# Getting through the Cape Cod Canal



## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Hi All...

I read this article:

How To Go Through Cape Cod Canal

and others like it (BTW the link in that article to the US Army Corps Engineers is broken) and I do understand that it's the tide imbalance at each end of the canal that causes the swift current.

The question I have not found an answer to is, given that it's the combination of tides at each end, how do I know when the tide is running which way and at what velocity? I ordered an Eldridge Tide Book so perhaps that will explain but I can imagine that there are a number of possible tide combinations at each end that could make it interesting.


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## mikel1 (Oct 19, 2008)

Eldridge has a section on it . . . There is a thread on this here somewhere . . . Sure others will chime in . . .


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=278305

The flood currents runs East, the ebb West. All you need to know.

You can find the Canal tide table most anywhere including likely on your GPS device.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## Geoff54 (Oct 30, 2011)

Take a look at this thread
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gener...elated/287001-cape-cod-canal-reassure-me.html

Best tables are these, they tell you when the tide turn at the railroad bridge and at each end.
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Portals/74/docs/Recreation/CCC/tidetables2017.pdf


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks everyone, great info! I'll study it all.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

sailingfool said:


> Cape Cod to Portland - SailNet Community
> 
> The flood currents runs East, the ebb West. All you need to know.





Geoff54 said:


> Take a look at this thread
> http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gener...elated/287001-cape-cod-canal-reassure-me.html
> 
> Best tables are these, they tell you when the tide turn at the railroad bridge and at each end.
> http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Portals/74/docs/Recreation/CCC/tidetables2017.pdf


So, I realize this should be easy but looking at that table I'm not sure what the best way to proceed is. For example, Sep 3rd...

If I read it right, at the RR bridge the current turns to start flowing west at 0836 and high tide at Sandwich is 0953. So is it as simple as entering the canal on the east side after 0953?


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## sati8d (Jun 21, 2012)

As we're heading up there next week, I took interest into these comments and I thank Geoff54 for the USACE link!! This is my interpretation - please correct me if I'm getting it wrong!
If you look at the first left column, it tells you the time the current shifts east to west and the expected time. If you'll note for example on 7 Sept, it shifts to east flow at 04something and shifts back west at 1112, which tells me that the current is flowing E to W from 04 to 11, which is 7 hours of flow. The canal is not that long so I should have no issue in a 43' ketch. However, knowing a ripping current in a sailboat with only 7 knots of engine can be pretty unnerving as the boat is going with the current. So, timing is of essence - right? I plan to shoot the canal as close to switch time as possible because that's either max flood or slack. Picking an inbetween time means the current is going to be at it's strongest flow.

Sent from my SM-P550 using Tapatalk


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

sati8d said:


> As we're heading up there next week, I took interest into these comments and I thank Geoff54 for the USACE link!! This is my interpretation - please correct me if I'm getting it wrong!
> If you look at the first left column, it tells you the time the current shifts east to west and the expected time. If you'll note for example on 7 Sept, it shifts to east flow at 04something and shifts back west at 1112, which tells me that the current is flowing E to W from 04 to 11, which is 7 hours of flow. The canal is not that long so I should have no issue in a 43' ketch. However, knowing a ripping current in a sailboat with only 7 knots of engine can be pretty unnerving as the boat is going with the current. So, timing is of essence - right? I plan to shoot the canal as close to switch time as possible because that's either max flood or slack. Picking an inbetween time means the current is going to be at it's strongest flow.
> 
> Sent from my SM-P550 using Tapatalk


No need to do the CCC at slack. Do it when it's ripping the direction you wanna go. It's not like a class 5 rapid, it's more like a very steady flow with a few boils here and there, but it will not be a problem, and you'll enjoy seeing 12 Knots on the GPS.

Just don't go against.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

jarcher said:


> So, I realize this should be easy but looking at that table I'm not sure what the best way to proceed is. For example, Sep 3rd...
> 
> If I read it right, at the RR bridge the current turns to start flowing west at 0836 and high tide at Sandwich is 0953. So is it as simple as entering the canal on the east side after 0953?


Yes.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

sailingfool said:


> Yes.


Okay, and if I wanted to go when the current was the strongest in my direction, would that be half way between turning times at the RR bridge, or mid tide at Sandwich?

of, if it takes 2 hours to get through, 1 hour before mid tide at Sandwich as tide ebbs?

UPDATE! Major brain fart when I wrote this... Current will be strongest as tide reaches its lowest point, not mid-tide.


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## capecodda (Oct 6, 2009)

jarcher said:


> Okay, and if I wanted to go when the current was the strongest in my direction, would that be half way between turning times at the RR bridge, or mid tide at Sandwich?
> 
> of, if it takes 2 hours to get through, 1 hour before mid tide at Sandwich as tide ebbs?


Use the RR bridge, you'll be through in about 1 hr if you go near max favorable current, including hog island channel (Buzzards bay end). One other trick, if you look carefully at the hog island end, there is a secondary channel off to one side. If it's honking from the SW, and you are headed towards Buzzards Bay, when you get to hog island channel there will be some nice standing waves with current against wind and chop. If you're not liking the ride, take the secondary channel. This won't happen heading east as you'll have timing the current to be favorable which will correspond w/prevailing SW wind.

Eldridge has a good tables, etc...suggest having one on board. Good sailing, and have fun.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Only thing that may be troublesome is on the buzzard bay/onset side. Occasionally you can see standing waves near mass maritime. Here just slow down a bit and hit them near perpendicular to glide over them. In a 43' ketch shouldn't be an issue.
Other thing to watch out for is the gas barges. Canal is quite deep all the way out to the edges. Plenty of room to stay away from them. It's very important to know when the railroad bridge is up. More than timing for maximum vmg you should time for the bridge.


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## sati8d (Jun 21, 2012)

Great comments. Appreciate them. Dont have these fun things to navigate in the Chesapeake

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## fallard (Nov 30, 2009)

jarcher said:


> Okay, and if I wanted to go when the current was the strongest in my direction, would that be half way between turning times at the RR bridge, or mid tide at Sandwich?
> 
> of, if it takes 2 hours to get through, 1 hour before mid tide at Sandwich as tide ebbs?
> 
> UPDATE! Major brain fart when I wrote this... Current will be strongest as tide reaches its lowest point, not mid-tide.


FWIW, Garmin BlueChart Mobile (Navionics base) shows high tide at 10:00 AM on 3 Sept at the east end of the canal. Max current around that time at the east end would be 2.6 kts at 10:56 AM. An hour later, the current by the RR bridge by the west end would be >3.5 kts. If you wait a week, the peak currents at the RR bridge will exceed 6 kts.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

fallard said:


> FWIW, Garmin BlueChart Mobile (Navionics base) shows high tide at 10:00 AM on 3 Sept at the east end of the canal. Max current around that time at the east end would be 2.6 kts at 10:56 AM. An hour later, the current by the RR bridge by the west end would be >3.5 kts. If you wait a week, the peak currents at the RR bridge will exceed 6 kts.


That sounds like fun!


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## fallard (Nov 30, 2009)

jarcher said:


> That sounds like fun!


That would be fun if the RR bridge isn't down. Thanks to a battery issue that delayed my departure from P-town, I once made that E-W passage at max current, hitting 11.5 kts over the bottom by the Mass Maritime Academy. The tug at their dock left a wake! Yes, it had an element of fun, but there was that nagging concern about the RR bridge schedule. Thankfully, it was up.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

fallard said:


> That would be fun if the RR bridge isn't down. Thanks to a battery issue that delayed my departure from P-town, I once made that E-W passage at max current, hitting 11.5 kts over the bottom by the Mass Maritime Academy. The tug at their dock left a wake! Yes, it had an element of fun, but there was that nagging concern about the RR bridge schedule. Thankfully, it was up.


Canal Traffic Control sets the traffic control lights at either end of the canal RED then they run their boat through the canal to chase out any stragglers (tell you to hurry up or assist) before they lower the bridge. In addition, the CTC office is monitoring the entire canal via Radar and CCTV, so they can tell if there are boats that are in the way.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

jarcher said:


> Okay, and if I wanted to go when the current was the strongest in my direction, would that be half way between turning times at the RR bridge, or mid tide at Sandwich?
> 
> of, if it takes 2 hours to get through, 1 hour before mid tide at Sandwich as tide ebbs?
> 
> UPDATE! Major brain fart when I wrote this... Current will be strongest as tide reaches its lowest point, not mid-tide.


NO. Read Eldrich and _UNDERSTAND _the Rule of Twelfths. The current will be strongest at approximately 3.5 hours after (and before) slack tide.

On September 3, at the Sagamore Bridge, the maximum current flow will be west at around 1:30pm, and east at about 6:am and 7:30pm.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

eherlihy said:


> NO. Read Eldrich and _UNDERSTAND _the Rule of Twelfths. The current will be strongest at approximately 3.5 hours after (and before) slack tide.
> 
> On September 3, at the Sagamore Bridge, the maximum current flow will be west at around 1:30pm, and east at about 6:am and 7:30pm.


Yup my Eldridge came in yesterday (LOVE Amzon Prime with Sunday delivery). I studied it all last night and saw where I went wrong. Eldridge makes it easy.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

eherlihy said:


> Canal Traffic Control sets the traffic control lights at either end of the canal RED then they run their boat through the canal to chase out any stragglers (tell you to hurry up or assist) before they lower the bridge. In addition, the CTC office is monitoring the entire canal via Radar and CCTV, so they can tell if there are boats that are in the way.


That's good to know. It had occurred to me that if the current is strong it won't be possible to stop, except by turning around into it and opening throttle. But I realized they must have a system to prevent that. It's not like no one thought of it.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

eherlihy said:


> NO. Read Eldrich and _UNDERSTAND _the Rule of Twelfths. The current will be strongest at approximately 3.5 hours after (and before) slack tide.
> 
> On September 3, at the Sagamore Bridge, the maximum current flow will be west at around 1:30pm, and east at about 6:am and 7:30pm.


Now I'm having a brain fart.... That should have stated 3 hours, not 3.5 hours. (six divided by two!)

Maximum current, therefore will be west at, or near, 1:00pm and east at 5:30am and 7:00pm.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I suspect this one is being over thought a bit. Travel sometime between slack-fair-slack and consider current on the Buzzards Bay side for the remainder of the passage too. As mentioned, a good SW wind (prevailing), with a strong westbound current will get nasty off Hog Island. 

Any time I try to target shoot a current to the exact hour, the weather, my boat, or something teaches me otherwise and I get delayed anyway.

I have been caught, along with a few other boats, in the canal, when the bridge went down. It must not have a been a big current, because I recall simply maneuvering around for 10 or 15 minutes. It was no big deal.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

I overthink everything! In truth, we're going into the canal as soon as we can, meaning as soon as the current is going west. If we arrive and it's going west, we're in. As long as there is enough time to get through before it reverses, that is. If we take a break I prefer it to be on the Buzzard's Bay side so that we're not stuck waiting 6 hours.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Weren't you laying up in Sandwich or at a friends on the East end, or am I thinking of another thread?

If anything, timing to be at the front end of the fair current, allows you to be late. If you're early, you can always slow down. Depending on how far down Buzzards you would like to travel, you might prefer that current remained fair too.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> Weren't you laying up in Sandwich or at a friends on the East end, or am I thinking of another thread?
> 
> If anything, timing to be at the front end of the fair current, allows you to be late. If you're early, you can always slow down. Depending on how far down Buzzards you would like to travel, you might prefer that current remained fair too.


Yeah they were available last weekend, but the delay to this weekend changed that. But even if they become available I think I would prefer to get through if possible before we stop. We can meet them on land by car.

We're going straight from Eastport, ME, up around the island and then a straight shot to CCC. So depending upon the wind, I don't know for sure when we'll arrive. If it becomes clear we will have to wait then we'll plan to stop on the east side, but if possible I hope to get through. From the west side, after any small break, it's non-stop to Rhode Island.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Crossing the Gulf of Maine in that direction is likely to be slow. It's directly into the prevailing. Have fun.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> Crossing the Gulf of Maine in that direction is likely to be slow. It's directly into the prevailing. Have fun.


Yup it sure is. And although its far away, GFS says we'll have some wind out of the west for a good chunk of Saturday, then it changes to come out of the southwest.

Well, I can make 6.5 knots through the water with the engine if need be...


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## Cdory28167 (Sep 6, 2011)

Don't use a tide table to predict currents unless you know that the tide and current turn at the same time. Very often, they don't! The current tables for the Cape Cod Canal are straightforward.

No need to plan on maximum flow, as the canal current will run fairly quickly once it turns. Better to plan your most convenient arrival time at the canal entrance based on your cruising itinerary. (If you're going into Buzzards Bay and will be facing the prevailing SW afternoon breeze, the earlier the better to avoid the standing waves.)


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## geo fish (Aug 25, 2017)

Interesting thread. I grew up (in the 60s, 70s, 80s,) sailing off the east end of the Canal (Sagamore Beach) and Buzzards Bay, traversing the Canal too many times to count. The only caution I have is to watch for an outgoing tide at the RR Bridge with a strong SW wind in Buzzards Bay. The funnel effect of pushing waters up the Bay into the Canal against the outgoing tide can create interesting situations from the RR Bridge through the end of Mashnee Island and the Wings Neck Coast Guard Station. Not as treacherous as "The Cut" at Woods Hole, but sufficient to get the adrenaline going. Good luck.


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## superslomo (Jun 16, 2015)

How often is that bridge lowered? I was there on shore for a week of vacation, and can't recalling seeing a train down the way we were, or seeing the railroad bridge lowered at all.

Echoing the above, trust a connected nav app or eldridge. I'd go with the latter at least as a resource, as it shows really fleshed out data on how the currents work their way through all of Buzzards Bay over the hours, and should help you visualize the turn and flow.

I did sit by the canal and have a sandwich while driving from point A to point B there, the current is impressive even from shore when it's really ripping along...


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

superslomo said:


> Echoing the above, trust a connected nav app or eldridge. I'd go with the latter at least as a resource, as it shows really fleshed out data on how the currents work their way through all of Buzzards Bay over the hours, and should help you visualize the turn and flow.


I'll have a copy of Eldridge, a Garmin GPSMAP 942 and an iPad with Garmin BlueChart (whatever it's called) app on it. So plenty of data, I just have to make sure I know how to interpret it, and this thread has been a great help.


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## Cdory28167 (Sep 6, 2011)

Not sure how often the railroad bridge is lowered, but it goes down both for the trash train and for passenger trains. Monitor CH13 for announcements. You can always call canal control and ask if there's a scheduled lowering... also call them if you have any questions about commercial traffic or the like.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

capecodda said:


> One other trick, if you look carefully at the hog island end, there is a secondary channel off to one side. If it's honking from the SW, and you are headed towards Buzzards Bay, when you get to hog island channel there will be some nice standing waves with current against wind and chop. If you're not liking the ride, take the secondary channel. This won't happen heading east as you'll have timing the current to be favorable which will correspond w/prevailing SW wind.


I studied the chart and can't find the secondary channel. Basically my plan was to stay in the suggested channel until I hit lighted can "1", Fl G2.5s, then head due east to home (Newport). It seems I could depart from that channel to save a little time, although I see rocks aplenty near the shore.


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## Cdory28167 (Sep 6, 2011)

Bail out to port at about R18 and stay far enough off Mashnee Island to avoid the rocks. Head for the #9 can, then head south, heeding the buoys. It's a longer, faster way if the seas are against you.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

​


Cdory28167 said:


> Bail out to port at about R18 and stay far enough off Mashnee Island to avoid the rocks. Head for the #9 can, then head south, heeding the buoys. It's a longer, faster way if the seas are against you.


Oh I see, thanks! I'll create a route for that.


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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

jarcher said:


> ... So depending upon the wind, I don't know for sure when we'll arrive. If it becomes clear we will have to wait then we'll plan to stop on the east side, but if possible I hope to get through. From the west side, after any small break, it's non-stop to Rhode Island.


FWIW, you can pass the Canal against the current by riding the shallow water along the Canal edge, the current drops to nil. I have done this several times, you need to pay close attention because even in 30 feet of water you are only 40 feet from shore.

We came west through the Canal one afternoon last Summer with the current, as we passed Mashnee Island into Buzzards Bay, we could see the vessels ahead of us being beaten by the standing waves, so we cut left into the alternate channel that runs along Wings Neck. When we re-entered the open Bay at the west end of Wings Neck we were well ahead of those vessels banging up the main channel. However, even at this point several miles into the Bay we took several waves across the deck and the crew mutinied, requiring a u-turn to go back to Onset for an overnight court martial.

Considering how slow and uncomfortable the the first three, four six(?) miles into Buzzards Bay are when you have current opposing the prevailing 20kt SW, I suspect the faster transit time from the East end of the Canal to the bottom of Buzzards Bay may be to enter the Canal against the current, foregoing the speed benefit of a favorable current, but allowing you to get much more quickly through the upper part of Buzzards Bay without scaring the SO and emptying all your cabinets on the floor.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

sailingfool said:


> ...
> We came west through the Canal one afternoon last Summer with the current, as we passed Mashnee Island into Buzzards Bay, we could see the vessels ahead of us being beaten by the standing waves, so we cut left into the alternate channel that runs along Wings Neck. When we re-entered the open Bay at the west end of Wings Neck we were well ahead of those vessels banging up the main channel. However, even at this point several miles into the Bay we took several waves across the deck and the crew mutinied, requiring a u-turn to go back to Onset for an overnight court martial.


I did this once on a friend's Catalina 380. Even on his boat (larger than sailingfool's Pearson) we were still taking water over the bow and having a miserable ride. However, once we make it around Wing's Neck, we were able to settle into the protection of Red Brook Harbor, behind Basett's Island, for a beautiful sunset. The next morning we continued on to our destination.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Hi All...

As an update, I have not been through yet. Weather has really made getting the boat home difficult. The current plan is to do it Friday (tomorrow) and Saturday, putting me at the canal some time Saturday morning. Sadly, not the best time to arrive.

I found a link that really makes understanding the current simple, thought I would share:

Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts Current Predictions

Cheers!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm having a brain spasm. Isn't flood going from west to east? You'll have to practically transit before sunrise on Sat morning. That your plan?


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

Minne is correct. Flood goes from west to east through the CCC.

Therefore, heading east to west anytime between 12 and 6 (AM or PM) should be good.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> I'm having a brain spasm. Isn't flood going from west to east? You'll have to practically transit before sunrise on Sat morning. That your plan?


My understanding is that flood is west to east, and I want to go at ebb (I'm going east to west). I don't think I can enter after about 4:00AM, so I'm planning to arrive Saturday and go through at noon or 12:30ish. Current turns to flow to the east at the RR bridge at 12:36PM). I could probably arrive in time very early morning but I prefer to do it in daylight.

At this point the boat is in Falmouth, ME and we're departing there at about 11:00AM Friday. At 5.0 knots average speed it's a 24 hour trip to arrive at the east entrance at about 11:00AM Saturday.

Did I miss something?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

jarcher said:


> ......, putting me at the canal some time Saturday morning. Sadly, not the best time to arrive.....


This comment threw me. There is really no time, during daylight, on Saturday morning that is good to transit westbound. If you're arriving very late in the morning and waiting for the current to slack in the early afternoon, that sounds right on.

Good luck on the passage. We'll be out and about this weekend, maybe we'll see you pass somewhere.


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> If you're arriving very late in the morning and waiting for the current to slack in the early afternoon, that sounds right on.
> 
> Good luck on the passage. We'll be out and about this weekend, maybe we'll see you pass somewhere.


That's the plan. We'll be in a Beneteau First 36.7 named Savory. We'll watch for you!


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## jarcher (Jul 29, 2008)

We made it!!! Yesterday morning we got to the canal just after 7:00AM, planning to go west to east. Well, the flood was to begin at 9:30AM but I didn't want to wait around for five hours, so at 7:10 in we went. I took a hint from someone who posted earlier about staying near the edge where the current is lower, and did that. I figured I could always turn around if need be. Our speed over ground varied from a low of 2.8 knots (only briefly) to well over 5 knots, but mostly was between 3.5 and 4.25. We came out the land cut portion almost exactly two hours later. The land cut part is about 6nm long so we made an average speed of 3 knots through it. There was no other traffic in our direction and only several boats the other way.

I didn't expect the problems we had with the fisherman. I misunderstood the purpose of the canal. I was under the mistaken impression that all that infrastructure was to support mariners and commerce. Clearly I was in error. I now know that the canal is there to provide fishing areas. As we motored along the edge of the canal, at least until the first bridge, we endured near constant harassment from people fishing along the side. Lots of cellimg and swearing at us, which we ignored. They quite deliberately cast their lines a few feet in front of us and behind us. One moron deliberately hit us with a well weighted lure that he at least removed the hooks from. It actually bounced off my head and then hit my left hand, which was on the helm. We tried to grab it but my mate was not fast enough. Traffic control apparently saw this because they sent a boat to check on us.

Other than that the transit went extremely well and was a lot of fun. 

Thanks for the tips everyone!


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## mikel1 (Oct 19, 2008)

Wow! Glad you made it through fine . . . sorry you encountered that ******** behavior . . . yelling is one thing (and I don't think that was even called for). I believe anything physical is actually illegal battery. . . . .Happy all's well that ends well . .


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Maybe he was fishing for a fish off the protected endangered list......the dangerous Sailboat Fish.

Glad your trip was uneventful.


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