Aboard Lady

Southern Swing

Annapolis to Brunswick September 16th, 2008 to September 23rd, 2008 

Various places

(Charlie writes...)

In our last posting, we said that the cruising was over and we were in delivery mode to get to Brunswick, GA and put Jennifer on the plane to England.  I guessed that it would take two weeks (sailing time-lines are always a guess).  After all, it took us 40 days to cover the same distance going north last spring.  The bottom line is that after one week and three hours out of Annapolis, we arrived at Brunswick Landing Marina; Brunswick, GA yesterday. (Jenny claps and cheers applause.) Details of this amazing feat of seamanship follow:

The salient feature of this feat was that Jennifer bought off on the action plan. Also assisting were strong north winds and dire weather forecasts for wherever we happened to be.

After having our sails and electronics repaired, on September 16th, 0655 hour (that’s 6.55 AM for you landlubbers) we cast off from Eastport Yacht Center Annapolis.  (Jenny...We also got to visit with son Mike a number of times, and celebrated Stephanie's birthday a couple of weeks early). We sailed and motor sailed 69 nm that day and anchored at sundown off Sand Point on the Great Wicomico River.  Why there? It was the best anchorage we could find  close to the rumb line to Norfolk.  Nice quiet anchorage, only one sailboat came in after us, Paradise Divide hailing port Mt. Crested Butte, CO. We lost the day money for coming the furthest to the party!

On the 17th, we had another anchor up at 0655, God were we serious! Strong northeast winds and, for Chesapeake Bay, big seas, fortunately going our direction.  Motor sailed some, because wanted to go through Hampton Roads in the daylight. Hampton Roads, Norfolk and Portsmouth are the primary heavy maintenance center for the USN.  As we learned last time through this way, they aren’t messing around anymore, big guns ready if you get to close to their ships. 

(Jenny...coming up the Elizabeth River to the town, we saw a cruise ship...in dry-dock.  It was Disney Magic having an extensive overhaul...the lifeboats were off the ship and it was fascinating to watch them unloading and reloading dumpsters and porta-potties.)

  We docked in Portsmouth town center harbor next to a sign that said “No overnight dockage”. We learned from Craig Roser (Charmed) last time through that the parking ticket was cheaper than a commercial dock.

The next leg was the start of the Intercoastal Waterway, a shortcut avoiding Cape Hatteras. The gulf stream hits Cape Hatteras, creating a current against south bound vessels and big seas, therefore even big boats use the ICW.  The first 15 miles of the ICW has 12 bridges and one lock, best done in daylight. And, the first bridge will not open between 0630 and 0830 (rush hour)! We cast off at 0730 (slept in) and fueled up. By 0830 there were 8 motor yachts, one other sailboat and a tug waiting for the first bridge; we joined the flotilla.  By 1130 we were through all the first 12 bridges and one lock.  Although the wind was strong and on our stern, the narrow channel made us motor sail almost the whole time.  We anchored off the channel behind Bucks Island after a 60 nm day.

Anchor up at 0656. Sailed and motor sailed hard all day. Saw few other boats. 25 knot wind on the stern made for steep waves crossing Albermarle Sound and on the Alligator River and Pungo River separated by canals straight as only the Corp of Engineers can make them.  Anchor down at 1854 hours, just as the sun set, after a 100 mile day (that’s about 80 nautical miles.)

Anchor up at 0730 and another 46 nm to go to Beaufort, NC.  Strong winds all night increased during the day, we were seeing 20 knots plus on the open sections. We saw very few boats going either way, and the few that were going to windward didn’t look like they were having fun.  We hoped to make it to Beaufort in time to shop and do laundry.

There are two types of bridges, fixed and opening. On the ICW, all fixed bridges are supposed to be a minimum of 65 feet (measured from high tide). So this becomes a dividing line when you are shopping for a large sailboat; do want the option of using the ICW or not?  That’s why we bought a boat with a 63.5 foot mast.  Well, at ICW mile 203.8 you go under the last bridge before Beaufort, the Beaufort Channel Highway Bridge, height 65 feet above high tide.  As we were motoring at full speed, I happened to notice that the wash board said 62 feet! The wash board is a board place on the bridge piling that has clearance numbers displayed. If the lowest number not underwater is 62, it means that you have 62 feet clearance.  We did a full sped U turn at the last minute, about throwing Jennifer out of the boat. (NOT!! JM) Thankfully we saw it or our trip would have been over. In retrospect, the strong winds had pushed a few feet of water into the channel, raising the water level to at least 3 feet above high tide.

We called the dock master at Beaufort and told him would be in at low tide; he told us of a way around the problem bridge and an hour and half an hour later we were at Beaufort City Docks.

We had covered a lot of miles in the last 5 days and were thinking of resting for a day or two.  That is, until we heard the weather forecast for Beaufort and the Carolina coast; full gale force winds up to 50 mph in two days.

So, as we say in Oklahoma, we saddled up the next morning. We cast off Beaufort docks at 0750 headed to sea and an overnight passage to Charleston.  We sailed all morning, and with the wind going light and right on our stern, motor sailed in the afternoon to keep our speed up and assure ourselves a daylight arrival.  At 2140, after clearing the dreaded Cape Fear Frying Pan Shoals (the home of many shipwrecks) the wind had strengthened to the point we could turn off the engine.  We were doing 7 knots plus the rest of the night.  Although rain stated right before dawn, we still had a good passage. We took turns sleeping 2 hours on, 2 hours off and, with the engine off, it wasn’t too bad.

The weather forecast continued to worsen. Gale force winds were now expected in Charleston the next day. Although we could always motor down the ICW, we had learned that high winds could cause high water and that swing bridges may not open in high winds. So we decided to skip Charleston and go another 123 nm to Saint Simon Inlet, the gateway to our goal of Brunswick.  It turned out to be possibly the best leg of our voyage. Strong winds all night, clear skies (you could see the milky way) and speeds up to an occasional 9 knots. And, most amazing of all, our cat, Sooty, spent most of the night in the cockpit with us. Heavy seas building to 6 feet plus, 20 -25 knots of wind across the deck, gybing twice to keep the apparent wind about 120 degrees, all in all a perfect sail.

(Sorry, the pictures of big waves didn't turn out. - JM)

At 0823 we entered the Saint Simon channel and by 1015 we were tied up at Brunswick Landing Marina docks. A great way to finish the Victory Lap Cruise! 631 nautical miles in 7 days, not bad for a retired couple.

Voyage to Annapolis

Monday September 8th, 2008 to Wednesday September 10th, 2008

We cast off from the Montauk Marine Basin before 0700 and by 0830 we were well out to sea, and there was enough of the north breeze to allow us to set the sails, but not enough to turn off the engine.

The predicted north wind did not hold, and shortly after noon the wind was on our nose, and we furled the jib. 

  Two different small birds stopped by for a break that afternoon.  The first looked like some kind of wren, although it didn't seem to cock it's tail up like they usually do.  The yellowish bird looks kind of like the picture of a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in my Audubon Field Guide, but he was smaller than a sparrow, and a long way from the woods.  If Mary Ann Swain or any other birdwatchers can identify these birds, please respond in the Comments for this blog post.

By early evening the wind came around to the south, and we were able to hoist the sails back up and motor-sail close hauled.

Not one of the best sunsets, but we took its picture anyway.

Taking turns to nap, we continued all night, and by daylight on Tuesday, we could see the shore of New Jersey, but we were north of Atlantic City, and spent the day tacking down the Jersey coast.  Charlie apologized for not being a gentleman...I can't find the source of the expression "Gentlemen don't go to weather", but ladies don't care for it much either.

Mid afternoon, we decided to continue past  Cape May, and head up Delaware Bay, and go to Summit Marina on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, where we had stopped on the way north.  We could see on the Sirius weather that there was a band of thunderstorms, but thought we could handle it OK.  It was spooky sailing in to the storm, but Lady performed well, lots of wind and big choppy waves that we crashed down off (Sooty was quite unhappy about it.)

It was still overcast, but we motored on past the Ship John Shoal.

Good cell phone coverage allowed us to talk to friends and family.

At dusk, we passed the nuclear power plant on Artificial Island.

I was a little nervous about entering the canal in the dark, but Charlie assured me that it would be like driving down the interstate highway in the dark.  Well, it has lights about every 100 yards, and the two big tug boats we me had AIS, so Charlie was able  to contact them by radio so that we didn't surprise them.  We finally docked at the marina at 2100, and after a welcome shower and dinner we both slept very well.

Wednesday morning was glorious.  We purchased fuel, and enjoyed the morning going west on the canal and down the Elk River in to the Chesapeake.  The current was strong, and in our favor (prior planning!), so even though the wind was dead behind us, we had to motor on and made good time.

Under the William P. Lane Jr. Memorial Bridges that spans the Bay, around the corner and in to the Eastport neighborhood of Annapolis.  We docked at Eastport Yacht Center, glad to be here.

We will be in Annapolis for the next few days, getting sails repaired, instruments fixed, provisioning, and resting up for the next big push.

We will leave here Tuesday 15th, and will head south, as weather permits,and expect to be in Brunswick Georgia in about two weeks. We will be in delivery mode, not cruising mode, so updates to the blog may be few and far between.

Our thoughts are with all our Houston friends as they recover from Hurricane Ike. Early reports are that our old marina in Clear Lake, Waterford, was spared from serious damage.

Hannah

Tuesday September 2nd to Sunday September 7th     41 04.352N 071 56.338W

The weather predictions forecast that a tropical storm, Hannah, would be heading our way by the weekend.  We wanted Lady to be tied up snug somewhere not too far out of our way.  We were uncertain if we could reach the Chesapeake by by the weekend.  Checking the charts, Montauk, in the eastern end of Long Island, New York, looked like a nice secure harbor to weather out a storm, and we made a reservation at the Montauk Marine Basin.  Block Island was on the way, and we had enjoyed that island so much on our way north, that we decided that a stop there would be nice.  We were able to pick up a mooring - it wasn't nearly as crowded as it was in July - and Old Port Launch, the same service as in Martha's Vineyard came a took us ashore for dinner.  A great sunset from the Beachhead Tavern, and a lovely meal too.

I had been concerned that lots of cruisers would be looking for a place to hole up while Hannah passed.  We know that as transients, you always get the worst slips and moorings, and it seemed prudent to try to find a place early, and get there ahead of the crowds.

We arrived at Montauk on Wednesday afternoon, took on fuel and water before we tied up and made friends with three gentlemen who had just come in from fishing.  They had caught huge striped bass, and I learned how to prepare them for eating as I talked to them and took pictures at the fish cleaning station.  The fish were so big that they gave us a ziploc bag full of fillets, and we enjoyed fresh fish that night at dinner, instead of going out.  We continued to monitor Hannah and Ike right behind her was also now giving us concern, as the direction of that storm could not be determined.

After a day of boat chores on Thursday, and more monitoring of weather (Dr. Jeff Masters' blog on Weather Underground is Charlie's favorite), on Friday we walked the 3-4 miles in to the town.  The startling real estate prices posted on the local realtor's pictures contrasted greatly with the small motels and places we had seen around the dock. It's hard to figure out where the real people live.  Our taxi driver, the fishermen, the guys working the docks all must live somewhere.  Only one other transient boat came in to the marina to take refuge! Heavy rain Friday night might have been on of Hannah's early bands, but the rain didn't really begin until mid-afternoon on Saturday.  By bed time the wind had picked up to 15 to 20 knots.  Charlie was up a number of times during the night adjusting our lines as the winds changed directions. It seemed like many storms we have seen, it just lasted a little longer.  We found out later that the winds and rains were much more severe on the mainland than out on Long Island.

Monday we spent the day getting ready to leave, and on Tuesday we began a long trip offshore to Cape May.

September 11th

Two thousand one, nine eleven
Three thousand plus arrive in heaven
As they pass through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait
A bearded man with stovepipe hat
Steps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"

They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud
"I have a dream!" and once he did
The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki, and green then say
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"
The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear
"The only thing we have to fear.
The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,
Trust us sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves
You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"
The Newcomers had heard this voice before
A distinct Yankees twang from Hyannisport shores

A silence fell within the mist
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day

"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports
Worked our gardens, sang our songs
Went to church and clipped coupons
We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought
Unlike you, great we're not"

The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said, "Don't talk like that!
Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedom, just like me"

Then, before them all appeared a scene
Of rumbled streets and twisted beams
Death, destruction, smoke and dust
And people working just 'cause they must

Hauling ash, lifting stones,
Knee deep in hell, but not alone
"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman
Side by side helping their fellow man!"

So said Martin, as he watched the scene
"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."

Down below three firemen raised
The colors high into ashen haze
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima back in '45

The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow -- but I don't see fear."

"You left behind husbands and wives
Daughters and sons and so many lives
Are suffering now because of this wrong
But look very closely. You're not really gone.

All of those people, even those who've never met you
All of their lives, they'll never forget you
Don't you see what has happened?
Don't you see what you've done?
You've brought them together, together as one.

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said
"Take my hand," and from there he led
Three thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heaven
On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven

Author Paul Spreadbury

 

(Thanks, MJL)

Martha's Vineyard and Cuttyhunk

Friday August 29th to Monday September 1st - Labor Day           Islands

Jeff Gentzen (Reindeer), our Tulsa boat captain friend, had suggested that we meet him in Martha's Vineyard, as Reindeer was headed there with one of her owners and family for the holiday.  He had suggested that we either get one of the town moorings, or anchor in the back of Edgartown Harbor, in Katama Bay.  When we arrived on Thursday, the harbor-master informed us that all the moorings were reserved for the weekend, and that Katama Bay anchoring was only permitted when the wind was from the north.  When the harbor-master came to collect the mooring fee for our night on mooring 86 on Friday morning, Charlie thought that talking to him face-to-face, rather than over the radio with everyone else listening in, we might be able to get on a waiting list, but no, we had to move.  Fortunately, the wind was still from the north, so we were able to go to Katama Bay and anchor there.

  Jonathan was again our skipper on the Old Port Launch service to town, and told us something about the beautiful homes on the shore as we headed in.

Once ashore, we found our way to the information center/post office, where we were able to purchase bus tickets to get us to Oak Bluff, Vineyard Haven and back ($6 all day anywhere Martha's Vineyard Transportation Authority goes.)  There was a crowd of people waiting for our bus, but most of them got off when it stopped at the eastern beach.

Oak Bluffs had a lovely town park, and we wandered through the town looking for the Dock House.  Remember Johnnie and Sandra Smith?  They came and stayed with us a couple of days back in February when we were in St. Marys, Georgia.  Well, their daughter, Catherine lives in Oak Bluffs, and her husband's family operates the Dock House Marina.  Charlie spoke to Terry, (who immediately invited him out for golf!) but Catherine was away for the holiday weekend, so we had lunch overlooking the harbor and caught the bus back to Edgartown, via Vineyard Haven.

Capt. Jeff Gentzen came from Reindeer by dinghy and took us ashore for a lovely dinner.  Jeff, a  friend of our son IV, started crewing for us on Grand Lake when they were in grade school.  Today he is a licensed boat captain who has sailed all over the world. He gives us all the credit for his career, and insisted on paying for dinner.  Some would say we are responsible for ruining the boy!

(Mooring 86 was vacant all four times we went past it that day.)

On Saturday mooring 86 was still vacant when we went shore in the morning.  We did some errands, I got my hair done (first time since Annapolis, it was really needing it), we found a hardware store and purchased a new umbrella for Charlie - the previous one got left somewhere behind us - and also new fly-swatters.  After lunch we were glad of the umbrella, as it started to pour!  Mooring 86 was still vacant when we headed back to Lady before dinner.  The harbor-master came by and informed us and the other two boats anchored in Katama Bay that since the wind was blowing from the south, we had to leave the anchorage in the morning. 

So, Sunday morning we picked up the anchor earlier than planned as the  wind had picked up and Charlie thought we might be dragging.  A radio call to the harbor-master  - no he would not assign us a mooring until 1100. Another boat was in the process of picking up mooring 86, but mooring 88 was still vacant, so we picked that one up.  At 1100 we radioed him, and reported where we were.  he said we could stay there. Yeah!  Ashore we caught the bus to Aquinnah, on the western end of the island, and had lunch overlooking the Gay Head light, then a long hot walk along the northern road to Menemsha, where we caught the bike ferry - $5 per person, even if you didn't have a bike, only six people at a time on the electric motor driven pontoon boat.

Soon we were on the bus back to Edgartown, and once back aboard Lady discussed approaching tropical storm Hannah, and deciding that perhaps we should wait somewhere very safe and let it pass before making the big trip to Cape May.

Labor Day we dropped mooring 88 and had a great sail down Vineyard Sound and motored through Quicks Hole into Buzzards Bay, and on in to the harbor at Cuttyhunk.  As I was preparing dinner a floating raw bar came by, so of course we had to purchase a dozen oysters and consume them immediately!  The oysters were grown in the pond on Cuttyhunk, and the two young women shucking them for us were probably glad they were headed back to school that week!

Southward bound

Saturday August 23rd, 2008 to Thursday August 28th, 2008    ME, NH, MA

It was a lovely sunny morning that we dropped the mooring at Carousel Marina.  We had had a pleasant stay here, and made friends with Jack the owner, and Suzy the dock-master.  We stopped at the dock for fuel and water, dropped off the trash, picked up ice, and we were off out of the harbor into a lovely breeze.  It went light after a while, so we had the motor on a well for a bit, but by the time we got to Cape Small we were sailing well.  Blessed Spirit hailed us on the VHF radio, and after exchanging positions, we determined that Corning was directly on our beam out at sea, headed in the opposite direction, as he had been to Portland the previous day to visit his son.  We took a picture of him, but he was a long way away!

 By mid afternoon we were well in to Casco Bay, and we were able to pick up a mooring at a small group of islands called The Goslings. We were afraid that someone else might show up and claim the mooring and evict us, as we saw that happen to somebody else, so we did not go ashore.  We thought we could see seals sunbathing on the beach of Irony island, but the entertainment was watching other boats come in to the mooring area.

Sunday morning we were up early for the run to Kittery, but after loading the dinghy motor on the stern, and raising the dinghy on deck and cleaning all the scum off, the light fog had thickened, so plans to leave were put off.  We spent the morning reading, writing, and checking on the fog.  By noon, we had about a mile of visibility, and dropped the mooring, and followed a Catalina 42, Seventh Heaven out of the mooring area, and through the channels of Casco Bay out to the Gulf, as the fog density thickened and thinned.  Seventh Heavenwas heading in the same direction as us, and my mid afternoon the sun was out, the wind was up, and we were both under sail.  By this time, John and Cilla were our new best friends, and since it was apparent we were not going to make Kittery, we took their advice and went in to Biddeford Pool, when they went up the Saco River to their mooring. 

No moorings were available for us at Biddeford Pool, so we anchored in 12 feet of water.  At midnight I woke, because we were rolling around a bit.  The tide was low, and our depth meter showed 1.8 feet (that's feet below the keel!).

The fog Monday morning had cleared to a "few miles visibility" (Charlie's words), so we hoisted the anchor and motored out the western entrance to Wood Island Harbor - into thicker fog! Yes, we are   still in Maine! Under power we dodged lobster pots, and by early afternoon we were entering Portsmouth Harbor.  That's Portsmouth New Hampshire (not Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, where I was born, nor Portsmouth, Virginia, which we visited in April.)

We actually anchored in Maine, on the other side of the harbor in Pepperrell Cove, where there were a lot of nice boats, but their moorings were for boats 40 feet and under.

Tuesday morning was bright and sunny, now that we were out of Maine, but the wind was quite light and dead aft, so the engine assisted the sails for our trip down the coast to Gloucester, Massachusetts.

We docked at Brown's Yard, and were able to give Lady a good cleaning.  We also got a walk in - a mile down the road to the pharmacy and beverage store, then later a walk to magnificent dinners of seafood stew for me, and veal scallopine for Charlie at the bar at Duckworth's Bistrot.  The chef's wife ran the front, and made us most welcome.

Wednesday we needed to get positioned for a run Thursday through the Cape Cod Canal.  We left Browns, and had a good reach on Massachusetts Bay, looking at the high-rise buildings of Boston in the distance.

Two notable items about this leg - I saw a sea turtle (I was looking for whales, but no such luck this time), and we were again besieged with flies.  Charlie thinks that Ocean Navigator should do an article on flies at sea, - where do they come from when you are so far from land?

We entered Plymouth Harbor, but did not visit the historic town, instead dropping the hook on the north side of Clark's' Island, not too far from where the pilgrims first anchored when they entered this harbor.  We had to anchor three times in this area because of narrow channels and swift currents.

Thursday we departed early - we knew we needed to get to Cape Cod Canal in time to get the maximum favorable current to help us along.  It took almost an hour to get out of the Harbor - Plymouth is quite a big place, and we joined a line of half a dozen boats heading in the same direction.  Charlie spoke to Crag Roser (Charmed) on the VHF a number of times, but they were about a half hour in front of us, coming in from Provincetown, so we never did actually see them.  The current in the canal was strong - at one point we saw 11.5 knots SOG (speed over ground) on the GPS!

Out in Buzzards Bay the northerly wind really picked up, and we had a great sail down to Woods Hole, which is a gap between islands to the south of the bay (5 knots current at max flood and ebb).  Through Woods Hole, and into Vineyard Sound, and more great sailing along the northern shore of Martha's Vineyard.  We entered Edgartown Harbor, spoke by radio to the harbor-master, and picked up mooring 86.  The Old Port Launch came a took us ashore for dinner.

Up the Sheepscot River

Thursday August 19th, 2008   Boothbay Harbor area

It was a dull morning as we dropped the mooring at Carousel Marina in Boothbay Harbor and headed across to the Southport Island swing bridge.  Corning Townsend (Blessed Spirit)had informed us that the bridge opens on the hour and half-hour, and you'd better not be two seconds late.  We were early, and had to dodge lobster buoys, with the current with us as we waited for the opening.  We were the only vessel going through, and the bridge tender gave us a cheery wave as we passed. Rain started as we headed up the Sheepscot River, so I left Charlie to take care of the cockpit, and went below, where I made cookies, brownies and tabouli. It was quite a long way up the river to Wiscasset.

We had two reasons for this destination: 

1. When we met Corning and Tita in Beaufort, South Carolina last April, and informed them that we were headed to Maine, they told us that their home was here, and invited us to visit.  Of course we had already seen them on our previous stop in Booth Bay, but a visit to their home was also a way-point.
2. Friends from Tulsa had rented a house on Westport Island for a couple of weeks.  Steve White and Linda Webber, Don Williamson and Margaret McCarthy had rang a few weeks ago, having been following this blog, to tell us of their vacation plans, suggesting we get together. By chance, the house that they rented was a mile from Corning and Tita's.

We planned to visit the Williamsons/Whites this first day.  Cell phone calls with Don were exchanged directing us in, and we got another call from Corning - he was watching us pass his house on our way!  It was really pouring when we anchored, so we ate lunch aboard before going ashore.

Steve's daughter Whitney, and her husband Matt were with the group when we arrived, but were getting ready to leave to return to their home in New Orleans. (Whitney and our son Mike were good friends at Cascia Hall School.)  It was lovely to see such a beautiful young lady again.

Six friends had a wonderful afternoon and evening exchanging news about our various travels - Don and Peggy had come by car on a separate route from Steve and Linda, who had taken a long way through Canada.  Delicious appetizers, followed by dinner of lobsters purchased that morning from the local lobster-men's co-op for $5 each. It was a most delightful way to spend a cloudy day!  

Wednesday August 20th, 2008

We picked up our anchor, and motored the half mile up the river, where we pickup up the Townsend mooring.  Blessed Spirit was tied up at the dock, so we were able to use her mooring.  A lovely sunny day, and a gorgeous home.  Corning and Tita's daughter Jessie, with grandson Taytro (4 years), and grand-daughter Ruby (19 months) had arrived just five minutes before us, so we borrowed Tita's car and went in to see the town of Wiscasset, a charming place full of antique shops.  There was also a lovely sunken garden there.

We returned to Corning an Tita's in time for a delicious lunch, and had a lovely time playing with the children while waiting for the tide to turn so that we could go back down the river (through the Southport Island swing bridge again) to Carousel Marina in Boothbay Harbor.

Thursday August 21st, 2008

Steve, Linda, Don and Margaret arrived at Carousel, and after showing them around Lady (the boy tour took much longer, as they had to look at generator and engine), we dropped the mooring and headed out to the Gulf of Maine.  It was a glorious day, great sunshine and great wind.  Don took the helm, taking us past the Cuckolds, out past Damariscove Island, to the sea.  It was a wonderful sail.

  We headed in to the harbor at Damariscove Island, hoping to anchor for a lunch stop, but the narrow, crowded channel had too many boats for our comfort.  Most of the island is owned by theBoothbay Harbor Land Trust, but the old light-house is privately owned, and the summer resident was mowing the lawn in her bikini!

So we had lunch under sail, and headed up the Sheepscot River under jib with the afternoon incoming tide.  We admired homes on the shore, and decided to keep going, so that our friends could experience going through the swing bridge at Southport Island.  

As we enjoyed drinks and snacks back on out Carousel mooring, Blessed Spirit arrived, and Corning picked up the mooring next to us.  We welcomed him aboard, and then all seven of us went out for a delicious dinner at Brown's next door.