The Admiral arives!

July 7 finds Rincewind on a mooring after a great, very foggy sail from Vinalhaven.

Karen arrives on time from Portland. I had a great time waiting at the bus/ferry terminal listening to all of the local folks swap stories and gossip!

After a nice meal at the Black Bull, we head out to the boat.........

.......where Karen immediately takes a boat nap!

Fog

The next two days were shrouded by fog. I anchored at Carver's Cove in the Fox Islands Thorofare on the 6th and then left in dense fog to sail to Rockland to pick up Karen on the 7th. The fog lifted a bit near North Haven and then lifted as I approached Rockland Harbor. This is the view of Carver's Cove!

All of the fog navigation tools came out.

I had never actually used the compressed air horn, but as I approached the middle of West Penobscot Bay, a small radar image popped up and kept getting closer. I gave a long and two short air blasts and ten seconds later a sailboat came out of the fog aiming right for me. he and I both changed courses and he called over, "Your horn scared me, I guess I wasn't paying attention."

Eastern Cove on Maine's Long Island

This beautiful cove was perfect for these conditions, a constant SW wind and pretty settled weather. It is kind of wild and pretty far out to sea. There is a rocky beach, but no settlement on this part of the island. I had to anchor twice, since the first time I ended up right on top of a lobster pot buoy and figured that the lobsterman might not be too happy about that. The night was a little rolly, but the anchor held well.

There was a beautiful sunset - appreciated by the gnarly cap'n.

Dense fog the next morning, but I set sail for Vinalhaven - this is a photo of looking back at Eastern Cove.

July 4 in Black Cove and Winter Harbor

After Somes Sound, I headed to the east side of Mt. desert Island in a nice strong (20-25) SW wind which gave me thrilling sailing up Frenchman Bay. I put in at Black Cove so that I had some protection from the wind. It was a nice anchorage (no other cruising boats) but got very shallow during low tide - I had a reading of 4.2ft at one point, but never seemed to be resting on the bottom.

I put on my flag bandana to celebrate the morning.

I hoped to spend the evening of the 4th at anchor in Bar Harbor, but there were no moorings and the harbor master wanted me to anchor in 80 ft. near where the cruise ships anchor - Boo, Hiss, Bar Harbor. But I had wanted to visit Winter Harbor and had a great sail past Egg Rock and Turtle Island and up Winter harbor to Sand Cove. Spent a good night at anchor (though pretty rolly) outside the moorings of the Winter Harbor Yacht Club.

I saw the end of a race between the "Winter Harbor 21s" a one-design existing only at this yacht club.

Somes Sound

After leaving Northeast Harbor, Rincewind headed to Somes Sound, the only true fjord on the east coast. It is a nice sail through the hills on both sides, not quite as dramatic as I expected (ok, it's not Norway) but very beautiful.

Spent the night at anchor in Somesville with the loons, seals, and gannetts and then headed back out of the sound the next day. Gannetts just lve to strike their pose on the top of mooring buoys!