Sailing, sailing,: Our Second Trip to Maine

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Our Second Trip to Maine

A parade of boats in Burnt Coat Harbor

We didn't have a lot of time to spend in Maine as it's a long trip south to the Chesapeake for the Annapolis Boat Show and it gets cold up north early. Our two big dates were the Swan's Island Music Festival and the SSCA Gam in Islesboro. We have gone to the first several times, last year in our own boat and this would be our second time at the GAM.
At our last posting we were in Kent Cove, Fox Island Thoroughfare. We waited in the morning for the fog to clear and then on our way to Stonington we picked up a lobster buoy on the rudder. Scott needed to dive (in his full wet suit) to cut it away.

Our beautiful Scott Free at anchor watching the parade.

Views from the trail at Fort Point Cove

We stayed for lunch and managed to get rid of our trash, but no market or laundromat. There were severe thunderstorm warnings on the weather VHF. We dodged some big ones and anchored at 5:15 in Burnt Coat Harbor, Swan's Island. We had only 2 nights to spend as various problems had delayed us sailing north. We lucked out and got tickets for one of the nights - they were sold out the other. There are surprise music happenings during the day as well as sea chanteys being sung on boats sailing through the harbor. Bob DeFeyter and "Bobcat" were anchored nearby and we had him and his guests Frank and Tasha Jost over for dinner the second night.
On 8/4 we left at 11am and sailed over on a beautiful clear day to Camden. We stayed only a couple of hours to shop and get our email at their beautiful library. We left late in the afternoon and motor sailed over to Broad Cove in Islesboro. It took us 2 tries but we managed to anchor there by 6pm and pick up lobsters from "Destiny". It was a wonderful meal.
The next night was the dinghy roundup (one dinghy anchors and the others all tie up to each other - we must have had 20 dinghies) cocktail hour, a hilarious time really trying to pass hors d'oeuves from rocking dinghy to dinghy while balancing drinks. Unfortunately it was cut short by an approaching thunderstorm. Everyone got back safely to their boats.
Sunday is the great pot luck with various presentations on boat stuff and round the world sailors. Richard and Kathy DeGrasse host this every year at their home. They spend their winters in Marathon, FL and were to see them there many times in the future.

A quintissential Maine scene, schooner and light house.

On Monday we motored over to Belfast, pulled up to the town dock, took on water and got rid of our trash. After picking up a mooring we toured the town and at 3pm continued on to Searsport. We intended to anchor there but the wind had picked up and it was uncomfortable so we kept on around the point to Fort Point Cove, peaceful and calm. The next morning we explored the fort remains and the unusual lighthouse. Trails led us along the coast with beautiful views of the water and Scott Free.
It was calm now in Searsport so we were able to pick up a free mooring from the museum and see that charming town for a few hours before sailing on to anchor for two nights in a beautiful cove SW of Castine between Nautilus and Holbrook islands. We spent a free day there at anchor cleaning and sewing. Our dinghy ride into the town for sightseeing and lunch was quite a ways and very rough returning in 15-20 knots of wind. It tested the stability of our little dinghy for sure.
The following day we went to Tenant's Harbor, had lunch at the Cod End Fish Market, took a walk, got our email from the library and bought 2 2.5 lb lobsters for dinner. Unbelievably good! After 2 nights there we were off again to Friendship Harbor where we had a long walk and visited the museum. The next morning off again to Round Pond Harbor where we were able to pick up the "Bud Memorial" mooring for free. Our old friends John Padgett and Wendy Griswold lived nearby and met us for dinner at the restaurant there with their children Ray and Olivia.
After two nights we circled the peninsula and took a mooring at Christmas Cove right off the Coveside Restaurant - the scene of many wonderful dinners visiting John and Wendy. They came over with Wendy's sister Gail and husband Bob to have dinner aboard at our next stop, Boothbay Harbor where we got a mooring from the Tugboat Inn after filling up with water at their docks.
It was getting time to head south again - much too short a time in Maine for sure. The next morning we left early and went straight to the Isle of Shoals off Portsmouth, N.H. and luckily were able to pick up a free mooring as it was 7:45pm. We were just in time to see the sunset and eat a happily already prepared dinner.
At dawn we witnessed a bathing ceremony on Star Island. With lots of cheering and coaxing everyone managed to jump off the dock and get out of the water FAST. Then we were off again and had a quick passage back to Glouchester. Passing by Harvey and Gail's house we got them on the cell phone and they watched us sail by with all of us waving. For the first time we anchored in the inner harbor - fun watching all the boats - for a few days.