Macne to Mass anyone?

[ZombieOTTR]

I was contemplating maybe doing a paddle from the Main border to the Mass border. Maybe in a month or two. Would anyone be interested?

[ZombieOTTR]

It's about 15 miles from border to border. Figured it would be a slow and steady paddle with breaks as needed. Most of it is beach too so we can land on shore when needed too.

[Badger]

Wow, you are totally new to SUP, you've never even been on a paddleboard and you want to try a 15 mile open ocean voyage in a month or two? You might want to plan that one for next year.

That will take at least 5 or 6 hours of paddling for you on the Atlas Extra Wide you have on order and that's only if you are lucky enough to get a day with no wind or chop. It will be quite an endurance test even with beach breaks.

Do a couple 10 milers on flatwater first and then decide if you want to attempt it.

I've done a few short ocean trips like Rye Harbor to Rye Ledge and back, about 4.5 miles. I do it when there's waves so I can stop and surf at various spots.

Long distance ocean paddles can be boring. Car shuttling is a hassle unless it's for downwinders and the NH coast isn't really conducive to downwinding. I wish it was.

They planned a race last year from The Wall to Long Sands but it was canceled due to adverse conditions, which is not surprising. There are very few days when a trip like that is possible.

[Zooport]

I've done a few short ocean trips like Rye Harbor to Rye Ledge and back, about 4.5 miles. I do it when there's waves so I can stop and surf at various spots.

That sounds like a blast. 

[Badger]

I've done a few short ocean trips like Rye Harbor to Rye Ledge and back, about 4.5 miles. I do it when there's waves so I can stop and surf at various spots.

That sounds like a blast.

Yeah, I do that on my M-12'6. That thing surfs great. It has great glide for catching bumps. There are some offshore ledges that break around low tide when it's big that I'm dying to hit.

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[Badger]

There are lots of better things to do than just paddling along the coast.

One run I highly recommend is around Gerrish Island at Kittery Point. It covers about 8 miles and has a bit of everything. Creek, marsh, harbor, and 3 miles of ocean with a number of spots to surf along the way. You have to time it so that you go through the marsh around high tide.  Just paddling through the marsh to Brave Boat harbor and back is good paddle in itself.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0827133,-70.6746939,14z

It's about 5 miles around New Castle Island.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0647192,-70.7142618,14z

If you want to really cover some ground, try paddling one of the many tidal rivers that dot the coast. You can almost double your speed going with the tide on some rivers, or just drift and let the tide take you. Let the tide decide how long your trip will be. Time it so that the tide turns at the halfway point and brings you back to where you started. You have a choice of going in and out with the tide or out and in. York River is a good one, as well as all the rivers surrounding Great Bay, plus Sagamore Creek in Portsmouth and Spruce Creek in Kittery. Hampton and Seabrook Harbors have some long runs through the marsh. The marshes at Odiorn Point and Rye Harbor are also worth doing.

The Piscataqua River is a major one and not for beginners. Extremely fast current with large boils that can throw you off your board. Boat traffic, tugboats, shipping. It's for experienced paddlers only. I hesitate to mention paddling this river but people need to beware. This place could easily be the location of the next SUP death.

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[PDLSFR]

If your really looking for an adventure and serious paddle commitment, do the Cape Cod Bay Challenge ! 34 miles across cape cod bay Plymouth to Wellfleet, 11 hours of paddling for a great cause Christopher's Haven !!

[oceanAddict]

very cool ideas Badger, thank you for sharing. Never thought about tidal rivers. Do you have in mind anything closer to Boston?
 

There are lots of better things to do than just paddling along the coast.

One run I highly recommend is around Gerrish Island at Kittery Point. It covers about 8 miles and has a bit of everything. Creek, marsh, harbor, and 3 miles of ocean with a number of spots to surf along the way. You have to time it so that you go through the marsh around high tide.  Just paddling through the marsh to Brave Boat harbor and back is good paddle in itself.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0827133,-70.6746939,14z

It's about 5 miles around New Castle Island.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0647192,-70.7142618,14z

If you want to really cover some ground, try paddling one of the many tidal rivers that dot the coast. You can almost double your speed going with the tide on some rivers, or just drift and let the tide take you. Let the tide decide how long your trip will be. Time it so that the tide turns at the halfway point and brings you back to where you started. You have a choice of going in and out with the tide or out and in. York River is a good one, as well as all the rivers surrounding Great Bay, plus Sagamore Creek in Portsmouth and Spruce Creek in Kittery. Hampton and Seabrook Harbors have some long runs through the marsh. The marshes at Odiorn Point and Rye Harbor are also worth doing.

The Piscataqua River is a major one and not for beginners. Extremely fast current with large boils that can throw you off your board. Boat traffic, tugboats, shipping. It's for experienced paddlers only. I hesitate to mention paddling this river but people need to beware. This place could easily be the location of the next SUP death.

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[Badger]

very cool ideas Badger, thank you for sharing. Never thought about tidal rivers. Do you have in mind anything closer to Boston?
 

I rarely go to Massachusetts and have never paddled there but I have done some boating in Plum Island Sound and Essex Bay. Those would be two excellent tidal estuaries to visit. You can actually paddle from Plumb Island Sound all the way through the marsh to Newburyport. Essex Bay is quieter and more protected with sand dunes and salt marsh. Nearby Annisquam River just to the SE of there can also be paddled but it can be busy with boat traffic at times.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7331136,-70.8131817,13z

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6519853,-70.7192829,13z

You could also paddle the Merrimac River which has some good current in places and a few scenic stretches. This might also be worth doing. That's everything I know about paddling in Massachusetts.


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[oceanAddict]

Awesome, thanks again!

very cool ideas Badger, thank you for sharing. Never thought about tidal rivers. Do you have in mind anything closer to Boston?
 

I rarely go to Massachusetts and have never paddled there but I have done some boating in Plum Island Sound and Essex Bay. Those would be two excellent tidal estuaries to visit. You can actually paddle from Plumb Island Sound all the way through the marsh to Newburyport. Essex Bay is quieter and more protected with sand dunes and salt marsh. Nearby Annisquam River just to the SE of there can also be paddled but it can be busy with boat traffic at times.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7331136,-70.8131817,13z

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6519853,-70.7192829,13z

You could also paddle the Merrimac River which has some good current in places and a few scenic stretches. This might also be worth doing. That's everything I know about paddling in Massachusetts.


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