are there).

What is the public land situation in Maine? Are there public parks
where one can wander around?

Now for a "straight" answer. Acadia National Park is accessible from your
boat at 2 locations: Mount Desert Island and Isle au Haut. It's not to be
missed, and your views on the Rockefellers may chjange after your visit.

BTW I was obviously "joshin'" you above, but there is no _real_answer to
your questions. Read the cruising guides and make your best guess. If
someone offers you a sure-fire answer to such questions, make sure you get
a _written_ guarantee.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com