Log of Thursday, June 12, 2008

Thursday, June 12, 2008--Clear blue sky. NW, 20+ kts.

1415 Aboard, Rockland. Coming aboard to get underway--The party consists of Mary & Tom G. and B & G.
Came alongside to provision & load gear.

Back from a couple of days at home, the overall plan was a short cruise with Tom and Mary, then another crew change before the delivery to Massachusetts. As usual, the shoreside logistics were harder to arrange than the sailing, with stray cars littering the landscape to be picked up and returned to their owners as best as possible.
This was a breezy day following a frontal passage, so we were taking our time before setting out hoping the gusts would moderate a bit. Our destination for the night was Perry Creek in the Fox Islands Thoroughfare. This is a lovely spot largely surrounded by wildlife sanctuary. It isn't crowded in June, but we are rarely alone there, even off-season. Like Pulpit, it is an easy hop from Rockland so its good for first and last nights.

1545 getting underway for Perry Creek.

We motored through the mooring field and rounded up to set sail well within the breakwater. The course was a reach to Stand In Point on North Haven, so a single reef seemed enough, even 'though it was still gusty. With her beamy hull, shallow draft and fairly big rig, North Wind likes to sail on her feet and can easily be overpowered on the wind. But she has a fairly slippery shape for an old cruising ketch and will scoot once she cracks off a bit. so picking the right sail area and combination is key to happiness. I'm always experimenting; today we got it just about right.

1705--50 min after leaving the Rockland breakwater astern, Stand In Point abeam to port--hardening up for the Fox I. Thorofare.

Always fun to sail through the Thoroughfare, past elegant summer homes and the quaint village of North Haven. Then, just beyond the village waterfront we follow the south shore around to the south and then east into the Creek mouth--really a tiny estuary.

1810 Anchored in Perry Creek Beautiful sunshine & breezy. GPS clocked 8 knots as we crossed from Rockland, reefed.
Time for Dark N' Stormy's.

10:30 Lights out after rousing game of Bananagrams followed by strawberries & cookies.

Although North Wind has never been to Bermuda and never will, Dark and Stormy's have become something of the ships standard tipple. Perhaps it is because Ryck, a regular aboard, makes exceptionally tasty ones with very little urging. Or it could be because nephew Simon exclaimed, "Oh, Gozzy, he was the first boy who was nice to me at Bedales School", when it was explained to him that only Goslings Rum would do. In any case, once the anchor is down in a beautiful spot, a D & S often seems like the right thing.

In any case, we were off to a good start on this phase of our wanderings. Our plan was to continue on east through the Deer Island Thoroughfare to Buckle Harbor the next night and then continue our circumnavigation of Deer Island in order to arrive back in Rockland on Sunday. That would then be our jumping off point for the trip up the coast to the west and south. We went to sleep glad to be back aboard but aware that the national weather map was very complicated and we had a long way to travel over the next ten days if we were to be on our mooring Sunday week. Not too many days off waiting on weather if we were to meet all our deadlines. And for me, it was key to arrive on time since I had a plane ticket for Alaska only a couple of days after that.

Log of Monday, June 9, 2008

Monday, June 9th, 2008 -- Awoke to a beautiful, sunny, glassy calm Pulpit Harbor. Victory Chimes was perfectly reflected on the water so we had 2 of her--one right side up & one upside down. Warm Sun on our backs & Victory C. in front of us made for a luxurious breakfast of coffee, juice, cereal, banana & yogurt!

This is what we had hoped for over the weekend while we were cruising with the girls. But they got to experience a more rugged version of "Cruising the Maine Coast" and seemed to enjoy it none-the-less. Overnight we had a bit of rain and some gusts as the front came through and the wind shifted, but nothing to worry about in our snug anchorage. Our "usual spot" to anchor in Pulpit is straight in from the entrance just shy of the Cabot family moorings at the south corner of the harbor. We have taken to using this as a simple and nice retreat within striking distance of Rockland.


Now we will be off to Rockland, where we plan to leave the boat for a few days while we return home to take care of a bit of real life. Then on Thursday we return and pick up where we left off--a bit more cruising followed by delivery to Lewis Bay where North Wind summers.

Began weighing anchor at 8:50, took until 9:05 to scrub the mud off the chain & anchor.

9:05 Set out to Rockland, motoring with a very light NW breeze. No point in raising sail. Clouding up, we see some "patchy fog". B.

10:45 Approaching Rockland. Owl's Head at port beam. Saw a few birds on the trip over. We think they were 3 Bonaparte's gulls and then later a family of Thick Billed Murres (Mom & 3 adolescent chicks following in line.) b

Noon--Buying ice at O'Hara (across street from Journey's End)--the SOURCE: $1/block

1:25--on mooring #5 having tidied up & loaded truck. Paid thru to Thursday.

Betsy came back from her ice buying trip with a tale of standing in the door of the ice house until someone noticed her and allowed as how she probably wasn't there to buy ice by the ton. She ended up with a couple of "straps" of ice--the local term for three 10# blocks bound together with plastic strapping. This was plenty to keep our icebox going while we were away. The box is huge and seems to be reasonably well insulated, so once it is cold, it does quite well. Cooling it down initially can eat up quite a bit of ice, however.

After cleaning up and setting things straight, the final step was to rent a mooring and put North Windon it. A cheerful young man took our money, assigned us a spot and refused our contact information on the grounds that if anything went wrong, we would know when we got back by the masts sticking out of the water.

So we were off for a drive to Boston and a couple of days on shore.

Log of Sunday, June 8

June 8th (Sunday) - Warm (near 59) with sun burning its way through the clouds. No real wind to speak of.

Marcia & Lynn are due to drive back to Boston this evening. Our plan is to sail to the village of North Haven, in the middle of the Fox Islands Thoroughfare, and put them on the mid-afternoon ferry to Rockland where the car is. The sunny morning transforms Pickering Island from its misty mysteriousness of the night before. And, since it is finally warming up a bit, this is a cheerful morning.

08:50
Marcia wishes we did not have to start the motor. After french toast, fruit salad (w/mango!) and coffee/tea we are stalling leaving Pickering Isl. because without wind we will have to disturb the glass-like conditions in the cove. Substantial time is being used to 'binoclule' the wildlife. Lynn is basking in the sun.

1000 Off Butter I.--Light SW has filled in. Set sail & finished with the engine. Several curious seals observed us & we observed them. A couple of porposes add to the scene. Breeze is light--making about 2 kts.

1058--Elevenses

~1115 Breeze died--motored for a few minutes to get to the next wind line & then resumed beating out the bay.
Decided to just continue sailing into the Fox I. Thorofare rather than rush to anchor for lunch & then rush to meet the ferry--Lynn & Marcia go home on the 3:45 ferry. Wish they had more sunny weather before it is time for them to go.


2:30 Having sailed past N. Haven, enjoying looking at all the houses, etc., we decided that sailing was so much fun (especially since it has warmed up considerably) that we should sail across to Rockland. thus M+L have longer sailing with us :). By 2:45 we are approaching Fiddler Ledge, well on our way (rather than turned back to the ferry dock.)
Its cooler again as we leave the land mass but still very sunny breezy, which is key. :) (B)

4:00pm Entering Rockland Harbor. Glorious sail across. We determined after much estimating, calculating + measuring (even w/ teeth) that we were traveling at a speed to beat the 3:45 ferry. And so we were.
We reached up to 6.7 knots coming across. Lovely sun. Now, we feel the land warmth & have a bit of a harbor hurricane. Time to furl. B.

1700--Saw the girls off in the car 15 min ago--about to leave the town landing for Pulpit.

2000--Nice reach over to Pulpit--arrived ~1900 and motored in to anchor in our usual spot. Victory Chimes was anchored near by with a musical crew ranging in age from toddlers on up. Gusty at first, but the wind died during the salad course. Not it is quiet as sunset approaches. A front is forecast to come through after midnight giving us a NW wind in the morning. We should be quite well sheltered so "no matter the weather, we'll weather the weather, whether we like it or not."

Log of Saturday, June 7

Saturday June 7th. Holbrook Is. Sanct. (Tom Cod Cove)

7:30--Betsy + George up for the day, tending to morning chores and a first batch of coffee.

It had been a rainy and cold night, and it was still drizzly in the morning. The forecast is for some clearing during the day so we didn't see any reason to get going too quickly. In Tom Cod Cove we had picked up a mooring for the night so it was easy to just slip it and go when we were ready.

8:15--Lynn + Marcia, up for the day. Lynn, George + Marcia are treated to blueberry pancakes by Betsy - who had some as well. The morning is cool + overcast with a light southerly breeze.

1000ish--underway under sail for Castine. Light Southerly. Sailed in behind Holbrook & out around Nautilus, then up to Castine Town Dock.

It was great fun to sail in past the ledge with confidence, having marked it the night before. We gave the ledges on the East side of Ram Island a good berth, gybed and headed out the channel North of Holbrook. I always love going into Castine where I spent summers as a child. The grand houses on the waterfront are as elegant as ever and it is always a treat to round in past the State of Maine and open up the waterfront with the Town Dock, Eaton's Boatyard, the CYC and the mooring field. The tide runs hard along the pier faces and through the anchorage, so maneuvering often has more to do with that than with the wind.

We came along side the town dock and walked around from there. The showers at the Yacht Club have become a happy routine for Betsy and me. For several summers when I was a young teen my family summered on a boat in the mooring field off the CYC pier and that was my shower. For a couple of those years I was the assistant sailing instructor and spent days sailing off that dock. The junior program is evidently much larger now and the building, while still in good repair, has seen a lot of use. It was built when I was a teen. Its always fun to be back.

1110 Moored at the town dock. Betsy & George took advantage of the CYC's showers while Marcia & Lynn explored the town. Our plan for lobster rolls from the Castine Variety store was stymied when we found that it was closed with the "business" for sale. Luckily, the Sea Breeze snack bar on the dock stepped up with lobster rolls which we enjoyed. Phew!

By midday it was quite warm in town. The forecast for the next few days was for unsettled weather, nothing extreme, but cold and cloudy with possible showers. In fact, the unsettled conditions extended for the first half of the summer, with lots of rain and fog. We were lucky in that we never were seriously inconvenienced by the weather.

Cast off at about 1:00 pm heading out East Penob. Bay. Will choose a nice island harbor for the night. Sun is peeking thru the clouds, warm front is arriving it seems. Med. 60s on land, cooler on sea. (B)

1315 Off Castine bell, sail set & finished with the engine. Making 270 on port tack.

We had a nice three hour sail out around Cape Rosier and east across to Pickering Island. Tacking South out the Bay from Castine is fun because the shore is so bold that one can sail right up to it. Houses along the way range from 60s era motor homes to mansions.

1615 Anchored in the western cove of Pickering Island. The highlight of the afternoon sail was a close pass of the schooner 'American Eagle.' Tea and gingerbread cookies were also served. With winds out of the SW we tacked over from Castine over the course of 3 hours. Sightings of numerous fancy homes and 'Two Bush Isl' spiced up our trip. The afternoon has been cool and overcast with 'pa-tchy sun' trying to fight through. Fog rolled in as we approached Pickering Isl.

After a nice sail along the shore of Pond and Hog Islands, with American Eagle coming West towards us, we slipped over to Pickering. The visibility closed down at about the same rate as we closed the island, if we had been any later it would have been a cold damp and foggy end. As it was, we slipped along the shore of the island and into the cove and it seemed really cozy to be there. There was a singlehander anchored in about 15 feet just outside the mouth of the cove, so we went deeper into the cove. I did a bit of crisscrossing the area to see how far in we could go. It shoals quickly, so we ended up just about at the mouth in six feet of water at low.

Plans of reading, fire building, etc. are set to fill the afternoon. A choice between cheese + crackers and chips + salsa is now looming over us.

17:30--George + Betsy went for a joy ride in the Zodiac and explored the shore. Betsy returned with several 'treasures'. After they went ashore, a delicious chili dinner was served at around 18:30. By 20:00 dinner was cleaned up and Lynn and Marcia sat on the bowsprit, while Betsy and George addressed the 'trash debacle'. Fruit salad was consumed at 21:05 and everyone went to bed shortly thereafter.

Happily, I don't remember the "trash debacle", but the trip to shore was great. Marcia took a nice photo out one of the cabin ports of us bundled up in the Zodiac.

Log of Friday, June 6

Friday, June 6--Rockland.

Southerlies 10-20 forecast with showers. Currently overcast with light air from the south.

0710 Up anchor & into Public Landing for stove fuel & in anticipation of the girls' arrival.

This was the start of getting to know the Rockland Public Landing. Previously we had gone to Knight Marine, which has the virtue of being a yard next to the ferry dock/bus station. The public landing is ten minutes walk south along the waterfront from there, but has nice big floats and a public parking lot. In June it isn't very busy. Both places have advantages, depending on what you need. The anchorage off the Public Landing is quieter (no ice plant running at night) and there are town moorings available. But Knight is probably better sheltered in a blow. You pays your money and you takes your choice, I guess.

0735 Along side - Rick at BBY thinks we may be able to get attention for boat's problems in Castine. Marcia called from Portland.

0930 - Marcia & Lynn arriving--the car can be seen coming down the street to the dock. Betsy is back from a quick trip to the store & the resulting pastries & coffee have been consumed. The mechanic from BBY called and correctly diagnosed the hot engine as a loose sender wire. Light drizzle. Breeze from the south ~5-7 kts - forecast to increase to 15-20 midday.

Marcia and Lynn got going early to be in Rockland by 9:30. We were happy they did, since they only have a couple of days. Nothing in the log of this day indicates just how cold the weather was. The breeze never got up to the 20 kts predicted, but 15 kts of cold damp wind is plenty.

On the repair and maintenance front, I spent a good deal of time on the phone with the Yard and it was very reassuring that the engine now had a functioning temp gauge.

With the wind from the south and a forecast for unsettled weather for the weekend, we planned to head up the Bay and stay in relatively narrow water. We love sailing in the flat water and narrow passages between islands and headlands around the bay. We had a general plan to sail up the West Bay and back out the East, then into the Fox Islands Thoroughfare from the East. Our hope was to set sufficiently modest goals each day to have a nice mix of sailing, exploring ashore and social time aboard.

The first leg was into Gilkey Harbor, a run up from Rockland which we have done a couple of times now and always rewards us with nice views of elegant summer homes, lovely yachts and often seals hauled out on half-tide ledges. Generally mist will scale up once in between the islands.

Once out in the West Bay, north of Gilkey Harbor, the wind can be expected to harden, funneling between the shores. Then as we round Turtle Head into the East Bay, the weather can change dramatically. Just how it changes is never certain, but it is always good to be ready for new conditions.

0950 - Underway for Castine/Holbrook Sanctuary Betsy, Marcia, Lynn & George. Running up through Gilkey Harbor and around Turtle Head. Plan is to go south around Holbrook I. and moor off the float on the mainland.

1100 - Elevenses

1215 Lunch while passing east of 700 Acre I. Lovely views of sumer cottages, continues murkey with occasional showers. Wind S 10-15. Sailing under main & mizzen.

Early afternoon - extensive phone calling about how to get the centerboard working culminated in the board freeing itself & North Wind is finally up and running! Passed some crazy teens in a canoe & kayaks crossing the Bay.

Boy was it good to have the board slip down after a couple of days under way. Rick had arranged for the yard in Rockport to help us out, but it promised to be a big nuisance to stop there for a few hours. Much better to be slipping along fast with a following breeze and headed for a secure anchorage with the prospect of a warm stove and a walk ashore in a lovely Maine woods.

~1430 Tucked in a reef in anticipation of turn to SE off Turtle Head - wind 15k+.

~1500 Rounded Turtle Head to find a light shower and breeze of only about 10 kts in the East Bay. First board took us across the mouth of Castine Harbor and toward Nautilus I. Tacked up west shore of Holbrook & in past Goose Falls to a mooring just off the float. Wanderbird followed us in and anchored off the cove .

The entry above glosses over quite a lot of action. When we rounded Turtle Head, the wind lightened and the fog descended, thicker than ever. We made our way across the East Bay to the mouth of Castine Harbor without seeing a thing, and then worked our way around Holbrook Island with short boards out into the fog and then back for a periodic glimpse of land. Once we bore off into the channel past the south end of the island, the visibility was fine.

1730 Set the boat to rights & went ashore for the short walk to Goose Falls. The trail was blocked by numerous blowdowns. Seems a strong NW storm over the winter had done the damage. Admired the falls and returned by the road. Chicken Fusion for dinner by Betsy. Cleanup by Marcia with an assist from Lynn. As sprited a game of "Oh Heck" as we could manage, since we were all so sleepy. All hands in bed ~2100.

This was the second time we picked up a mooring off the Sanctuary's float. It is a lovely spot and gives easy access to shore. We stoked up the stove and went ashore. We were a cheerful crowd after our first real day of cruising for the season. The crew was good, the boat was working well and we had a good sail through a variety of weather along some of the most lovely coast one could find anywhere. Not a bad start, even if it was a bit chilly at times.

Note: With Spring tides, the mid-channel rock showed plainly in the evening. Follow the shore into the cove, go to the far shore off the cove and then aim back into the channel heading just east of the island on the other side and all should be well.

Engine hours 802.5

The note about the ledge in mid channel is sailing directions into the inner part of the cove where we anchored once before just off the gravel bar mentioned in the cruising guide. The ledge is not to be trifled with, but if one comes into the cove almost to the moorings and then skirts the far shore on the way out, it should be no problem. The other way in is north of Holbrook Island, which has a green government amenity at the entrance.

Log of Thursday, June 5, 08

June 5, 08, Brooklin, ME

The North Wind log starts on June 5 after an enjoyable couple of months of planning and preparation. The general plan was, after commissioning at Brooklin Boat Yard, to cruise the Penobscot Bay region for about ten days before crossing the Gulf of Maine, transiting the Cape Cod Canal and arriving in Sippican Harbor later in the month in time for the Tabor Academy reunion:

North Wind -- June 5, 2008
Brooklin, ME, Commissiong Day for the season

Betsy and George spending the morning loading gear aboard and stowing the mountain of possessions. After a rainy night, the morning is overcast but dry. By noon most of the gear is stowed, there is enough blue sky to make a Dutchman's britches, and we are tired and ready for lunch. Finished inflating the Zodiac & sandwich from General Store as reward.

We had driven up the night before and had loaded a good deal of the gear from the truck, trying to dodge the raindrops. After a cozy night spent wedged into the jumble of stuff, we were happy to have a dryer day to finish up.

1250 - Underway from BBY float with GW aboard. BW in truck. Both bound for Rockland to rendezvous at the town landing.
Partly cloudy, light Northerly, warm.

1400 - West end of Reach, motorsailing at 6+ kts for the last hour. Boat is generally behaving well.
Note two problems. 1) The engine is running hot ~230 deg. at 1300 rpm and light load (good sail assist). Thermostat? Breathing? 2) Board is firmly jammed up-can't make it budge.

1535 - Little Spruce Head abeam. Made ~5 kts with no apparent wind on run from Reach @ 1300 rpm. Now making ~ 6.5 with light breeze on stbd beam.

Because Rockland is such a convenient place to provision, change crew and generally take care of cruising necessities, this route of just under 30 miles has become something of a milk run for North Wind. However, this was the first time doing it single-handed. It worked well, but this was a long and hectic day. It depended heavily on the cooperation of the weather.

1700 - Has been nice all day, but looks murky ahead over Rockland. Breeze dying & shifting aft.

1720 - Lowering sail & furling.

1805 - Rockland breakwater abeam - sky had cleared & Betsy says I can come alongside for loading.

1835 - Alongside public landing Port side to. Sun is shining, very still & lovely. "Rendezvous" getting a coat of varnish nearby--nice old party boat.

1940 - Leaving the town dock with provisions aboard, but with the news that Lynn's flight is delayed & she and Marcia expect to arrive ~9:30 am tomorrow (Fri).

1955 - Anchored just south of the shipping channel - anchor light going. Hors d'ouevres before dinner.

It was a busy first day and we accomplished a lot to load the gear, get the car and the boat across the Bay to Rockland in the afternoon, load provisions (Betsy had been to the grocery store in Rockland while I was sailing over) and all. The only fly in the ointment was that Lynn and Marcia were delayed arriving. But that problem would take care of itself the next morning. Then we would be off for the weekend with them. I was particularly looking forward to this because Marcia was aboard for the first trip from Brooklin to Cape Cod when we had first bought North Wind three or four years ago. Since then she has done some day sails on the Cape, but no cruising. It was a first for Lynn, but she seemed game.

Our plan for the weekend with Marcia and Lynn is to do a loop around Penobscot Bay, staying Friday night near Castine and then somewhere in the East Bay before putting the girls on the road back to Boston and New York on Sunday afternoon.

The problems with the boat--high temp readings for the diesel the centerboard stuck up were still on my mind. I rather suspected a problem with the sensor or temperature gauge for the first one, since I was keeping a close eye on the engine itself on the way over and there were none of the other signs of overheating. As for the centerboard, it usually takes care of itself after only a few minutes and I was a bit troubled that it was hanging up for so long. I was hoping that it would be possible to do something while we were in Castine and thus be able to keep to our schedule. My plan was to call Rick at the yard first thing in the morning and see what could be done over the phone.

In truth, we had made rather too many commitments to specific rendezvous with busy people and there wasn't much slack in our schedule for breakdowns or bad weather. So I was a bit anxious about that. We have had good fortune (and a very good boatyard), so things have worked out well over the past few years. North Wind is a lucky vessel and we fell asleep that night hoping for the best.

2008--The Year In Review

A year since the previous post when I had spoken of starting to think about Spring '08. Plans were made, cruises happened. Now, at the start of the new year, it is a great time to think back over all the fun of last summer and start to make plans for next summer.

Last spring we spent two weeks cruising Maine and delivering North Wind to her summer home in Lewis Bay, then after a summer of day sails and swimming off the boat, we did the same thing in reverse. We delivered the boat back to Maine starting Labor Day and then spent about ten days cruising before ending the season at Brooklin Boat Yard where it began.

As we start to make plans for the coming season, I will dig out the logbook from last summer and transcribe some of the more interesting entries. With more snow and ice in the forecast, this is the time for armchair cruising as we dream of warmer days.