Summer II

It was a welcome moment when we departed Portsmouth Marine and got back ‘on the road.’ On Friday, 8/15 we left at mid-day after quite a few days of service and some other work while we were out of town for Scott and Lindsey Bolton’s wedding, and to visit Ted and Diane Muendel – even though Ted was away on business.

In the remainder of that day we made it to Marion, MA for the night, and the next morning, 8/16, timed the current in the Cape Cod Canal just right, actually hitting 13.8kt SOG with over 4kt of push from the tide! We got to Manchester where we celebrated Roger and Marcie’s engagement, and met her dad and his wife. Where have all the years gone? They are a great match, we welcome Marcie into the family!

Sunday the 17^th we rounded Cape Ann, leaving Gloucester in our wake and clocked a total of 73 miles to an anchorage a bit south of Portland, ME. It was quiet, and the sunset almost biblical, but the anchorage was directly exposed to the sea, and it was a bit rolly that night.

On Monday we did the 56 miles to Tenents Harbor where we braved a minefield of a gazillion lobster pots and suffered a know-it-all Hinkley who took charge of who got which mooring where. It didn’t matter, we were boarded by Laura, her folks, Dave and Flo, Pete and Alberta, and kids. Fun visit topped by dinner at their home.

Tuesday, 8/19, we arrived at major destination – Northeast Harbor, Maine. It is on Mt. Desert Island, and home of the Acadia National Park. Andrea got 'free at last' as she soloed on the dink enroute to the Y in Bar Habor.  We hiked four fun and challenging mountains, snacked on wild blueberries along all the trails, biked for miles on carriage paths, and generally inhaling the Maine experience. Makes you really love the outdoors.

We stayed 6 days and could have stayed 6 weeks! Next year we just might.

We left for Camden, ME that Sunday, 8/24, and got a mooring courtesy of the Camden Yacht Club. Another couple days climbing more mountains, biking, a trip to the YMCA, and LOBSTERS. Even on an overcast and gray day, the view from the 1350’ Mt. Metendecook was superb. Another place we could spend more time.

But alas, it was time to begin our return to get us back to Rhode Island by Labor Day. We both had the feeling you get when vacation is just about over. We didn’t want the experience to ever stop.

We turned south toward Boothbay Harbor on Wednesday, 8/27. Included was a couple hours on the side to stop at Hurricane Island, site of the Outward Bound school. A beautiful place. Boothbay was highlighted by our dinner on the deck at the Lobstermen’s’ Co-op. So good we ordered more. We moored out, and took a quick dinghy detour to the town to get an emergency dish of ice cream. There is no other reason we can think of to visit this hokey tourist trap.

Thursday, 8/28, found us anchored about 10 miles north of Portland, ME, in the quietest, most serene, and prettiest anchorage of the trip. No other boats in practical sight, no development, not even a lot of lobster pots. It was the night Mars put on its once every 60,000 year display – there was a reflected path of starlight from it to the boat across the mirror smooth water.

Now came the tough part – not from the standpoint of weather or tricky navigation, just from slogging the couple hundred miles back to Portsmouth, RI. What better way to start than to stop in Portsmouth, NH? We did, and on Friday, 8/29, once we handle the wild current at Prescott Park Docks, we were right downtown. A glass of Smuttynose Ale at the Portsmouth Brewpub preceded great fried clams at Harpoon Willie’s. By chance we took in some great jazz guitar on our walk back to the boat. We also got solidly reconnected to the wireless internet because the Verizon coverage kicked in.

Saturday, 8/30, is the longest day – about 90 miles. We ran from Portsmouth to Dennis, MA which is on the 'bicep' of Cape Cod. The day was unremarkable weatherwise - completely gray from sea to sky, and largely flat and calm. We did have some interesting time, though, as a nuclear sub requested we stay at least 1000 yards out of its way (we yielded right-of-way), we transited the Anisquam River/Canal behind Cape Ann to Gloucester, and a water line came unclamped in the lazarette and we pumped 400 gallons of H2O into the bilges. A simple tightening of the clamp will stop that from recurring.

We got going on Sunday, 8/31, mid-morning. The current in the Cape Cod Canal was as much against us as it was with us when we transited a few weeks prior. That time we made it through in half an hour. This time it was double that. Cuttyhunk had the most appeal for our last night of this leg, but upon arrival we found no room at the inn, so to speak, and the available anchoring space was exposed to more rolling than we felt like. But none of this should have been a surprise for the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. So, we turned back, headed north across Buzzards Bay, and found a great accommodation in Pandanaram on a New Bedford Yacht Club mooring. A tour of the town took 15 minutes - we helped the economy by getting two books and dinner at the YC.

Labor Day, 9/1, was a dull one - reflecting both the low overcast, the blending again of sea and sky, and the knowledge that another chapter was coming to an end. Arriving at Portsmouth Marine mid-afternoon, we put in a solid 4 hours ridding the boat of a couple weeks accumulation of salt, dirty clothes, and dust. She really cleans up great and will, no doubt, be "showcase" after the Hinckley/Portsmouth team buff and fluff her for the Newport Boat Show starting 9/11. The facilities of the Portsmouth yard are world class as evidenced by the bounty of Hinckleys, custom 100+foot sloops and ketches, and a mind-bowing assemblage of completely classic mega yachts to 100+ feet, not to mention a few Americas Cup winners and unsuccessful contenders - awesome . Everything here is class and pedigree and overshadow our own Celebrate. But we are completely comfortable knowing the company has made Selenes, and hence us, a priority. It is a treat to bump into Ted Hood every day or so and mumble about this or that item on the punch list. We all walk in equal shoes on the docks here.

We learned a lot on this leg. We learned that it is really fun to find a great spot and stay for a few days, exploring and adventuring using the boat as moving base. We learned that little things magnify for good or bad. We learned that each of us can learn so much more about the cruising life and the teamwork that makes it the delight that we have let our dreaming lead us to expect.

The next 'leg' will be an anomaly in that it is essentially two weeks of doing a lot but going nowhere because it is all centered around preparing the boat for the show and participating as needed in it. We hope some friends will stop by if they attend; we are sure we will meet some new friends in the course of this amazing presentation of great boats.

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