Welcome to Canada--eh?

Tuesday morning the 14th ( I think), we motored out of Mistake into yet more fog, heading to Head Harbor to clear Canadian customs. It was a terrific sail, once the sun burned off all the haze--doing more than nine knots. This is more than hull speed for us (defined as "one point three times the square root of waterline length," of which we have forty feet), but we were given a good kick by the Bay of Fundy tide. We were also able to clear in over the phone once we got into Head Harbor, unheard of after 9/11--or so we thought--but it saved a lot of time waiting for someone to drive in from God-only-knows-where, and we were able to hot-foot it the final hour over to a peaceful anchorage called Bliss Harbor for the night. These photos are of the beautiful dramatic coastline as we came into Canada, and the lovely Head harbor Light.

Of Rainy Lay Days

Sunday the 11th, Marty and Russ finally caught up with us at the Cranberries and we decided on a lay-day. Spent it reading, listening to the rain on the cabin top and cooking. Finally threw up our rain awning and hosted a little coctail party which was good for the soul. After a peaceful night sleep, we woke Monday to a clearing sky and lazed over breakfast in the cockpit (the Famous Skater Blueberry Cofffee Cake!!--email me for the recipe...), waited for the wind to come up and had a slow, unhurried sail up the dramatic coast of Mount Dessert and beyond--arriving at Mistake Harbor (near the Canadian border) just as the others were pouring the wine!

Friday to Saturday in Perry Creek, then on to the Cranberry Islands

So halfway down The Fox Island Thoroughfare, there's this nifty little anchorage called Perry Creek. The sun was out here--the fog drifting overhead looking for someplace else to land, I guess (Cleave says the heat from the land mass pushes it up and over till it reaches water again). We dropped the hook and spent the night, having drinks with friends from a few other boats we ran into. After a wonderful hike up the Fox Rocks to the top of the mountain (see photo of my hubby and one of Skater at rest) we had a great BBQ of ribs and hit the hay. Saturday dawned with foggy wisps trailing into the creek, so we threw up the main, pulled out the jib and sailed the 6 hours over to Little Cranberry Island, just off Mount Dessert, and waited there for the rest of our party to catch up. Marvelous dinner out at the Islesford Inn. Yay!

Foggy Rockland Departure

Sorry it's been so long between posts, but it's hard to find wireless when you're cruising 3 miles off the coast of Maine, often spending your nights in harbors inhabited by nothing more than seals and the occasional curious porpoise.

So anyway, after re-provisioning, we decided to leave Rockland on Friday (even though the other two boats in our entourage wouldn't be leaving till the next day), and even though a fog bank hovered ominously over Penobscot Bay just outside the harbor. What the hell, we decided--there must be something on the other side of it, right?! Gotta say, there's nothing quite as sphincter-puckering as sailing full bore though the fog in a channel busy with boat traffic. But sure enough, the fog lifted just as we entered the Fox Island Thoroughfare (lovely little waterway that separates the islands of Vinal Haven and North Haven) and I was able to grab these shots for you--one of a typical "Maine Cottage" (something with like 23 bedrooms) as well as a shot of the three masted schooner, "Victory Chimes."

Heading for Rockland

We spent much of Tuesday the 6th with Ellen, Don and Leslie--doing a Boothbay Harbor shopping trip, lunching out, doing laundry (the girls having gone through every towel on the boat in 4 days!) then a BBQ up at the cottage before kissing all goodbye and heading back to Skater. Up early Wednesday to head to Rockland via Mussel Ridge Channel, where we were met with...you got it: fog! And I mean lots of it. Started to clear a bit just as we turned the corner at Owl's Head, making for Rockland Harbor--at least enough that I could grab this shot of the Blue Hills of Camden for you! Now it's tending to business for Cleave, while I top off the groceries and take care of miscellaneous chores before we head out on the next part of our adventure. Might be a while before you hear from us again as wireless is spotty, but I'll be able to post again withing the week.

Tentative schedule: Saturday: Rockland to Mackerel Cove, Swans Island; Sunday: Mackerel Cove to Mistake Harbor; Monday: Mistake to Head Harbor, where we clear Canadian customs, then Head harbor to Bliss Island.

Stay tuned!

The Fun Continues...

Monday morning, July 5th dawned oppressively hot, so we put off leaving Quahog Bay till we'd had a good long swim. This was to be our last leg to Boothbay where we'd drop the girls with Auntie E for the rest of the week and continue east to meet the two other boats accompanying us up the St. Johns River into Canada. No wind, so we were forced to motor the four hours to Back River (the back side of Boothbay Harbor) where we dropped the hook. The motoring made for a smoother ride--a nice change for the girls, who'd felt a bit "whoopsie" during the rougher first few days at sea. In the Back River, we were surprised to find Ospreys nesting everywhere--a truly wonderful sight as these magnificent birds were once rarely encountered here! We took the dinghy up the "crick" for fried fish at the Trevett Country Store, Lacey happy to finally have some of her beloved fried Maine shrimp, then "hit the hay."

Of Casting Off and Little Girls

Vacation begins!! Saturday afternoon, July 3, our erstwhile crew of ten-year-old girls dropped the mooring and we trading the near hundred degree temps of Kittery, Maine for a stunning, if roly, four hour sail to Cape Porpoise, Maine. Lacey and Tori escaped most of the heat by riding behind in the cooler, though bouncy dingy. Next day, July 4th, dawned just as sunny and hot but with little wind, so we motor-sailed the 6 hours (hear refrains of "Are we there yet?)" to Quahog Bay and spent much of the late afternoon swimming. A BBQ dinner complete with deviled eggs (thanks to the girls' efforts) and a dinghy explore with Cleave completed our day. It was early to bed that night as all were exhausted, but Lacey woke me about ten to see three different towns' fireworks exploding in different parts of the night sky. Very cool!