Log of September 10, 2008

Sept 10

6:30 Beginning to stir. Wind came NW in the night as expected. Clear, COOL.

7:15 Drop mooring. Heading by motor to Castine YC for showers, then to Cast. Variety for provisions. Pancakes will be 1st thought.

10:30 Casting off town dock after shower + provisioning. Heading around Turtle Head. Suiting up w/full foul weather gear due to surf spray & white caps.

12:30 Rounded Turtle Head having motor/beaten with bouncing strong NW wind 15-20 knots. Finally able to bear off a bit & turn off motor.

1:00 Heading for mainland shore where we will bear off further & head for Gilkey. Hopefully, this more sheltered course will allow for lunch.

1:30 Under west shore, south of Belfast, running out the West Bay--Soup & sandwiches and views of a very attractive bold shore.

2:00 Entering Gilkey Harbor - running fast through and out the south end - no seals hauled out on the ledges today. Cut across to the East Bay between Lasell I to the north and Saddle to the south and a fast broad reach across to Pulpit.

3:30 in Pulpit, dropping sail.

4:00 On a purloined mooring further in than usual. Then short walk ashore, cocktails, etc.
Walk included harvesting a few apples and a wild flower centerpiece. Chicken Fusion then bed.

Today and yesterday we experienced the passage of a very powerful front and its aftermath. It has been really interesting weather--an extreme example of what we see all the time as warm humid weather is replaced with cooler, drier air by the passage of a cold front. In this case, the tropical air following Hanna has been exceptionally warm and unstable with a really strong cold front bringing up the rear and returning us to seasonable temperatures. Happily, we have been in sheltered water with flat seas and good anchorages, so it was really an exciting show and not much to worry about.