City Island to Nantucket

[swhynes]

Has anyone done this cruise from the far western part of LI Sound to Nantucket? Trying to get an idea of routes and time it takes to get there at a reasonable pace (Meaning not sailing 24/7). Any help would be great.

[Tempest245]

Endless options here. Depends on how much time you have? anchorage or marinas?
What your port preferences are. How much money you want to spend.. etc.etc.

One route could be: City Island to Port Jefferson. Port Jeff to Old Saybrook, or Essex on the connecticut river. Connecticut River to Block Island, Block to Vinyard Haven, Marthas Vinyard and then on to Nantucket.

If you want to shorten that up..you could make Old Saybrook or Essex in a long day or somewhere like Westbrook Conn. Then on to block.

Block to Martha's Vinyard is 56 miles if I recall. Block directly to Nantucket is an option, it's an ocean sail. 70 plus miles..I believe...

It really depends on how much time you have to get there and get back, and the wind and the weather. You're likely to run into some fog as well, radar and or ais are useful out there.

You don't want to beat into the wind all the way to MV or Nantucket..
Block island is not the worse place in the world to wait for the right wind.

[swhynes]

Thanks for your response -- I have a little under two weeks so I was thinking City Island to as far east on CT side as I can make in a day (tide and wind ) averaging around 5 nauts/hr. Then from there to Block. Then block to Martha's Vineyard (Probably Vineyard Haven) to Nantucket, then returning I was wondering if you could make Nantucket to Block comfortably in one day or is it too risky? We are okay sailors 40 foot boat and radar but I don't want to be too cavalier. From Block I am good for a straight shot home with a stop in New London or Mystic or some such. Any thoughts? Thanks again

[Tempest245]

I think you could make it from Nantucket to Block in a long day, leaving at daybreak.
If the wind and weather were right. The problem is that you can't predict what will happen. I guess the best solution would be to make as many miles as possible toward Nantucket as possible when the weather is good. Then you've got some flexibilty in picking a window to return. ( hopefully)

if you get good sailing everyday...4 days there, 4 days back...you've got 8 days..of travel...then whatever you have left to play on dirt.

Another thought, would be if you get hung up coming home, you could leave your boat on a mooring ball in block..or MV....take the ferry and a train home...then return the following weekend to finish the trip.

The best thing is to be flexible...in both timing and destinations....There are so many great places out there. If you want to sail everyday, go where the wind lets you go.

If the wind isn't favorable for a trip to MV from Block, you might make Cuttyhunk, Newport...et al

[speedoo]

I agree 100% with everything Tempest has said. There are so many options, I would recommend a basic plan in each direction, but by all means be flexible and make small changes as required and big changes if necessary. By big changes I mean things like Tempest's suggestion to leave your boat somewhere for a week and return there by train to finish the trip, and changing the ultimate destination from Nantucket to Buzzard's Bay.

The cruising and wind are a lot better from New Haven east so I would hope you can spend most of your time in that area, rather than motoring in the windless Western LIS. So on Day 1, leave City Island before dawn if possible, have your coffee underway and get as far east as you can. The tide is a big factor so try to time your transits accordingly. Get a copy of Eldridge and study the current maps if you have not already done so.... you can really boost your speed by getting into the favorable currents and by avoiding the unfavorable currents. Especially in spots like The Race.

[swhynes]

Also good advice. We have made it to Block several times and MV once -- Nantucketis new for us. I should say the last couple of years the wind on our part of the sound has been remarkably good for July (global warming no doubt) when I was a kid a long, long time ago there was NO wind July1 to Sept.
'Other bad news is the tide is against us until around noon. So I am thinking of taking a half day to get east as fas as I can before dark and then heading out early the next day. Should give us a little boost.

Thanks all.

[speedoo]

Nantucket is a great destination, but only if you have at least 2 or 3 days there to explore. I remember renting bikes and pedaling all around that island for at least one full day. Many scenic views, even away from the water.

[Opie91]

I really cannot speak for the west end of Long Island Sound, but the rest of your trip on the way back is likely to have the wind right on the nose (SW).

Block Island to New London can be done in less than 4 hours with the right current & wind.

[osirissail]

I would suggest targeting Mystic as the end point. Getting there and back in "just under two weeks" will be a challenge. Mystic with its museum and great little village is really great especially if you just rented the DVD "Mystic Pizza" And you don't need to brave "The Race" to get further east.
- - On the way back you can pick some stops in other interesting Conn rivers/bays.

[Tempest245]

City island to Block is usually an easy trip you could do it 2 days.....City Island to Essex or Old Saybrook...then it's 30 miles to Block. ( with a nice push from the race) from there, you can see where the wind lets you go, or just hang out on Block Island

I wouldn't sit at the dock waiting for the tide on the western sound...if your 1st day is a long day...1/2 the day the tide will be against you..but the other 1/2 it will be with you...

[skipmac]

Made the trip last fall from Essex (a few miles up the CT River) to Throgs Neck in a long day with the current against me about half the day. I think two long days should easily get you to Block Island if you're willing to motor sail if necessary and don't hit really strong winds on the nose.

[RunningFish]

I just made the trip from Manhattan to Nantucket. Here was our itinerary:

Sunday 3:30AM - departed west side of Manhattan to catch favorable East River currents. Arrived Huntington Harbor at around 10:30 AM Sunday, anchored overnight.

Monday 11AM - departed Huntington - made The Race around 10PM - made landfall in Nantucket at 4PM Tuesday.

Overall, 36 hours sailing and 200 miles.

[Sandero]

City Island to Port Jeff
Port Jeff to Fisher's Island, Mystic or Stonnington
Fisher's Island, Mystic or Stonnington to Newport
Newport to Oak Bluff/Vineyard Haven
Oak Bluff/Vineyard Haven to Nantucket