Falmouth to Salem
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Shelduck
Neil Hegarty
Wed 23 Sep 2015 09:18
Distance sailed 115 miles
On arrival at Boston airport on Wednesday 9th September I phoned MacDougalls
boatyard to find that Shelduck was not afloat. She was locked in by another
boat having propellers replaced so Peter Cassidy, Anne and I booked into a
motel across the street from the yard. Next day Shelduck was launched in
torrential rain so we decided to spend another night in the motel. It rained
again on Friday but we managed to board in a dry spell and also do some
provisioning. The fridge was checked and found to require a new fan which
was ordered. Midday on Saturday the fan was fitted and gas added to the
refrigeration system. I was asked to let it on over the weekend and told it
would be checked again on Monday. Anne and Peter spent the day on Martha's
Vineyard. It was Anne's third visit which she again enjoyed very much with
the help of the first sunny day since our arrival. It rained again on Sunday
so we relaxed aboard. Peter spent some time watching TV in the excellent
service house facilities here. On Monday the fridge was checked again and
seemed to be working perfectly. I had planned to leave next day but with
winds forecast force 6/7 I decided to wait until Wednesday 16th so as not to
risk another accident in Wood's Hole.
Up at 05.30 Wednesday and left the boatyard marina just before sunrise to
catch slack water and the start of the flood at Wood's Hole at 07.00. After
a successful passage through Shelduck carried the flood up Buzzard's Bay to
the Cape Cod Canal where she reached a maximum of 9.5 knots. The 5.5 foot
difference between the canal's east and west ends causes the current to run
as high as 6 knots. Shelduck then motor sailed in a light Southerly on to
Plymouth where Peter treated Anne and I to dinner at the Smokehouse
restaurant nearby. Thursday dawned warm and sunny and we all enjoyed visits
to the important town sites including the Plymouth Stone, Mayflower and the
hilltop graveyard where the 17th century settlers are buried.
Friday 18th dawned another beautiful day and Shelduck enjoyed a gentle 44
mile passage to Boston. As I put the engine into reverse outside
Constitution Marina I noticed an unusual vibration of the boat. I called our
friend John Traynor who agreed it was probably caused by the propeller. By
chance, John had flown down to Boston from Maine to collect a stepson at
Logan and had time to call on us at the marina. I had booked a diver to come
who arrived when John was with us. John also called an ex airforce pilot and
expert on propellors. The diver confirmed that the propellor was slightly
out of alignment. On ringing a marina at Cape Ann I discovered that the
place to have a propellor renewed was Salem so I booked into the Brewer
boatyard there. Later Peter went for a walk and Anne and I took a trolley
bus tour of the city.
Shelduck left Constitution Marina at 08.00 Sunday to catch a fair tide and
sailed the 25 miles to Salem in a Southwesterly force 4. I had been asked by
Rebecca of Brewer Salem to go on their website and send in a Works Order,
which I did and received an emailed copy by return. The boatyard marina area
is a little shallow for Shelduck except on the outside so she was lifted on
a rising tide at 14.00. It was immediately discovered that the port
propellor blade was slightly out of position and it was quickly fixed and
Shelduck returned to the water. Meanwhile Peter and Anne did some
sightseeing and provisioning. Early on Tuesday I walked the town which is
unspoiled with most houses in original condition. Anne treated Peter to a
Lobster open sandwich lunch and brought one back to Shelduck for me. I had
been taking the opportunity to change the alternator belt and the gasket
on the impeller. Preparing for next year this year.