Open Water Rowing With the Hull Life Saving Museum

There’s much to be said for living in a seaside community where foot, bicycle, and boat traffic rival vehicular traffic. So, on a hunch, I headed down to the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s Windmill Point boathouse as a crew prepared to launch the pilot gig Kittery for an evening row on the outer Boston harbor.

I arrived at 6:50 PM, offering to help the crew move the Kittery down the beach on the log rollers. The coxswain replied, “Are you rowing with us?” to which I responded, “Only if you ask.” Ten minutes later, as darkness fell, we were underway. My lack of prior experience earned me a position in the bow, just aft of the “princess seat”. From that vantage point, I could time my stroke to match that of the port-side rower just ahead (aft?) of me.

The Kittery is a 32-foot pilot gig, with six rowing positions. There were nine of us, including the coxswain and eight crew who rotated among the six rowing positions.

Conditions were nearly ideal with flat seas, light wind, and temperature in the mid-sixties. The high cloud cover obstructed nighttime views of the sky with the exception of Jupiter and Logan air traffic. Along the horizon, we were treated to illuminated views of Boston and several North and South Shore coastal communities.

At approximately 28 strokes/minute, and an estimated speed of 4-5 knots, we glided through the Hull Gut, past the Hull Wind II turbine and headed north past Georges Island. Upon reaching Gallops Island, we turned SW toward Rainsford Island where we came alongside the Westward, a 125 ft. two-masted schooner, with 34 persons on board, including 22 tenth graders from the Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire. This was their first night of a nine-week voyage from Boston that ends just prior to Thanksgiving in San Juan Puerto Rico. The semester-at-sea program is sponsored by the Ocean Classroom Foundation.

Finally, we headed south to Peddocks Island, past Fort Andrews, through the Hull Gut, returning to the beach at Pemberton by 8:45 PM.

This is a not-to-miss experience, available on a year-round basis through the Hull Life Saving museum. As the folks in the adult rowing program are prone to saying, “The best mental health activity in greater Boston can be found three times a week at Windmill Point, Hull.”

The Hull Life Saving museum is located at the site of the 1889 Point Allerton U.S. Lifesaving Station. For more information about the museum, its storied history, and its many adult and youth programs, visit http://www.lifesavingmuseum.org/ or call 781-925-5433.

To my crewmates: Thanks for the memories. I’ll be back for more.

Barry Hass

South Shore Tuna Tournament - Weather Delay

With the current projection for 7-8 foot seas in the SW corner of Stellawgen Bank projected for Saturday, 26 September, the South Shore Tuna Tournament has been moved to October 2-4, 2009. That's good news for those who haven't yet organized their crew. For additional information, contact Steven James at 781-834-2899.

At stake is a 21’ Contender with a 200 HP Yamaha engine worth about $50,000 for the top prize winner. Last year, 62 vessels participated, a total of 28 fish were landed, and the winner, the Seacolt 2, won with two fish at a combined weight of 246.6 lbs. This year could be your turn to win.

One point per pound will be awarded for Blue Fin Tuna between 47” and under 73” curved fork length. The overall winning score will be the combined total points of the two days (Oct. 3-4, 2009).

This year, a weigh station has been added at Sunset Bay Marina, Hull, to augment the Scituate, Green Harbor, and Plymouth locations. Weigh stations will be open 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM on Oct. 3 and 4.

Sign up in advance or at the Reception Party / Captain’s Meeting on Friday, October 2 between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The awards party will be held at the HaNaBi Restaurant in Marshfield, MA. For detailed rules and entry forms, visit the Boston Big Game Fishing Club web site at http://www.bbgfc.com/

Barry Hass

South Shore Tuna Tournament

Just a few weeks ago, Skip Cornell was playing show-and-tell with a room full of striper fishermen at Hull’s Sunset Bay Marina, demonstrating gear, telling stories, playing videos, trying to break us free of our comfort zones. But, now, with the 2009 South Shore Tuna Tournament only a week away, the moment of truth has arrived.

At stake is a 21’ Contender with a 200 HP Yamaha engine worth about $50,000 for the top prize winner. Last year, 62 vessels participated, a total of 28 fish were landed, and the winner, the Seacolt 2, won with two fish at a combined weight of 246.6 lbs. This year could be your turn to win.

One point per pound will be awarded for Blue Fin Tuna between 47” and under 73” curved fork length. The overall winning score will be the combined total points of the two days (Sept. 26-27, 2009).

This year, a weigh station has been added at Sunset Bay Marina, Hull, to augment the Scituate, Green Harbor, and Plymouth locations. Weigh stations will be open 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM on Sept. 26 and 27.

Sign up in advance or at the Reception Party / Captain’s Meeting on Friday, September 25 between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The awards party will be held at the HaNaBi Restaurant in Marshfield, MA. For detailed rules and entry forms, visit the Boston Big Game Fishing Club web site at http://www.bbgfc.com/

Tight lines!
Barry Hass