Story  by Jim Raycroft and Dottie Rutledge

One of my earliest memories as a kid growing up messing about with boats on the Connecticut shore was of my dad talking about his Merchant Marine Radio Operator Training on Gallops Island in Boston Harbor during WW2.  How he had scored a special pass that allowed him to leave the island on weekends and catch the launch back to Boston to spend a little time with my mother in their small (newly wed) apartment on Pinkney St.  Following this training, he was assigned as the Radio Officer on the T2 Tankers, Buena Vista, and Cottonwood Creak, pulling convoy duty in the North Atlantic, running aviation fuel to England.

Gallops Island, named for one of Boston’s first Harbor Pilots, John Gallop, is one of the constellation of 34 islands and peninsulas that make up the Boston Harbor Islands. The Radio Training base at Gallops is long gone, and this particular island is currently closed to the public, but all of these Islands live rich in history and many are waiting to be explored by the next generation.

Last summer with fuel costs being what they were and with less available time to get out and cruise, we decided to explore some new ground and keep it close to home. Although “Dauntless”, Jim’s  salty old  Albin 43’, has been docked at Lewis Wharf for years, the Boston Islands had never been a destination.  Like us, most Boston residents know something about the city’s inner harbor, but relatively few are aware of the treasures these islands have to offer just a few short miles away, and from what we could tell in way of boat traffic, these islands may be one of the best kept secrets in New England.

After working through a couple of web sites covering the Islands, we decided on Peddocks Island as a good place to overnight, making a stop at Lovells Island along the way.  Peddocks Island is the site of Fort Andrews, an abandoned coast defense and training camp with a collection of Victorian buildings dating back to the early 1900’s.

Leaving Lewis Wharf, we headed out of the inner harbor for Presidents Road, Boston Harbor’s main shipping channel and the “entrance” to the Boston Harbor Islands.  On our right sits dome shaped Spectacle Island.  Historically, this island was one of the most abused of the Harbor Islands but now stands as a testament to the Harbor’s renewal.  Once a “glue factory” site, this island now offers the boating public new facilities including a, picnic area, beaches, visitor center, mooring field and marina. It’s a busy tourist site and not what we were going for this weekend.

Continuing down the channel we passed the tip of Long Island and caught a view of Long Island Head Light, first established in 1819.  The current Light went operational in 1901, was automated in1918 and was deactivated in 1985.  Peaking out of the trees, the white and black lighthouse rises above a massive granite seawall. This is one of several great lighthouse photo ops that you’ll find so keep your camera handy on the flybridge.

Leaving Nixes Mate to starboard, we head into The Narrows, which separates Gallops and Lovells islands. Nixes Mate, originally named Nixes Island, was 12 acres of rock that was quarried basically into nonexistence and is the final resting place for several pirates, among them William Fly who, following his misadventures off Nantucket, was captured, tried and executed – then hung in chains on the rock on June 28^th, 1726.  Nixes Mate is now a day marker and the island itself awash at high water.

Lovells Island is a favorite camping island with lots of trails.  At high tide, 62 acres are available to traverse, but low tide exposes an additional 71 acres.  Point here, be careful where you anchor.  There’s a good anchorage with plenty of water in the bay just north of the pier on Lovells with easy access to the beach but be aware the ferries and power boats rip through the narrows throwing off big wakes in close proximity. We pulled into Lovells mainly because a good friend Joel, aka “Cookie” who is the best non-professional chef we know, had mentioned that he’d discovered a great grove of beach plums (prunus maritime) growing over one of the staircases at the ruins of Battery Burbeck Morris.  He gave us a sort of pirates style treasure map to find the spot – marked with an” X” and suggested we take gallon cans to carry the beach booty back to the boat. “You can eat the fruit off the tree, or make some of the best jelly you can imagine”.  Me thinks he intentionally left a turn or two off the map to protect his find because try as we may – we never could find that spot.  Although plum less, we did enjoy a good walk and scramble around the ruins.  And just as we were resigned to returning to Dauntless empty handed, we happened on the mother load of wild blackberries.  So what if they took their toll in blood from our gloveless hands – we picked them with abandon, chuckling at our good fortune.  They didn’t last long enough to find their way into a jam.

Back aboard Dauntless we made ready to get underway again and head for our overnight anchorage at Peddocks Island. At the south end of The Narrows lies Georges Island. For many boaters Georges is as far as exploration of the islands extends. Georges Island is a dominant presence in the Harbor Islands and also serves as the hub for ferry and water shuttle services with Fort Warren being the main attraction. Moorings are available on a first come basis. The island is worth exploring, certainly the Fort is worth visiting, but you won’t find much wilderness here, and because Georges Island is a popular ferry excursion, it may not be the best destination if you are looking for a quiet weekend on the hook.   Traveling a bit further to Peddocks Island will prove well worth the journey.

Continue south from Georges Island through Hull Gut, which separates the tip of Hull from the northeast headland of Peddocks Island. We set our course heading down the east side of the Island, rounding Prince Head, (the southern tip of Peddocks) and easing up into the little bay on the west side.  We picked up our choice of the new $20.00 a night moorings in this near empty anchorage and shut down about an hour before sunset.  Unless you’ve chosen one of the few stellar New England weekend days that seem to draw all the local boaters out – you have the place nearly to yourself and by nightfall, we did.  From our vantage point on the aft deck of “Dauntless”, cocktail in hand,  the view of the Boston Skyline at sunset and the rare sense of isolation this location offers, well it occurred to us that even if we never went ashore, this anchorage was just about as good as it gets.  If you want to Wow some out of town summer guests, this Boston skyline sunset for cocktails is the bomb and  you could easily return to the city, tie up, and make an 9:00PM dinner reservation.

Early the next morning the dinghy was launched and as we found to be a regular occurrence all summer, the ethanol gremlins were doing their thing with the outboard, so Jim decided to row us to shore.  Not having made it to the gym in the past few months this presented a great opportunity for him to get a good work out in.  We pulled up on a beach seemingly untouched by other sea glass hunters. Bring a backpack for your haul, plenty of water and a couple sandwiches with you ashore, as there are no concessions or water on the island, but plenty of places to picnic.  And be sure to wear appropriate shoes for walking, as some of the shoreline can be rocky. You’ll end up spending longer than you think here, as well, so start out early.

It was the promise of the “hiking trails that pass by marsh, a pond, and coastal forests” – the description of the natural beauty of the place that caught our initial interest about this island. Walking is something we’ve taken to doing where ever we are and this island in particular seemed to offer ample opportunity.  The trails are well marked but not overused.  Walking the coastline at the south end it’s evident that few people pass this way. It has that unmistakable un-touched look to it. Aside from the abundance of sea glass, keep your eyes open for other treasures that may have found their way ashore, like shells and maybe that colorful lobster buoy to add to your collection.

To the North end of the island working up to an 80’ elevation are the remains of the Fort Andrews post.  Hidden in the trees and overgrowth, it’s like walking through a ghost town is the best way to describe it – you’ll find yourself whispering, contemplating the many decades of history this encampment represents.  Most of the 26 Victorian red brick buildings that make up the tree lined street remain surprisingly complete, enough to exhibit their fine detail and superior craftsmanship – a post hospital, bakery, NCO quarters – all abandoned for over 50 years.  Decaying telephone poles, their wires gone and the blue glass insulators no doubt found their way into the antique shops of coastal towns long ago.   You can’t enter any of the buildings due to asbestos contamination, but looking into some of the windows not completely boarded over offers you a peak inside.  It was apparent that any fixtures of value have long ago been picked over by scavengers, as well.  Then, the Fort itself up a steep dirt road, more of a gun battery than Fort, but well worth the walk.  This is as close to a movie set that you can get, outside of Hollywood.   You can pick up a self-guided tour pamphlet at the island’s ranger station, located in the Guardhouse near the public ferry dock a short distance from the Fort. We never saw another soul while walking thru this ghost town.

Although the army displaced most cottagers and colonies in other parts of the island upon their arrival, one group not only coexisted but also outlasted the military. There still remain a group of Portuguese fishermen located in a very small community of cottages we could see from our mooring.   Don’t get too excited about owning a summer home here, however, as these charming and rustic cottages are slowly being removed.  Be sure and take a stroll thru the remaining collection.

Back aboard Dauntless that afternoon we took another look at the chart.  Further east of Peddocks Island lies Bumpkin Island in Hingham Bay, and we had heard there was a music festival going on.  Hoping to catch some of this action, we dropped our mooring and headed south circling back around Prince Head, eastbound, taking the channel to the north of Sheep Island.  Bumpkin Island is 35 acres at high tide, twice this size at low.  This island is primarily a day anchorage and even at that, not an easy one. Other than the channel on the west end, it is a rocky approach surrounded by skinny water.   While you will find remains of military and other structures ashore, most of the island is comprised of walking trails and wilderness.  The local water ferry services this island, so day visitors are visible.  We missed the music festival and happily the crowd.  Again, don’t forget to bring water and provisions for the day with you to the island, as services are virtually nonexistent.  Of course, that is what makes them so very special.

If you have not yet visited the Boston Harbor Islands, you are in for a surprise, as we were. There are countless weekend cruising opportunities in these islands, offering any number of activities.  Few places offer the contemplative solitude right in the back yard of one of the country’s great metropolitan areas.

During the summer season, all the islands are accessible daily from 9:00 AM to sunset.  Spring and fall, they are only open on weekends.  Mooring reservations are now available throughout the Harbor Islands by calling 617-241-9640 or email:  moorings@bosport.com.   Unless it is a holiday weekend, we doubt you will need to make a reservation.  We simply pulled in, grabbed the mooring we wanted and eventually a small boat came around collecting the fee.

If you see Dauntless this summer out there on the hook, be sure and say hello!

Re-printed with permission of PASSAGEMAKER magazine.