Crossings - New England Surfski

In the context of New England surfski paddling, a crossing is a point-to-point traverse of an open body of water, where the primary challenge comes from exposure, distance, current, weather, and commitment, rather than shoreline navigation.

To keep this list finite, meaningful, and verifiable, each crossing listed here is defined as a canonical route with clear start and finish points. This avoids an endless set of possible variations and establishes a shared understanding of what it means to have “completed” a given crossing.

How crossings are defined

Bays
Crossings use the land-based headlands that define the outer boundary of the bay. These represent true “across the bay” routes, not interior traverses.

Sounds, straits, and channels
Crossings generally follow the shortest practical span between opposing land masses, typically where tidal flow, traffic, or exposure is concentrated.

Enclosed waters (lakes and inland seas)
Crossings use a representative shore-to-shore span that captures the open-water character of the basin.

Each crossing listed below has one official route. Alternative lines, diagonals, extensions, or multi-leg traverses may be interesting in their own right, but are considered variants, not separate crossings.

Recognized Crossings

Bay of Fundy: West Quoddy Head (Lubec, ME) → Cape Split (Scots Bay, NS). ~45–50 mi crossing spanning the mouth of the bay, defined by extreme tidal range, powerful currents, and rapidly changing sea states.
Broad Sound: Deer Island (Winthrop, MA) → Nahant Point (Nahant, MA). ~3–4 mi exposed crossing linking Boston Harbor and the North Shore, often shaped by wind-against-tide conditions.
Buzzards Bay: Gooseberry Neck (Westport, MA) → Cuttyhunk Island (Gosnold, MA). ~10–12 mi crossing defining the outer mouth of Buzzards Bay, strongly influenced by tidal flow and prevailing winds.
Cape Cod Bay: Race Point (Provincetown, MA) → Manomet Point (Plymouth, MA). ~25 mi crossing of a broad, swell-prone basin with full exposure once committed.
Casco Bay: Cape Elizabeth (Cape Elizabeth, ME) → Cape Small (Phippsburg, ME). ~12–15 mi outer-bay crossing beyond the shelter of the island chain.
Lake Champlain: Charlotte (Charlotte, VT) → Essex (Essex, NY). ~6–7 mi freshwater crossing where long fetch can generate ocean-like conditions in sustained wind.
Lake Winnipesaukee: Wolfeboro (Wolfeboro, NH) → Alton Bay (Alton, NH). ~3–4 mi open-lake crossing driven primarily by wind exposure rather than current.
Long Island Sound: Stratford Point (Stratford, CT) → Port Jefferson (Port Jefferson, NY). ~15 mi Sound crossing defined by strong tidal set, commercial traffic, and limited bailout options.
Massachusetts Bay: Race Point (Provincetown, MA) → Eastern Point (Gloucester, MA). ~30–35 mi full-width bay crossing with long fetch, swell exposure, shipping lanes, and no feasible bailouts.
Nahant Bay: Nahant Point (Nahant, MA) → Egg Rock (Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA). ~3 mi short but exposed crossing influenced by swell wrap and rebound.
Nantucket Sound: Monomoy Point (Chatham, MA) → Wasque Point (Edgartown, MA). ~16–18 mi crossing where wind, current, and open fetch converge.
Narragansett Bay: Beavertail Point (Jamestown, RI) → Point Judith (Narragansett, RI). ~6–7 mi crossing defining the bay’s outer mouth and tidal acceleration zone.
Plymouth Bay: Saquish Head (Plymouth, MA) → Gurnet Point (Plymouth, MA). ~4 mi crossing marking the transition from sheltered harbor to exposed Cape Cod Bay.
Salem Sound: Baker’s Island (Salem, MA) → Marblehead Neck (Marblehead, MA). ~4–5 mi crossing threading islands, headlands, and tide-driven flow.
Sandy Bay: Halibut Point (Rockport, MA) → Eastern Point (Gloucester, MA). ~3–4 mi exposed crossing beyond Cape Ann’s immediate shelter.
Vineyard Sound: Woods Hole (Falmouth, MA) → Vineyard Haven (Tisbury, MA). ~7–8 mi short but demanding crossing through one of New England’s strongest tidal corridors.