FB WX

[Steve - K4HX]

I was on tonight too. I think you slipped out early. Got about 8" of snow here but some melted already today.

Not much here in Lorain. Just a dusting. Some grass is even visable.
Good to hear you on the WFDN last night, Steve!

[WA1GFZ]

This is big tube WX

[K1JJ]

Wild winds here last night and today...gusts at Westerly Airport about 2 miles from here

Chris,

Can I sail a canoe to Ram Island or the Westerly Yacht Club  (summertime) without get swamped from big waves like on Misquamicut beach?  There seems to be a barrier/ cove there on the map, but I can't be sure.  Yaz hasn't tasted salt water yet, so want to know what I'm up against...

T

[AJ1G]

Tom:

Ram Island YC is down in Mystic, kind of open water down there, might be a bit rough for a canoe.  Westerly RI YC is upriver on the Pawcatuck about a mile or two from Watch Hill and is private.  Little Narragansett Bay, behind the Napatree Point barrier beach running down to Watch Hill should be a great place to sail a canoe.  You could put in from the Barn Island state public boat launch over here on the CT side.  It's at the end of Palmer Neck Road, which is your first right (within 200 feet) on Greenhaven Road from US 1 North here in Pawcatuck.  Popular spot for windsurfing from on LNB.

Can see why you would have trouble at Misquamicut - that's open ocean water over there.  You might be able to put in on the salt pond over there but I don't know of a public access launch point.  

Would not recommend doing it tonight though.  A wind gust caught the door on the Volvo tonight as I was getting out at Home Depot over in Westerly and would have trashed the hinges if I lost hold of the door.  Been gusting to over 40 all day.

[W2PFY]

and then.

Firefighters lay a hose down a street filled with coastal floodwaters to fight a house fire during a snowstorm in Scituate, Mass., Monday, Dec. 27

I'll take the snow!

[K1JJ]

Little Narragansett Bay, behind the Napatree Point barrier beach running down to Watch Hill should be a great place to sail a canoe.  You could put in from the Barn Island state public boat launch over here on the CT side.  It's at the end of Palmer Neck Road, which is your first right (within 200 feet) on Greenhaven Road from US 1 North here in Pawcatuck.  Popular spot for windsurfing from on LNB.

Chris,

Yes, that's what I meant to say... launch at Barns and sail into Little Narragansett Bay and stop by the barrier beach I see on the map.  I was mistaking it for of Ram Island in Mystic, since I plan a trip there too.

So it looks like I should be OK sailing from the barrier beach to Watch Hill, yes? Or is Watch Hill open ocean and kinda rough?  I'll find out for sure when I get there and will put Narr Bay in the future plans.  I also wonder if I go when the tide is moving out - is this too much to paddle a canoe against in case I have no sailing wind in my favor?

TNX, OM.

T

[W1TAV]

Well For all the wind, predictions etc.. I only had run reports for a dozen of so generators (out of 2000+)  and most of those were up along the NH VT border towns. A few on in CT and that was it!

I lost my 160 dipole a  new installation last May. Looks like one of the Chi-Com "Marine" grade pulleys broke.. After it came down, our Newfoundland Puppy decided it was a great new chew toy.. Glad I have Friday off.. I'll be stringing some new wire and looking for some better hardware!

Steve

[AJ1G]

Napatree is the end of the barrier beach that runs out to the west from Watch Hill. There is no place to put in at Watch Hill itself from a car or truck, parking is limited and expensive for long term, and there is no public access launch facility.  Best bet is to put in at Barn Island and head over to the back side of the Napatree barrier beach, locally known as  "The Kitchen".  Transient boaters who anchor out off Watch Hill put in there with their dinghies or even beach their smaller powerboats, and it's then a short walk into Watch Hill itself.  Can't say about the currents in there - Uncle Al, W1UX, who keeps his sailboat at Stonington probably could clue you in.  You can also land on Sandy Point, which was once connected to Napatree, but was cut off into an island during the 1938 Hurricane.  I think there are restrictions on bringing pets on Sandy though, as there are protected bird nesting sites on it.

[WA1GFZ]

Tom,
You can't bring a dog on any of the Ct. beaches during season. I wouldn't let Yaz drink salt water. Even along Ct. coast there are streatches of private homes between beaches. I don't think you will find many places to come to shore . The only place you can park in our area and not get towed is at the state parks. Check out niantic public area. There is free parking and a public launch into the Niantic river.  The water moves pretty good in the channel when the tide changes. It would be a nice area inside the bay to check it out. You can go out under the RR bridge to ocean side but there is  public beach West and yuppie private going toward Milstone nuke

[AJ1G]

Frank are you down at the beach?  Wonder if you know about Grandpa's breakfast spot/Giuliano's bakery over in Niantic - one of the kids in the office brings stuff from there - their "Monster" breakfast sandwich is world class heartstopper but really good in moderation, say once a month.

[K1JJ]

OK Chris-

Yes, Barns looks like a good place to launch and then explore the bay from there. OK on the possible dog restrictions. I'll have to keep Yaz on a long leash in certain areas.

Looking at the map, I meant the Watch Hill Yacht Club in the cove there. Looks like a good place to feel small while circling amongst the anchored Tom Vu yachts.


Frank, yes the Niantic River scares the heck outa me where it passes through the narrow RR bridge into the mouth. That would be a disaster waiting to happen to try it against the current... :-)

I like Mansfield Hollow in Storrs, CT cuz you can land anywhere - it's all state property with no bird problems. But these heavily populated coastal areas will have  to be handled more carefully. I want to cruise thru Mystic Seaport amongst the tall ships too. Tall ships come in many flavors...

T

[W1QWT]

Firefighters lay a hose down a street filled with coastal floodwaters to fight a house fire during a snowstorm in Scituate, Mass., Monday, Dec. 27

I'll take the snow!

My son was working this event. They lost two houses cause they couldn't get to them due to 4 to 5 feet of water in the area. Finally a couple of firefighters donned rescue suits and swam a 2 inch line in.
I heard my son on the scanner at 5 AM taking the fire department inflatable to the scene to rescue people.
We were having 40 to 50 mph winds here in Scituate and all I could picture was him being blown out to sea.
I should turn that scanner off during these situations.
Regards
Q



 
 

[WA3VJB]

Yeah that was quite a fire, Q, I saw some of the footage.

Today we've got a ski lift that jumped the cable up in Maine about an hour ago, some chairs and people fell, others being rescued while stranded in the air.

[k4kyv]

Only a couple of inches here, white Xmas, down to about 18°F last night.  No QRN.  Surprisingly, the lightning storm map showed blank even while the NE was getting pounded. But it stayed cold enough that after 4 days there are still patches of snow on the ground here.  It is supposed to get up to about 60° Friday. Hope the lightning storms hold off, because if everything goes according to plan, I should be back on 160 by then.

[AJ1G]

Tom - King Cove Marina at the upper end of Wequetecock Cove just west of Greenhaven Road and Rt. 1 sells and rents kayaks and offers guided kayaking and kayak fishing trips.  Here's their website, they should be able to fill you on all you want to know about the local waters...

http://kingcovemarina.com/

[K1JJ]

Tom - King Cove Marina at the upper end of Wequetecock Cove just west of Greenhaven Road and Rt. 1 sells and rents kayaks and offers guided kayaking and kayak fishing trips.  Here's their website, they should be able to fill you on all you want to know about the local waters...
http://kingcovemarina.com/

Chris -   I checked them out and they will be a good source of info.  They have tours (for big bux) to the various areas, but I'll use the information and sail solo with Yaz.  I'll sail all areas over a series of weekends.

Thanks much for the info and leads.

T


Naturalistic Kayak Tours:

Sandy Point, Stonington Harbor, Watch Hill, Barn Island, Fisher’s Island, Napatree Point, Quannaduck Cove, Barn Island Wildlife Refuge

[WA1GFZ]

Chris,
I'm up north but have been in that bakery. Good stuff, I didn't know they surve breakfast. I'll have to check it out in the spring.
I wanted to work on the rig so passed on going down there this week.
Then truck crapped out so had to deal with it.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Looks like you got dumped on pretty nicely, Steve. Flew outta here Saturday to join Jen in Tampa and missed the storm by a few hours as a result. Still 3-4 inches in places when we got home last night, but it looks like a lot melted and settled. Grass showing through in places and temps of 65 forecast for Saturday.

How does it compare to the Richmond Frostfest storm of last February? That was a lot of snow fast. Even though the heaviest of it was north of the city, you still got a good dumping at your place. A perfect night for the AM Transmitter rally.

[Steve - K4HX]

It was about the same amount of snow as last year's Frost Fest. But it took about 12 hours to accumulate. Much has melted that past few days and the main roads were clear yesterday. All in all, pretty and not really that bad.

Yep, supposed to be in the 60's here over the weekend too. Quite the change from this past weekend!

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

He is gonna be one big cat, like Echo. Didn't notice it so much when I was last there, but he looks like he has some Manx or Lynx blood in him. Maybe tat'll change when he grows into his ears (something Ross Perot never managed to do). 

Definitely looks like this guy, just on a bigger scale.

[WA1GFZ]

Todd,
winter sucks

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

It sure used to when I lived up there. 66 degrees here Saturday sounds pretty good, though. Snow is vanishing fast, and I'll be back out in the garage working on the transmitters over the weekend. Beats the hell outta shoveling snow and hauling firewood, though I do miss the woodfire.

[Bill, KD0HG]

Looks like the near-term WX pattern is switching to winter west, warmer eastern CONUS. It ought to be thawing out nicely along the I-95 corridor. Enjoy.

Meanwhile, NWS has hoisted a winter storm warning for over here and should be sub zero Thursday and Friday night. Our first real snow of the season in the Denver area after a ridiculously warm and dry fall.

[Steve - K4HX]

Rarely a need to shovel snow here in the south Todd. Just wait a day or two and it will melt!

It sure used to when I lived up there. 66 degrees here Saturday sounds pretty good, though. Snow is vanishing fast, and I'll be back out in the garage working on the transmitters over the weekend. Beats the hell outta shoveling snow and hauling firewood, though I do miss the woodfire.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

We ran 10-20 below normal here through December. Average is 54 or so, it had to be bumping 60 today. Had the garage open while working on the 30K-5. Most of the snow is gone. 66 predicted for tomorrow. A great way to start the new year!