The Last 20Nm

Moorglade's Voyage
Ted Wilson
Thu 20 Sep 2012 04:46
Our Position is  41:57.414N 70:39.580W
 
When we motored out of Scituate Harbour, a few minutes after ten, into an Easterly swell, I don't think either of us thought much about this being the last sail of 2012, and probably Kay's last sail this side of the Atlantic aboard Moorglade. The swell made the ride uncomfortable in the shallow water close to shore, so we chose a track a bit further out to sea, where the waves were less steep. By 11:15 we were under full sail, the engine off and drinking coffee. at least we sailed the last 20Nm.
Plymouth Harbour shares an inlet with Duxbury Bay and Kingston Bay.  Gurnet Point and Browns Bank form an entrance about 3 cables wide behind which is a very large area of shallow water, banks and islands. We made our way up the 5 Nm of winding, well marked and dredged channel to Plymouth Marina. We tied up at the slip allocated to us but Kay pointed out that, we were on a falling spring tide which was going to go down a foot more than we had water under our keel at the dock. After a bit of shuffling motor boats, a deeper birth was arranged and we relocated and  settled in by 14:40.
Over a cup of tea we reflected on our Cruise. We had done the last 20 miles of a cruise of more than 3,500 miles. (the log was broken for a while until new parts arrived and stuck with weed a few times)  We had visited 15 different countries the last one being the USA where we sailed in 17 states. (if Minnesota and Wisconsin are included) 
Tea over, it was time for Kay to start sorting out her possessions and try to work out how to get them all back to the UK. After a lot of weighing of bags and rearranging of heavy items and a good deal of cursing, Kay had her luggage just on the limit, a bulging laptop bag and a fleece, coat and waterproof to wear at the luggage drop. It is a good job we have a bag weigher on board. We had established the timetable for the direct bus to Logan Airport for the following day and the marina had offered to drive Kay the few miles to the bus stop, so tomorrow was now free to have a look round Plymouth.
 
              
 
Gurnet Point                                                                                                    Duxbury pier light, turn left here for Plymouth
 
                  
 
The channel to Plymouth runs close behind a narrow spit of sand dunes                            finally settled in a slip with adequate depth
which surprisingly has a few homes  built on the harbour facing shore
 
 
                                         
 
Plymouth is all about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims This is a replica built in Brixham Devon in 1955-7  with its shallop
   
                       
 
Much is made of the Plymouth Rock onto which the Pilgrims are said to have stepped ashore, However there was no mention of a rock in contemporary writing.
It was first mentioned in 1741 and not engraved with 1620 until the 20th century.
An advance party arrived in Plymouth in a small shallop. Actually they intended to go to Virginia but ended up at the wrong side of Cape Cod, so anchored the Mayflower where Provincetown is now and went looking for a place to settle. 
 
 
              
 
Half of the party died in the first year and are buried here
 
 
 
               
 
This pleasant little park is a recent addition. The statue recognises the role                This river was a primary reason for selecting Plymouth as a place to settle 
women played in the founding of a nation.   Erected by the National  Society             The earliest houses were along its banks not down by the sea.
of New England Women