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.