After thinking more about my last entry, I was afraid that the blog sounded a bit like something from the local Chamber of Commerce. So here is another perspective on the coast of Maine.
The weather changed a bit following the printing of the last blog. In fact, it changed quite a bit. Gone was the sun and the nice temps in the 70s into the low 80s.The day we left South Freeport, the cloud cover was complete and the temps were in the low 60s at best. We traveled a short distance to Jewell Island, as I reported earlier. By late that day, the wind had picked up a bit and the temps had dipped a little more. The next morning as we thought about leaving for the east side of the Bay, we decided to change our route to avoid sailing out of the protection of the islands any more than necessary. It was rainy and cold (temps in the 50s) as we left. The wind was blowing in the 20s with gusts in the upper 20s, but in the protection of the islands, we were pretty comfortable. We needed to go out into the ocean only for a short 20 minutes before we could duck back in behind some rocks and then islands. In that 20 minutes, the rain got more intense and the waves built to 6-8 feet on the nose – more fun. Then we were back in quieter waters again for the remainder of the trip.
For those who have poor visibility looking forward, these waters could be quite challenging as one works to avoid the numerous lobster pot bouys.. We enjoy great visibility, so we have little trouble avoiding them. In some areas, they are much thicker than crab pots are anywhere in the Chesapeake Bay or down in the Keys. It's remarkable that there are any lobsters left!
After arriving at the Great Island Boat Yard and picking up a mooring, we particularly enjoyed a hot shower and some time off the boat. However we couldn't get away from the cold, damp conditions which persisted for the next two days. Everything on the boat was damp, and nothing would dry. In spite of the occasional rain, we did get out by Kayak and dinghy to explore a couple of nearby islands, saw more seals and located an eagle's nest..
As this is written, we are back in Maine, having driven over to New Hampshire to visit our other daughter , son in law, and grandchildren and then on to Massachusetts to visit Sandra's mother and sister. If all goes according to plan, we'll spend the 4th here before returning to NH. It may be a few weeks before another update is added to the blog, since we won't be on the boat much perhaps till August. Best wishes to all readers for a happy July.
Captain Bob
Carpe Diem
