Bumpkin Island: This subliminally beautiful and frankly under-rated island is worth a visit.  The island may be dismissed given its close proximity to the shores of Hull, as well as its strange name (which may be only an adaptation of its original name, Bompkin Island). However, visitors will undoubtedly enjoy this island given its relaxing, rural feel and sweeping views of the Boston Harbor, Hingham Bay and the city skyline. Despite its relatively adandoned appearance, this island is nicely maintained by our park service, whom I would like to thank for the opportunity to visit this place.

Like many of the other islands, Bumpkin is over-run with tough vines and scraggly, scrubby vegitation that has stood up to the high winds, salty air and other rough conditions of its exposed location. Yet through this vegitation is sweeping views of the City of Boston to the West. Below is pictured one of Bumpkin Island’s grassy seaside trails. Who needs to travel all the way to Cape Cod when we have places like this right in Boston Harbor?

Perhaps most moving is the story of this island in a different time: In 1899, a wealthy businessman named Albert Cameron Burrage leased the island to build a hospital for the purposes of caring for sick children. By the time the island was turned over to the military in 1917, hundreds of children had been treated on the island’s facilities each summer. The ruins of these structures can be seen today. This place feels welcoming and authentic as it is was used for a good purpose, and visitors feel part of that purpose.

Pictured above is one of the old roads built in the WWI era and essentially abandoned since. A view of Sheep Island can be seen in the distance. The abandoned and overgrown appearance of this place gives visitors a feeling that is more peaceful than creepy. Below is a photo of the remains of an old farm house, which was used in agricultural operations on the island through the late 1800s:

Below is picture the remains of an old military facility which was constructed on Bumpkin Island in 1917, toward the end of WWI. The facility was used as part of Boston Harbor’s defenses, and remained active through the end of WWII.

The City Skyline visible across Bumpkin Island’s brush and old ruins:

The sand spit: At a very low tide, Bumpkin Island is connected to the mainland via a sand spit which becomes exposed and nearly connects the island with Sunset Point in Hull. This is something boaters should be aware of if approaching from this direction. Unfortunately, the island cannot be accessed from this is point: In addition to being dangerous and not something that should be attempted, the road is surrounded by private property, without any public access to the beach.

The location of Bumpkin Island: This NOAA nautical chart shows Bumpkin Island (top center) relative to the Hull (right), World’s End (lower right) and the entire Boston Harbor area (inset at top left corner). The island has a large dock, and also has an accessible shore. Kayaking here from Hingham Harbor or Hull is possible on a calm day.

Source: NOAA nautical chart. Not for official navigation. See disclaimer at NOAA.gov.

The woods around Peddocks have turned a bright green color over the past week. Here is a photo taken of the Northwest side of Peddocks Island from the water:

Long Island Light covered in green vegetation:

The sand dunes of Peddocks Island:

The old abandoned church and military buildings on the East side of Peddocks:

Sunset on the Northwest head of Peddocks Island, as seen from Pemberton Point in Hull:

The term “socked in” refers to being completely surrounded by thick fog to the extent that heading out to sea is impractical. This term was allegedly coined around these parts during WWII: Promptly upon awakening every morning, sailors and naval officers alike would look to their nearest wind sock to evaluate wind speed and direction. In the uncommon event that they could not see the sock at all due to fog, they would-until the advent of modern commercial radar-stay ashore and therefore be “socked in.”

Such was the case this Tuesday in Boston harbor.Thumbs up to the MBTA ferry operators who braved the fog and got us all to work on time!

A view from the stern:

Arriving at the Commercial Wharf pier on Tuesday Morning:

Shutter Island? Rounding the Northern point of Long Island:

The dunes at Peddocks Island, enshrouded in heavy fog:

Recall this is intended to help recreational boaters identify and avoid hazards while out in the harbor. It is not a replacement for official charts or a boating safety course, both of which boaters should have. See NOAA disclaimer as well. Se safe out there this year!!!

This week, the Relentless (a.k.a Gordon Gunter) was in Boston Harbor, tied up at the US Coast Guard Station near Battery Wharf. Every so often, when I see a new ship visiting Boston Harbor, I like to check it out and learn a little bit more. It turns out that the Relentless is a ship used by the government for marine surveillance, particularly as it relates to studying marine life. The ship was named for a marine scientist. Here is a link from the NOAA with some additional information about this vessel.

Various warning markers, like the one above off sunken ledge in Quincy Bay, are all over Boston Harbor. Aside from the normal red, green white or combined channel markers, warning markers and beacons provide location information and mark serious navigation hazards. The US Coast Guard had a great reference guide (download it here) of the types of markets and beacons that a boater will run into in Boston and some examples.

The marker above is a red light beacon sitting on top of Sunken ledge. Other places one might find a similar beacon in Boston Harbor include the quarantine rocks,  and the rocks at the western end of the Brewster island spit.

Below is a non-lateral navigational aid, known as a diamond day board. These markets are placed to make mariners aware of their location and position. They are typically placed on a landmark or at the entrance to a channel. Examples of diamond boards can be found at the entrance to Hull Gut and off the West side of Peddocks Island. These both denote the shipping channel through Hingham Bay, from Hull Gut to the Fore River.

Above, the diamond board at Hull Gut, on the Pemberton Point side of Hull. Below is another diamond board, marking the entrance to a harbor (Great Cruz Bay in the USVI) and warning of rock obstructions.

Below is a red day beacon, denoting a large and obvious rock outcrop. A day beacon does not have a light on top, like the larger beacon in the top picture.

Nix’s Mate, possibly the most ominous and dangerous place in the Boston Harbor, is marked with a very unique warning marker- a red and black cone. The picture of low tide below is a reminder of how hazardous this place is to navigate:

The red sky in the background on the morning this was taken reminds me of the age old mariner’s saying….how does it go again? Something like:

Red Sky at night,

sailors delight.

Red sky at morning,

lets get the f*uck outta here!!!

Take care and be careful out there! See some of our other posts including the Dangers of Boston Harbor and Using caution around divers.

It was a cold, blustery and gray day on a harbor island shore.

The crow flew from the woods, and landed at the beach next to an old piece of dead driftwood that had washed up nearby.

Originally evolved from stingrays (one can see the resemblance) this creepy creatures crawl along the bottom of the ocean, most often in shallow water. They tend to be not quite as aggressive as some of the other types of crabs were have in this area, such as this monster crab that brutally attacked me last summer.

Salem’s two lighthouses: The lighthouse at Fort Pickering, with Baker’s Island light visible in the background to the left if one looks carefully:

This large and naturally protected port that is is a destination worth visiting by boat or by land. (Recall our visit to Salem Sound and Misery Island from Boston last summer). Salem’s history is well preserved due in large part to the significance of Hawthorne and the Salem witch trials. However, the nautical history of Salem- that of Nathaniel Bowditch and Fort Pickering is lesser known but equally intriguing.

Downtown salem, once the 6th largest city in the world, is well preserved. The central square is surrounding with old historic, federal style buildings like the one below:

Old ship in Salem’s harbor, once the busiest in the country:

Salem First Church, made infamous by the Salem Witch Trials which occuered here in the eighteenth century. The nearby Nathaniel Bowditch House, named for the founder of modern navigation, has been converted into a tourist center.

Fort Pickering

An integral part of Salem’s nautical history was Fort Pickering, the defenses built on Winter Island around the mouth of Salem Harbor. The remains of the Fort and the nearby lighthouse can be visited today. While this is just another one of the many fortifications lining the coast of Massachusetts, this one is less well known.

Below is a clip from old map showing the layout of the fort and winter island in relation to the city. At the time this chart was made, I imagine the cities of Salem and Boston handled similar shipping traffic volumes:

Here is the battery of Fort Pickering, that was used up until WWII. At that time, it had been used as storage for anti-submarine weapons:

An underground bunker in the central part of the fort:

The view of salem sound and Baker’s Island from the top of Fort Pickering:

Located between Faneuil Hall and Long Wharf, this exhibit should be intriguing to tourists and locals alike. The exhibit has a map as well as informational charts about some of the major islands that one can visit.

The map: The location of each Boston Harbor Island laid out on a big, easy to read map:

Island specific information: Some facts and figures about each islands history and geography. I even found a few facts I did not know- which says a lot!