We left Atlantic Highlands NJ early on Friday. Actually a bit too early because you can only go through the East River in New York City with the current and the tide was going out when we approached the city.

Slowed to about 2 knots for hours we finally got to the river just as the tide changed and we went though quite quickly.

We had decided to go through the East River and then up Long Island Sound because the wind and waves on the “outside” were forecast to be on the nose and rough. “Inside” the wind was calm and the water as super flat.

As a result I got spoiled and ended up not being prepared for when we were crossing Newport Rhode Island, the waves were real and the wind was you guessed it, on the nose. It was near impossible for us to get up into Buzzards Bay and it took us significantly longer than I had expected.

As a result by Sunday morning it was clear that we were going to miss the window of the tide going through Cape Cod Canal which is another one that you must go with the current for.

So, we used our backup plan and ducked into Hadley Harbor for the day and night. The harbor has free to use mooring balls and I was very glad to have one since I needed to sleep.

Screenshot

To make the canal the next day we needed to leave at about 3:30 in the morning, absolute black. So we dropped the mooring ball and promptly ran aground. Seriously it was about 45 seconds after dropping the ball at most, probably closer to 25 seconds.

Finally though by 4:00 am we had floated up off the mud and were on our way. Only to discover that somehow the wind had shifted and the wind was once again.. on the stupid nose.

Instead of arriving at the Cape Cod Canal at 6 am when I’d hoped we arrived at 8 am which was just as the tide was getting ready to switch from favorable to “no go”. This ironically was the very time that we would have arrived it we hadn’t “bugged out” and gone to Hadley Harbor to sleep.

But we were committed at this point and through the canal we went. Not our usual seven to ten knots with the help of the current, no we started at five knots and ended at a knot an a half. But finally we exited the canal and somehow found that the wind had shifted and was once again.. On the stupid nose!

So we motored for six hours all the way to Provincetown Massachusetts. Entered the harbor and picked up our mooring. It was only four in the afternoon, or maybe it was five. Tired as we were we decided to make our way to shore and walk to the grocery store for some snacks.

Despite our solar not being up to the needs when we turn on the freezer the freezer was turned on and we picked up ice cream sandwiches and zero sugar popsicles!

Provincetown at last. And on the mooring for several months. Tons of work to do for sure but in one spot and a couple of weeks to relax with Ryan before he was on his way. Work could wait.