Into Maine

Had some problems with comms recently hence the delay in the postings.  Think this will continue while we are cruising Maine but will try and post updates as regularly as possible with photos.

Lewia Cove - Linekin Bay

Head of the Cove

Walking to Boothbay Harbour 

Lobster Shack

So to update on our travels - After a couple of days at Linekin Bay we pushed on into Penobscot Bay and into an anchorage in a place called Pulpit Harbour on the Island of North Haven.  We motored for most of the way as there was very little wind - although we did try.  I am forming a general rule that if we cannot make at least 3 or 4 knots then the engine comes on.  This may detract from the general “sailing around the world” idea but at least we will make it in the two year timetable.  Our friend Skip was already at Pulpit with “Angel” and he had recommended it as a good place to stop for a few days.

Skip was introduced to us by Heather in Newport.  He is a professional skipper and has been for many years.  He now runs big boats for owners who have the hardware but not the time to either maintain them or sail them full time.  Skip is extremely knowledgeable about problems with yachts and as such is extremely interesting and a wealth of knowledge for us.  He is a real genuine guy and the kids think he is great fun.  When we had a problem with the sewage system onboard Dulcinea during the first few days Skip was more than happy to muck in, so to speak - thats when I knew he was alright.  Currently he is running a boat called Angel based out of Newport.  It is a beautiful black 85ft sloop.  He brought it up to Pulpit harbour for the owner who holidays at the island for a few days a year and likes to have the boat close by if he wants to go for a sail.  

We motored into Pulpit which is a spectacular anchorage.  Narrow entrance which you cannot see until you are on it and which has a rock island in the middle which you need to miss.  Once inside the anchorage opens up and there are small coves to the left and right and deep water everywhere.  There are three or four wooden jetties poking into the water from private dwellings on the hills hiding in the trees.  The harbour is protected from just about all sides so it is very popular with yachts but there are also a few lobster boats working from the harbour.  

There were already quite a few yachts anchored and even though its a decent sized anchorage we managed to anchor too close to a neighboring boat and had to relocate.  Must admit this anchoring business takes a bit of getting used to.  We understand it all and it all makes sense on paper - you enter your anchorage, calculate the chain scope based on water depth, consider swings circles and then find a suitable spot clear of other vessels.....simple.  However after you have settled down the next thing you find is that the tide has changed or the wind shifted and now for some reason you are lying at 90 deg to everybody else and dangerously close to your neighbour who is giving you worried looks and starting to rig fenders.  The generally accepted rule is that he who anchored last shifts first.  So in this instance we relocated further out into a bit of space.  We were the furthest boat out but had plenty of space.  I think the herding instinct comes into play in anchoring - everyone crowds into the same areas in an anchorage without really thinking too much about it.  

It turned out to be a good spot as we could observe a family of Osprey.  The small rock island which guards the entrance to Pulpit Harbour is home to a huge Osprey nest which they say has been there for 150 years.  Given the size of the nest and the permancy of the construction it is certainly believable.  Each evening the ospreys would leave the nest and soar over the water looking for fish.  We could sit out on deck and watch them flying around the bay.  We never saw an actual catch but saw them returning to their nest with fish grasped in their talons.

We spent two or three days moored in Pulpit trying to catch up with the schoolwork.  Up to lesson 5  now- really slaying it.  The schooling is getting easier but still takes a lot of time.  I must now apologise profusely to all my teachers including my mother who taught us for a while.  This teaching gig requires infinite amounts of patience and we are only dealing with one child each.  But its good - I think we are getting as much out it as the kids - This week I learned what the “predicate” of a sentence is,  about the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs and how Dr Cindy Friedman from the CDC tackled a salmonella outbreak in Colorado.  Generally it was a relaxing few days and we only got off the boat to visit Skip and have a trip to the one shop on this side of the island.  

On Monday (20th Aug) Skip left to sail back to Newport and the next day we motored about 9 miles across the bay to a place called Rockland.  The weather continues to be fine and the days are beautiful sunshine.  We motored past some outlying islands to spot some seals enroute.

Rockland is the biggest town in the area and the best stop to provision up before we go cruising the area.  We arrived early afternoon and went ashore as soon as possible.  When we come into established towns we generally find a mooring to pick up - its easier, you are closer in and it takes most of the worrying out of the anchoring process.  Once ashore we checked in with the harbour master who as always was extremely friendly and informative.  Once we get some baisc information its off exploring.  The first things we generally have to hit are coffee for Scott and Nic, toy store or Ice Cream for the kids.  Rockland is not like the tourist  spots we have been seeing.  Its a working town and has a fifties feel to it.  We found some ice cream at this funky kiosk where there was a real record 

player playing a real record - our kids had never seen a record player with a vinyl record playing!!!  

Dulcinea at Lewis Cove

General plan is to spend two days here - shopping, washing cleaning the boat and maybe a few sightseeing things and then off into the islands.