Marblehead Harbor--08/09/07

Marblehead is a short boatride from Beverly, but one that has been disastrous for more than a few boaters. You head out SE as if going in to Salem, but then pick up the south channel and continue SW past the Salem Harbor mouth. The channel is relatively close to shore, with small rock islands and other obstructions to seaward. Some deep keel sailboats have lost their keels to Outer Point Rock and Kettlebottom, two submerged hazards, during minus tides.

Once you pass Peach's Point, you can head more westerly past Brown and Garry's Islands (both connected to the mainland at low tide) and turn into the harbor at the large red nun. A narrow but well-marked channel runs along the northern edge of the harbor. You pass the opulent Corinthian Yacht Club on Marblehead Neck to port. The center of town is halfway down this northern channel; the head of the harbor is an isthmus connecting Marblehead with Marblehead Neck.

On our first visit we decided to tie up at the public landing in front of a restaurant called, appropriately enough, The Landing. We decided to risk overstaying the 30-minute tie-up limit when we saw fried clams on the menu, and we managed to enjoy Caesar salads and a platter of clams on the restaurant deck, looking out over the hundreds of elegant yachts while fretting that our own craft would be crushed by the bulky tour boat Hannah Glover as it pulled in with its eager band of tourists from Salem.

Luckily, Kilty's Wake survived the encounter with the Hannah Glover, and we returned to Beverly without mishap.