Enetai - Salem Massachusetts to the Canadian border 2016
Part 1: July 15 to July 23, Salem Massachusetts to Rockland Maine
15 July Launch in Salem
We filled up our gas tanks in Salem on the way to the ramp. After launching at Winter Island, we took the boat to a slip at the Hawthorne Cove Marina, where we'd been earlier in the summer. Leaving 'Enetai' for the night, we walked back to the ramp and took the truck and trailer home.
16 July Salem to Isles of Shoals. 36.4nm
We got a bit of a late start. Our friends John and Mary Ellen gave us a ride to Salem to begin our cruise (thank you John and Mary Ellen!).
Here we are, ready to go:
We motored and sailed to Gloucester, where we waited to open the bridge at the Blynman Canal - Annisquam River. This is a water way that turns Cape Ann into an island, and saves sailing around the Cape.
There is a small bascule bridge over the Blynman canal on the edge of the Gloucester waterfront:
As the bridge went up for the Blynman Canal, a huge speed boat came blasting out of the cut in total a**hole mode. Later we overheard the harbor master talking to the launch ramp manager on the VHF radio to identify the culprit from his trailer plate.
There's a railroad bridge shortly after the Gloucester Launch ramp going north on the Annisquam. The bridge couldn't open until a commuter train went through. We idled in the current with a dozen other boats for a half-hour until the train went by. This bridge is on a kink in the river; in the narrowest spot; nobody can see who is waiting on the other side. No signals. Worst configuration for a bridge over an active waterway we've ever seen.
Zoooo-ey! The river was jammed. The Annisquam River was in full summer weekend mode. Wingaersheek Beach near the mouth of the river was lined with powerboats jockeying for position to dry out on the white sands as the tide went out. No gaps between the boats and the beach covered with people, towels and umbrellas.
We got past all that and headed from the mouth of the Annisquam out into wide open Ipswich Bay.
We headed for Portsmouth, not quite visible in the distance, motoring and sailing as the wind varied in strength. As it was getting late in the day and Portsmouth was still a way off, we altered course for the Isles of Shoals, a small cluster of islands 9 miles off the New Hampshire Coast. The Maine-New Hampshire state line passes through the islands.
The Isles of Shoals are beautiful. We entered Gosport Harbor and puttered around the harbor, looking for a mooring. All moorings except the most decrepit ones were in use. We found a place to anchor outside the mooring field. We did not get to shore, although Star Island is lovely - we'd visited by ferry a few years ago, learning about their plans to install solar panels to reduce their diesel use, and it was great to see they have them up and running!
We were treated to a beautiful, calm, sunset.
This harbor is known to be rough when the wind blows from the west. A few days after we were there, a microburst came through and put several boats on the rocks.
17 July Isles of Shoals to Jewell Island, Casco Bay. 51.3nm
We motored most of the day past the inlets for the hard-to-get-into harbors of Southern Maine Coast. York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunkport, Saco/Biddeford.
We took turns steering the boat.
When we finally made Cape Elizabeth, the islands of Casco Bay filled our view.
Jewell Island seemed the closest anchorage where we could go ashore and stretch our legs. We anchored in Cocktail Cove (really).
Fog came in overnight.
18 July Jewell Island to Love Cove (Sheepscott River) 29.1nm
In the morning we rowed in to walk the trails on Jewell Island.
The person walking in front carries a branch to take out the webs the spiders built across the trails overnight.
We went up one of the observation towers that were built to spot submarines and direct coastal defenses during World War II. There's supposed to be a great view from the tower, but we were fogged in.
The fog cleared as we left Jewel heading East. We met up for lunch with Bo's brother Hargrave and wife Laura who had spent the night at Seguin. We rafted up in Water Cove, Bailey's Island, and had a nice visit.
The wind picked up as we rounded Cape Small. We were aiming to cross the Sheepscott River and go around Southport Island into Boothbay Harbor. The wind was raging and the clouds looked dangerous as they raced towards us.
We passed Sequin Island as the wind increased
We tied a second reef in the main, but it wasn't enough.
We altered course downwind, got the main down and screamed along with just double-reefed mizzen, up the Sheepscott River to a drier ride. We ended up ducking into Ebenecook Harbor and then all the way up Love Cove to complete calm and security in a beautiful anchorage. Sunset showed the clouds and remnants of the storminess.
19 July Love Cove to Linekin Bay (Boothbay Harbor) 7.7nm
In the A.M., we requested the Townsend Gut swing bridge to open. The bridge was running on a half-hour schedule because of work on the bridge. So we drifted for 20 minutes 'til the 9:30 opening.
Went into Boothbay Harbor and tied up to the town dock for a couple of hours.
Hey, who messed up Boothbay since we were here last? Downtown grocery store?: Gone. Coffee shop on the hill above the library: Gone. At least Shermans Book Store is still there, and the restaurant with seating on the roof, although they changed the menu. There are still some good stores, but not so great for visiting boats.
We moved around to our favorite anchorage in Linekin Bay, between the town park and the big half-tide rock ridge, and walked into town for 'dinner on the roof'. The restaurant with roof-top seating had a new menu but no matter, it's all about the ambiance. We had a great view of the people on the street, too!
We enjoyed looking at local sculptures, then walked back to Linekin Bay and carried our dinghy back down to the water. The tide had gone out... again ...
Time for a dip.
It'd be hard to find a prettier spot!
20 July Linekin Bay to Long Cove (Tenants Harbor) 26.9nm
Pemaquid Point is a beautiful headland with a classic Maine lighthouse and tourists-who-look-like-ants (we were a half-mile offshore) climbing on the metamorphic rock ledges. The weather was sparkling clear.
Crossing Muscongus Bay takes a bit of concentration due to outlying dangers. They are all marked with a can or a nun but it is hard to keep track of which is which. We went by Eastern Egg Rock but did not see any Puffins there this year.
There are also lots of lobster buoys and lobstering boats as this is is lobster country!
We love eating lunch at the general store in Port Clyde but the dock can be congested. This time, as we went in to check whether there was room at the dock, a large boat was maneuvering in a non-logical manner and almost hit us. (They eventually worked their way out to a mooring). We had to pick up a mooring and dinghy in in pretty fierce winds.
To row back out to the boat, had to dodge from wind-shadow to wind-shadow among the moored boats.
The wind gave us a nice run up inside Mosquito Island to Tenants Harbor with a right-turn into Long Cove. This time we anchored amongst the moored boats on the West side of the harbor. Usually we can swim here, but it was too windy/chilly.
(There are a few new moorings on the east side of Long Cove tended assiduously by a guy in a boat who rents them out. The problem is: the lobster boats make a tight turn past these moorings at 5 in the morning on their way out of the harbor).
21 July Long Cove to Rockland 14.9nm
Motored out in the A.M. and caught the tide up Muscle Ridge Channel. The day markers ticked by on either side. Each one had a wake, confusing the frame of reference. Muscle Ridge Channel is a treat if you have the tide with you, or a slog if you don't. Timing is everything. In any case, the passage has many interesting islands and ledges.
You can effect an anchorage between the offshore islands of High, Birch and Dix but we are usually on our way somewhere when we pass through here. We have stopped in the past to check out the old granite quarrying operations on the islands. A favorable breeze built as we proceeded up the channel, died off at Owl's Head and picked up again as we tacked into Rockland Harbor.
Rockland Harbor is about 2 miles in diameter, partially enclosed by a 3/4 mile breakwater. It takes a while to cross to the public landing.The Friendship Sloop Society was having their annual round-up in Rockland this year. Another year we encountered them in Castine. They know how to have a good time. They had rafted up together at the public landing and so they didn't take up too much dock space, while making for a lovely picture.
You can see the breakwater in the background.
We were early on our itinerary, so we had a little time in Rockland. This was great, because the City of Rockland is one of our favorite places to visit along the Maine Coast. In some years, we have used their launch ramp to begin or end a cruise. This trip, we stayed in Rockland for a couple of days. We rented bicycles and went to see our favorite farm, Aldermere farm and the Belted Galloway cows (Rockport).
Then we rode to Camden. We poked around town and climbed Mt Battie. The view was clear from the top.
Dinner was take out from the Pearl.
22 July In Rockland
We still had the bikes to mid-day so we rode out to the breakwater. It's pretty far to walk, so we'd never been there, but it's a very popular place and we nearly always see people walking out to the lighthouse when we sail in. It's near the Samoset resort and it was great to have the bikes for the morning. How you could really know that the breakwater is a popular spot is that Nintendo had put Pokemon on it! The three women behind us were lagging on their walk because "You wouldn't believe all the Pokemon here!"
23 July Shuttle to Logan Airport and Back
Our daughter had to fly back to work from Boston. Our good friend Russ gave us a lift to our house. We went to the airport, then headed back to Maine with the truck and trailer. All this took about 12 hours of driving. Thanks Russ!
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