Shifting Sands
Last night I had dinner with a friend at a local brew pub. While we sipped on a couple of cold beverages, we observed the river below winding its way out through the marshes to Ipswich Bay. Now, the Essex River has likely flowed in roughly the same path for at least 100 years, so the overall picture was not surprising. But, what was surprising was the large sand bar which seemed to be protruding into the narrow main channel between the town docks. It appeared some careful piloting was going to be required to avoid dinged props in this section of the river. I guess the point is obvious – around this neck of the woods, sandbars can and do shift significantly during the winter months which can cause you a head-ache if you mindlessly follow your previous year course calculations. So, take a fresh look at your most appropriate headings on your early trips. The rewards will be all yours.
