Ned's Point Cruising

It's been a couple of weeks since we've tasted wind here in New England. September has brought us a present on a weekend no less. While Kalmus Beach would have been a better choice for speed, I had my sights set on a crossing. Ned's Point is 20 minutes from home and has a lot going for it. Great rigging area, good friends and a lot of open water (Buzzards Bay). Not without flaws, Ned's wind line is usually 1/2 mile out into Mattapoisett harbor. This makes for a bit of a "slog" unless you rig big. With clear skies, a steady wind (out of the SW) and plenty of time for worry free sailing, I set off on a crossing to Woods Hole, MA. 20 miles round trip and normally takes about an hour. This one wasn't average. The swells were 4-6 feet with an endless variety of wind and boat chop from every direction made for a challenging ride. Perfect warm up for a day of sailing. I did bring a variety of safety gear, including: a GPS, a cell phone (in an Otter case), a life jacket and a whistle.

Gear for the day: RRD X-Fire 98ltrs board. Maui Sails TR-7 7.0 meter sail. BP Speed Weed 34cm skeg.

Ned's Point Windsurfing from Dean Withrow on Vimeo.

Great day on Buzzard's Bay!