Dec.16 We showed Andale Staniel Cay. Kat and I got groceries and we all had lunch at the Yacht Club. In the afternoon, We took both dinghies to the Isles General dock near the airport and picked up Chris, Corey, and Mike. After the kids settled in and had a quick swim off the beach, we had an early dinner and went to bed.

Dec. 17 Had to go snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto for old times sake and Corey saw many new fish for her life list. Later, we fed the pigs and zoomed around in the dinghy to various beaches for shelling. For dinner, we invited Chris and Ann from “Mr Mac” over to meet the kids because he writes pirate books (Mike loves pirates) and she is a marine biologist (mike wants to be a marine biologist). Everyone had a great time and a rousing game of Mexican Train Dominos.

Dec. 18 This mornings expedition with Andale was done by dinghy 3 miles down to Bitter Guana Cay just below Staniel in 15 kts of wind from the SE. It was a bouncy ride but the bigger dinghies can handle it. Our bodies were a little worse for the wear but it was “something to do while we had the kids here “. On Bitter Guana are a good group of local iguanas on the beach and they love fruit. We all fed them and were pleased to see babies among the group. There is also an interesting white cliff formation to check out. The trip back was definitely easier. After lunch, we left the anchorage and headed up to Bell Island which was about a 20nm trip. We wanted to anchor just east of it because more wind was coming from the SW, W to N over the next two days. The anchorage is surrounded by islands and you don’t get too much wave action. John found a sweet spot where we could swing 360 and not be in too shallow water. Bell Island in privately owned now by the Aga Khan.

Dec. 19 The wind was blowing but John dropped us off on a small protected beach and we beach combed and explored the island. After lunch, the big expedition was N past Little Halls Pond Cay, which belongs to Johnny Depp, and further north to Big Halls Pond Cay to walk on the long beach and snorkel. I walked the beach and the kids snorkeled. john smoked a cigar in the dinghy. On the way back, we tried to stop at the “sea aquarium” to snorkel, but it was too rough. Dinner and a movie finished off the day.

Dec. 20 When John awoke, he spotted a large pirate flag and a motor yacht by Johnny Depp’s island. They had not been there the day before which meant he must be in residence! The kids were all excited to get a closer look so we loaded up the dinghy and zoomed up there in the1-2ft chop. The big flag had a skull & crossbones and a red sparrow and the yacht was at least 150 ft and looked like a reproduction of an old motor yacht. All the beaches were set up with”toys” and lounge chairs. I have photos in the next post. On the way back, we were able to stop at the “sea aquarium” and the fish were back! After all were safely on board, we brought the anchor up and headed out to sea to weave our way through the islands back down to Big Majors. The first few minutes on the outside were a bit rocky and rolly in the 3-4 ft confused seas and we had to stuff towels in a few noisey places but it didn’t last long. Soon we were back through the next cut and headed for the bank and calmer waters with only 1-2ft chop. Luckily the wind was on our stern. Lunch was served and we went smoothly down to Big Majors. Scrabble and dominos were the entertainment during cocktail hour and the movie, Moby Dick, was the evening entertainment.

Dec 21 We all needed our email and Staniel Cay Yacht Club lunch fix on Chris. Afterwards, we picked up Andale and took them snorkeling the Fowl Cay cut and my reef on the back side of Big Majors island. Everyone was frozen so it was back to our boats for hot chocolate and dominos.

Dec. 22 The wind was finally down and we needed water because our watermaker died (parts are on order) so we went into the Staniel Cay Yacht Club dock. to get some. After anchoring back in our usual spot, we gathered up Andale’s crew and went in two dnghies up the islands to Compass Cay. The idea was to take the dinghies out through the cut and around the southern end of the island to a beautiful crescent beach and have a picnic. As we approached the cut, we realized there was a big swell and breaking waves her and there. John and Chris (with his surfing knowledge) managed to work their way through in between “sets” and led Andale’s crew and me to the beach. The problem was that the swells were making it difficult to land the dinghies on the beach so the plan was scrapped. Back out and around and into quiet water again. We found a small protected beach and had delicious our picnic there. After lunch, we stopped at another island and walked across to the windward side to look for shells while the men watched the dinghies. I went back to Andale while John took the kids for one last snorkel. Well, the best was saved for the last! The reef they sorkeled on is about 20ft deep and they were able to swim with two large spotted eagle rays and a reef shark (which Mike was very happy to see as he loves sharks!). They were thrilled. We had a final dinner of lobster Newburg which really pleased Corey who misses Maine where she grew up.

Dec. 23 Everyone was up early and suited up to brave the 2-3ft chop in the dinghy to go to the airport. After they left, we straightened up the boat and went over to Andale to work on their jigsaw puzzle (me) and watch Fox News (John).

Dec. 24 John was feeling brave so we took the “mother ship” through the narrow Fowl Cay cut and around the bend and to a more protected anchorage just north of Fowl Cay because a storm was coming the day after Xmas. The watermaker parts came so John busied himself getting it working again while I went to Andale to work on the puzzle and have lunch. Later, we went to the little beach in the anchorage for a swim and walk. As we landed the dinghy, we noticed a bunch of jet skis, a table set for lunch, etc. A large man came up to Alan and asked politely that we leave because they were having a private party on the beach. Kat and I looked at one of the men and said to him” As anyone ever told you that you look like Glenn Beck?” and he said “Yes many people!”. Kat went to walk the dog and Alan came back to me and told me the man was really Glenn Beck! Now we were willing to leave but we needed Kat to come back. When she got back to the beach, she was chatting with Glenn not know he was really him. She is very friendly. Finally, we got her attention and called her over the to boat and told her. Everyone laughed and they helped us launch the boat again. We went to another beach and then they dropped me off. Meanwhile, John had had to move the boat because it was to shallow where we first anchored and was now working on the watermaker again. I helped as “surgical nurse”. By dinner, it was working and we were able to have a nice Xmas eve dinner together.

Dec 12-15 It was basically windy most of the days. The Thunderball anchorage was fine as long as the wind was from the north. With all the currents coming and going, if the wind wasn’t strong enough to keep us south of the sand bar, we would drift onto it from time to time. Finally it was calm enough to move to the Big Majors anchorage and we were joined by Andale. Cocktails were in order on the beach with all the new boats back in the anchorage!

Dec.16 We showed Andale Staniel Cay. Kat and I got groceries and we all had lunch at the Yacht Club. In the afternoon, We took both dinghies to the Isles General dock near the airport and picked up Chris, Corey, and Mike. After the kids settled in and had a quick swim off the beach, we had an early dinner and went to bed.

Dec. 17 Had to go snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto for old times sake and Corey saw many new fish for her life list. Later, we fed the pigs and zoomed around in the dinghy to various beaches for shelling. For dinner, we invited Chris and Ann from “Mr Mac” over to meet the kids because he writes pirate books (Mike loves pirates) and she is a marine biologist (mike wants to be a marine biologist). Everyone had a great time and a rousing game of Mexican Train Dominos.

Dec. 18 This mornings expedition with Andale was done by dinghy 3 miles down to Bitter Guana Cay just below Staniel in 15 kts of wind from the SE. It was a bouncy ride but the bigger dinghies can handle it. Our bodies were a little worse for the wear but it was “something to do while we had the kids here “. On Bitter Guana are a good group of local iguanas on the beach and they love fruit. We all fed them and were pleased to see babies among the group. There is also an interesting white cliff formation to check out. The trip back was definitely easier. After lunch, we left the anchorage and headed up to Bell Island which was about a 20nm trip. We wanted to anchor just east of it because more wind was coming from the SW, W to N over the next two days. The anchorage is surrounded by islands and you don’t get too much wave action. John found a sweet spot where we could swing 360 and not be in too shallow water. Bell Island in privately owned now by the Aga Khan.

Dec. 19 The wind was blowing but John dropped us off on a small protected beach and we beach combed and explored the island. After lunch, the big expedition was N past Little Halls Pond Cay, which belongs to Johnny Depp, and further north to Big Halls Pond Cay to walk on the long beach and snorkel. I walked the beach and the kids snorkeled. john smoked a cigar in the dinghy. On the way back, we tried to stop at the “sea aquarium” to snorkel, but it was too rough. Dinner and a movie finished off the day.

Dec. 20 When John awoke, he spotted a large pirate flag and a motor yacht by Johnny Depp’s island. They had not been there the day before which meant he must be in residence! The kids were all excited to get a closer look so we loaded up the dinghy and zoomed up there in the1-2ft chop. The big flag had a skull & crossbones and a red sparrow and the yacht was at least 150 ft and looked like a reproduction of an old motor yacht. All the beaches were set up with”toys” and lounge chairs. I have photos in the next post. On the way back, we were able to stop at the “sea aquarium” and the fish were back! After all were safely on board, we brought the anchor up and headed out to sea to weave our way through the islands back down to Big Majors. The first few minutes on the outside were a bit rocky and rolly in the 3-4 ft confused seas and we had to stuff towels in a few noisey places but it didn’t last long. Soon we were back through the next cut and headed for the bank and calmer waters with only 1-2ft chop. Luckily the wind was on our stern. Lunch was served and we went smoothly down to Big Majors. Scrabble and dominos were the entertainment during cocktail hour and the movie, Moby Dick, was the evening entertainment.

Dec. 2-3 We had a leisurely take off because we didn’t have far to go and needed to arrive in daylight and with a slack tide. The weather was sunny and we made good time overnight to the Brunswick, GA area and St. Simon’s Island. Our usual dock girl at Golden Isles Marina, Melissa, was there to take our lines. After a nap and lunch, we used their “loaner” car and did shopping errands. It was also time to top off the tanks before heading to the Bahamas where the fuel is more expensive. That night, we had a lovely dinner with our friends, the Ledbetters, who live on Sea Island. We always streak in and out but do enjoy our times with them. Scott grew up in Greenwich so we knew him when we were kids.

Dec. 4-6 Our last passage down the coast! We left around 6:30am and headed down the coast. As the day went on, the wind picked up till it was around 30 knots but the seas never got above 2-3ft and “Mr. Auto” was able to handle the steering. We were cozy inside once again. By dawn, we were passing Cape Canaveral which was our halfway point in the 355nm journey. As the day progressed, the winds and seas went down and the sun came out.

Now the water is a light turquoise green because we are staying close to shore to stay out of the Gulf Stream which is just a few miles out to sea in this part of Florida. As we have been traveling south, the water has changed colors. In Long Island Sound and down the Jersey shore, it was dark green and in the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay, it was brown. Off the Carolinas, it was a pretty dark blue but muddy again in Charleston harbor and Brunswick, GA. Once we get to the Gulf Stream, the water is a beautiful cobalt blue and has little bits of Sargasso weed floating in it and flying fish. The water temperature also goes up to the high 70’s or even 80. These two things help us know we are in the Stream as well as the northward current.

As we went down the southern Florida coast, the wind lessened and the temperature warmed enough for us to sit outside on the flybridge and watch the marlin/swordfish jump and the various seabirds fly by looking for fish. During the night the wind picked up again but the seas were not a problem. By dawn, it was blowing 25 knots or better. We planned to go in the Key Biscayne Channel and up the bay and into a new anchorage for us that would give us almost all around protection. We had heard this was possible from some CCA friends of our neighbors (M.A. & Barnaby Blatch). These friends live in that harbor. We came in the channel and did our route into the harbor but saw a nail biting 7.2 ft at the entrance. It is good to finally be in Florida even if the temperature tonight will be 29! We will stay here for a few days till the winds calm down and then cross to the Bahamas. Yeah!

Dec. 6 Our new friends took us around and had us for drinks that night. The big treat was seeing my exmother in law, Olga, and her friend Dolores for dinner. It was wonderful to catch up and we had a jolly evening.

Dec. 7 Ann took us to several supermarkets for a last minute provisioning. Both were first class. When we got back to the boat, our friends Kat and Alan on Andale were in the harbor. We were planning to buddy boat across the Gulf Stream and down to the Exumas. We had dinner aboard Windermere and made an early evening of it.

Dec. 8 At the high tide, we both left and worked our way out the Key biscayne channel and on to the Gulf Stream. The stream was a bit lumpy but it didn’t last long and the rest of the overnight to Chub Cay was calm. We arrived at Chub at dawn and anchored to wait for the marina to open. When everyone was ready, we both went in to the fuel dock and the men went to clear customs. That night, we both anchored out and had dinner on Andale.

Dec. 9 Another sunny day for our jump down to Norman’s Cay where we anchored off the big beach. John helped Kat take their dog ashore in our dinghy. Dinner was on Windermere.

Dec. 10 Windier but still sunny for our shorter hop down to Big Majors Spot by Staniel Cay. We were the only two boats anchored in the big harbor. We went to feed the pigs and show Andale how to get into Sampson Cay marina. dinner was on Andale.

Dec. 11 A nice sunny calm day and the boat was cleaned from top to bottom. At high tide, we moved over to hide behind Thunderball Grotto island because a big storm was coming the next day. Later in the afternoon, we went to check on Andale and make sure they were settled in the marina. They invited us to dinner at the Sampson Cay restaurant. The food was much improved and they had redecorated too. A partial moon and our GPS helped us work our way back to the boat. When we returned, we realized the wind had blown us on to a sandbar and the incoming tide was in the process of bumping us off. It was uncomfortable for about an hour and then we floated off and were able to swing further south to deeper water. The wind slowly picked up over the night but our new gigantic Rocna anchor was buried deep in the sand.

Nov. 2-3 We had a leisurely take off because we didn’t have far to go and needed to arrive in daylight and with a slack tide. The weather was sunny and we made good time overnight to the Brunswick, GA area and St. Simon’s Island. Our usual dock girl at Golden Isles Marina, Melissa, was there to take our lines. After a nap and lunch, we used their “loaner” car and did shopping errands. It was also time to top off the tanks before heading to the Bahamas where the fuel is more expensive. That night, we had a lovely dinner with our friends, the Ledbetters, who live on Sea Island. We always streak in and out but do enjoy our times with them. Scott grew up in Greenwich so we knew him when we were kids.

Nov. 4-6 Our last passage down the coast! We left around 6:30am and headed down the coast. As the day went on, the wind picked up till it was around 30 knots but the seas never got above 2-3ft and “Mr. Auto” was able to handle the steering. We were cozy inside once again. By dawn, we were passing Cape Canaveral which was our halfway point in the 355nm journey. As the day progressed, the winds and seas went down and the sun came out.
Now the water is a light turquoise green because we are staying close to shore to stay out of the Gulf Stream which is just a few miles out to sea in this part of Florida. As we have been traveling south, the water has changed colors. In Long Island Sound and down the Jersey shore, it was dark green and in the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay, it was brown. Off the Carolinas, it was a pretty dark blue but muddy again in Charleston harbor and Brunswick, GA. Once we get to the Gulf Stream, the water is a beautiful cobalt blue and has little bits of Sargasso weed floating in it and flying fish. The water temperature also goes up to the high 70’s or even 80. These two things help us know we are in the Stream as well as the northward current.
As we went down the southern Florida coast, the wind lessened and the temperature warmed enough for us to sit outside on the flybridge and watch the marlin/swordfish jump and the various seabirds fly by looking for fish. During the night the wind picked up again but the seas were not a problem. By dawn, it was blowing 25 knots or better. We planned to go in the Key Biscayne Channel and up the bay and into a new anchorage for us that would give us almost all around protecton. We had heard this was possible from some CCA friends of our neighbors (M.A. & Barnaby Blatch). These friends live in that harbor. We came in the channel and did our route into the harbor but saw a nailbiting 7.2 ft at the entrance. It is good to finally be in Florida even if the temperature tonight will be 29! We will stay here for a few days till the winds calm down and then cross to the Bahamas. Yeah!

Nov. 20 We’re on the road again! Down Narragansett Bay and on to Point Judith, we motored and all was well till we turned the corner and had seas and wind on the nose for the next 4 hours. As the sun set, we anchored safely in Niantic Bay for the night.

Nov. 21 Midnight, and both of us were awake. If we left now, we could make Greenwich by morning. The moon was almost full and lit the way. The yacht club was ready to take our lines when we arrived and that night, John’s mom and stepfather met us there for dinner.

Nov. 22 Mom lent us her car to use after lunch at L’Escale with her and a friend and we were off to the movies and Costco. Once we had given the car back and said our goodby’s, we had a quiet dinner and went to bed early.

Nov. 23 We got up early and had an easy trip to NYC and down to the Atlantic Highlands area to anchor for the night. The tide was a wonderful help all the way and we saw over 12 knots in the East River!

Nov. 24-25 After a windy night with choppy seas, we were glad to be on our way down the New Jersey coast. Once again, the tide was with us all the way down the coast, up the Delaware River, and through the C&D Canal. In honor of Thanksgiving, we had turkey sandwiches and some good soup. Our average speed for the trip was 7.84 knots! Just at dark, we found a nice protected bay to anchor in for a good night sleep.

Nov. 26 Up early and well rested and time to head down the bay to Oxford to visit our friends Larry and Leslie on “Algonquin”. They told us where to anchor, we launched the dinghy, and headed to their boat for dinner and socialization. It was good to see them because we missed them this last summer. We all had left over Turkey Day dinner- delicious!
Nov. 27 Up early and once more down the bay towards the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel- Bridge. The wind was blowing but off our stern quarter and the seas were manageable. The sun was finally out but the temperature too cold for our liking. Passing by the entrance to the Potomac added to the wind and waves for about an hour. The excitement for the day is dodging big ships and crab pots. They like to string them together and the paint them black just to make it more sporting! We finally reached the bridge at around 8:30pm going almost 9 knots. The boat was literally “spit” out of the bay. Down the coast with more following seas but bigger this time and they made for a rolly night. John had to stay at the helm almost all night and steer with the Z drive because the autopilot wasn’t strong enough to hold a course continually.

Nov. 28 The seas continued to roll us but slowly lessened by the time we reached Hatteras. The sun was out and it was good to make the turn to the SW and stop rolling. Both of us took turns napping during the day and were in good shape by evening. Dinner of John’s favorite hotdogs and beans and a pretty sunset set the tone for a nice night passage past Cape Lookout Shoal and on to Frying Pan Shoal.

Nov. 29 The day was gray and the wind slowly picked up. We lucked out and had two groups of dolphins come by and visit for about 20 mins each. Boy do I love watching their antics! For about the last seven hours, we had to steer using the Z drive remote because the autopilot couldn’t keep a course in the aft quarter seas that were “sidling us” to and fro. Just before midnight, we entered the Charleston channel and had the place all to ourselves for the first time! By midnight, we were anchored off the channel in the Ashley River and went to bed.

Nov. 30 We called our friend Doug, who we new from the Exumas last year and were planning to visit that day, and he came down to the Carolina Yacht Club and took our lines. Our berth there was provided by our other friends in Charleston. We spent the rest of the day catching up and playing dominos. It blew and rained but we were cozy inside. By nightfall, it had calmed down and we went ashore for a nice dinner at a nearby brewery. The wind that was blowing was so warm and balmy. It was wonderful!

Dec. 1 It was sunny but still breezy and much cooler here. We were picked up by our friend J.P. and taken to the city marina to meet some of her friends and see their boat. Then, they came to see our boat and we had a good lunch at the Yacht Club. J.P. then took us to do our errands and dropped us back at the club. We spent a quiet night.

Sept 23/24 Well, we picked our weather window perfectly thanks to Passageweather.com which i am in love with. We had a sunny calm day all the way from Rockland to the Cape Cod canal. We arrived at the canal at about 4:30 am and made our way into it slowly as we hadn’t done it at night and were not used to the lights. The current was not as favorable as we hoped but Windermere powered through. Off of the Portland area, we had a whale show for about two hours off and on. We think we saw about 10 whales and different species too. Two large (7ft)“fish” jumped and fliped out of the water that we couldn’t identify. Other whales were doing their bellyflops and everyone was spouting We watched it all from the flying bridge and I did get one picture. We had a full moon which added to the comfort and only once close call with a cruise ship- thank you AIS. John talked to the captain before things got too close for comfort and all went well. Once through the canal, we anchored in our usual spot near the canal and went to sleep.

Sept. 15 A sunny but windy day greeted us. The younger set all arrived on time and John got them in the new dinghy. After they settled in and we raised the dinghy, we brought the anchor up along with a big rock! Mike had picked one up the day before and we were laughing at him. Now we had one too. Chris and John worked to free the anchor for quite a while and finally succeeded. Off we all went to a small island in the bay where we anchored and had lunch. Then we launched the dinghy and went ashore for a walk around this new spot. There were rose hips galore, a pond with grasses, rough beach all around, and woods. After the exploration, we motored back to Smith Cove and had delicious poached plums with ice cream and brownies and played Biriba. John dropped the kids off and we had a quiet night.

Sept 16 Another sunny day but with less wind. We got up early and motored down the bay to Islesboro where we picked up three of John’s old friends for a luncheon cruise to some other small islands nearby. We were able to eat on the aft deck again which was lovely for mid September. This was another new spot for us. Everyone had a good time and loved being on the boat. Once we had dropped them off, we headed back to Rockland for the night.

Sept. 17 More guests were arriving in he afternoon so we organized ourselves and the boat. These guests were the previous owners of our boat! They arrived in the late afternoon and brought a delicious dinner with tthem which we all feasted on that night.

Sept. 18 After breakfast, we motored over to our favorite Winter Harbor on Vinalhaven and anchored in time for lunch on the aft deck again. Sherry brought a shrimp salad which we put into wraps and a corn salad for the side. We then went on a dinghy expedition to show them the area and sa some seals but the best was the eider ducks. They have very strangely shaped heads and white feathers on the top of their wings. That night, I made duck and we watched a good movie.

Sept. 19 After breakfast, John took Wray and Sherry up to the top of Starboard Rock to see the view and they loved it. Wray took lots of pictures of the forest with all that great moss. I stayed back and was the dinghy driver for once. Love that electric start! Lunch again on the aft deck. The last one of the season. Then we headed back for Rockland. The whole weekend, John and Wray were having fun working on various things on the boat. After they left, we just had a quiet night.

Sept. 20-21 The wind piped up from the north so we decided to move to the northern section of the bay for more protection. We had never anchored in this section of the harbor and our first attempt yielded another rock! Now John had the “rock technique” and was able to flip it off pretty quickly. I am getting mors practise keeping the boat in place. Our third try found mud and we were set for the rest of the day and night. Next day, we went to get our last groceries and moved back to the other end of the harbor because the wind had shifted again. We invited Doug and Dale Bruce on board for a last supper and had some good conversation about our proposed trip with them to Newfoundland next summer. I cleaned out the refrigerator for dinner fixings and Dale brought wonderful strawberries and sinful fresh whipped cream.

Sept. 22 Did chores and took on lots of fuel. Tomorrow we leave early for our overnight trip down to the Cape Cod Canal and then on to Barrington, RI where our boatyard is located.

Sept. 5 It was again sunny but still windy. We took Mike and De in the dinghy to Holbrook Island for a nice walk around on the newly refurbished trails. Into Castine for lunch at BAH’s. Later, after some Biriba, Mike took us exploring in his dinghy around some of the coastline of the bay and even into a hidden smaller bay that was only accessible at high tide. Home again for a soup dinner and more Biriba.

Sept 6 We said good bye to Rita Marie and headed back to Rockland. Later that evening, we had a wonderful dinner with the Kimballs and saw their new boat to boot.

Sept. 7 Several workman came out to work on small boat projects with John and we “puttered”.

Sept. 8 I finally got my hair cut and we got groceries and lobsters (to cook up for lobster newburg in the winter). Off to Isleboro to meet up with an old friend of John’s and his new wife. They had a tour of our boat and we toured theirs. Later, we all went out to a delicious dinner at the golf club.

Sept. 9 We just hung around on the boat for the day.

Sept. 10 Motored up to Bucks Harbor and got our mooring. Drinks and dinner on Rita Marie and we met Izzy who was De’s matron of Honor.

Sept.11 Everyone spent the day getting the yacht club decorated for the wedding. De, Izzy, and I went to the market for groceries and flowers which I arranged later. We invited a crowd for cocktails.

Sept.12 Wedding day! The wedding party arrived and we had the ceremony on the foredeck in the glorious sun. Champagne and photos followed and then we all went into the yacht club for the reception. There was a good D.J. and seeing many of our sailing friends all together was also a treat. Wild dancing and lots of cheer and love to go around made for a wonderful afternoon! Their dinghy also got the “wedding treatment”. We went home to recuperate.

Sept. 13 A gray morning and a slow one too after all of the festivities. We extricated ourselves from the mooring and headed to Smith Cove off of Castine. Mike and De (the honeymooners) were not far behind. When they arrived, we all donned our rain gear and libations and got into the dinghy for an expedition up the nearby Bagadus River. We sped along up the river loving the scenery, company and libations with Mike happily at the wheel and the rain held off till after we returned to Windermere. Now it was Biriba time with nibble,s which became dinner, and more libations. The girls were loosing which we were not happy about!

Sept 14. It was raining early but slowly cleared. The honeymooners said goodbye and headed off down the bay for more adventures. We headed into Castine for groceries and lunch at our favorite place BAH’s and had our favorite tomato cognac soup. The sun was warm and the day clear for a while but later, a quick thunderstorm came through- nap time. I got up because I had cooking to do for Chris, Corey and company who were coming the next day. As I stood at the sink, I noticed a rainbow out the window and a few minutes later, six loons floated by out in the bay! Not all bad scenery- that’s Maine for you.

August 25 Finally the rain came but we were tucked in a good spot to weather the storm. We sat around all day, warm and dry, doing things like read the paper, genealogy, and write blogs, etc.

August 26 It had cleared quite a bit so we motored back down the bay to our spot in Rockland Harbor. We saw some new friends on another trawler and invited them aboard for cocktails. Craig is a distant cousin of some other friends from Maine and Greenwich.

August 27 Another stunnig day is Maine but our morning was busy with errands to get groceries and lobsters because we had some new guests coming. Richard and Michelle Sanger are sailing friends who share many other friends with us. We motored to a new anchorage for us on North Haven called Kent Cove and had dinner on the aft deck and watched the sun set over the pine trees. We then taught them how to play Mexican Train dominos.

August 28 After a leisurely breakfast, we motored the short distance over to Seal Bay and joined Chessy, Annie B, Rita Marie, etc. After lunch, we got the laser down and Richard and Michelle tried it out. Michelle “christened” it and was quickly rescued from the cold water. Larry on Chessy and Mike and myself all had a good sail on her. For cocktails, about 8 dinghys went in a conga line around the edge of the bay to a spot out of the wind and landed on the rocks where we feasted on goodies and cocktails. The tide was going out so we had to disband quickly when it was assertained that the escape channel was becoming too shallow! There was much poling but all escaped in time. As we went around the corner of the bay, we saw a sad sight- a large sailboat had misjudged the channel and hit the rocks in the middle
of the bay and was hard aground till the tide came back up much later that evening. Dinner and a movie rounded out the evening.

Aug 29 It was a sunny and cloudless day and we headed back across the bay to Islesboro and anchored in a new (to us) section of Gilkey Harbor off of some nice (large) houses. After lunch, we took the dinghy to Warren Island and had a walk through the woods. Dinner was on the aft deck again and dominos the game of the evening.

Aug 30 Got up early to get the Sangers back to Rockland but the engine didn’t want to start. John called our boat yard, got some suggestions as to the problem and tried again and sure enough it started- gremlins! We did make it back to Rockland in time to get them on their way back home.

August 31 It was unusually hot and humid. John did errands in the dinghy and we enjoyed having the boat to ourselves again.

Sept 1 Another hot day so we decided to swim around Windermere and clean her water line. I had seen ducks coming up to her and eating the long green algae growing on her! That night we had cocktails on Variant with Buddy and Gail and then a nice dinner ashore at The Pearl restaurant in Rockland.

Sept. 2 Got an early start up to our hurricane hole in Smith Cove off Castine. Hurricane Earl was on his way and several of our other sailing friends were already there. On our way in, John was distracted and bumped up and over a large rock that was about five fet under the water. The boat was ok but his ego was bruised. Once we got the dinghy launched, we took the Bluewater crew into Castine for sandwiches and ice cream. That evening there was a hurricane cocktail party on Bluewater. It turned out to be a mini OCC rally too.

Sept. 3 A gray day. We prepared for the hurricane and did other projects as well writing an article for the CCA magazine as requested by Doug on Bluewater. In the night, it rained and blew a bit but not badly. Everyone’s anchors held and gladly there were no mishaps.

Sept 4 It was still windy and rainy but by mid morning, blue sky was visible in the western sky and some of the boats started to leave to go elsewhere. We stayed to wait for Rita Marie because we had planned a big Biriba love in.

August 19 The parents left mid morning and our friends Rick and Julie Palm arrived in mid afternoon. We were all headed for an Ocean Cruising Club weekend rally in Maple Juice Cove on the St. George’s River west around the corner from Penobscot Bay. All was fine till the fog rolled in and we had to slow down to dodge lobster pots all the way up the river to the cove. After arriving safely and anchoring, we had dinner and played Mexican Train dominos.

August 20 It was sunny but breezy. Rickkand Julie lived nearby and had left their car at a friend’s house so they took us to Camden for lunch at their informal yacht club. We sat outside in the warm sun with a great view of all the activity in the harbor. Then we went to the market for a few thinga and to see their home. Then it was time to get back to the boat to get ready for the cocktail hour. Three sailboats rafted together in our harbor and everyone descended to their decks with drinks and hors. It was hard moving about but we did manage to visit with many of our friends. We invited two of them to join our happy band on Windermere for dinner.

August 21 It was sunny and less windy and the morning started slowly as Saturday mornings should start. Late morning, we went to the hosting home on shore and helped set the luncheon up for the rally of now 150 people. It was fun being able to talk to old and new friends and move about freely on the lawn. Later, Julie and I had fun making crab cakes for dinner and we all played dominos.

August 22 Rick and Julie left to go home and we headed for Pulpit Harbor on North Haven Island because a storm was heading our direction. Two other friends boats, Chessy and Annie B, joined us in the harbor and later came over for a long cocktail “hour”.

August 23 The sky was just a bit gray but no rain yet so we all walked into the little grocery store on island and picked wildflowers on the way home. Later in the afternoon, between sprinkles, the gang arrived with pot luck dinner and we played dominos for the rest of the evening. It was fun getting a chance to know these sailors better. We had always seen them in a crowd.

August 24 Sunny but windy so we moved up the bay a bit to Islesboro to a protected anchoraged for the next storm. We anchored off of a friend’s house and called them with the cell phone. They wanted to see the boat so we oblidged and they then took us to lunch at their yacht club. Once again, we got to really talk to people we usually saw briefly in a group and get to know them better. Back on the boat, we played cards (I am loosing terribly), had dinner and watched a movie in bed.

August 11 Chris, my son, arrived, from his long drive from Long Island,just in time to drive John to the Rockland airport to pick up his daughter, Alison, and her two children. They all arrived safely but tired from their trip. Alison is my son Michael’s age and her two boys are Ethan age 2.5years and Logan age 1 year. Her husband, Tom, had to work and missed the trip this year. She is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer and is bald a a result. We got the kids fed and to bed early. The four adults had a delicious lobster dinner in Alison’s honor.

August 12 The kids were up early so, after breakfast, we started up the boat and motored down Muscle Ridge Channel to the three islands that we had checked out the day before. After anchoring in the middle of the three, we had lunch and naps. Then it was time to take the dinghy to Birch Island and walk on the beach. Chris showed us how we could eat rose hip fruits right off the bushes. They tasted like citrusy apples and are packed with vitamin C. Next, we circumnavigated High Island and went off to a large rock to see the seals who were sunning themsleves. There was a good group and Ethan was thrilled to see them all waddle into the water and swim around. Finally, we dropped the gang off on Dix Island and let them walk around the island on a path that had berries and fruit trees on both sides as well as pretty scenery. John and I circled the island by dinghy. Back to the mother ship for dinner and cards for the adults.

August 13 Up the anchor and back to Rockland to drop off Chris who had to leave. We hovered out in the bay, launched the dinghy, dropped him ashore, raised the dinghy, and went out across west Penobscot Bay to the western side of Vinalhaven and an anchorage outside Long Cove. After lunch, Alison, with Ethan on her lap, went kayaking up Long Cove with the rest following. Chris was great at feeding Cheerios to Logan in the backpack on his back. Once she got to the head of the cove, we towed her back up wind to the mothership. Dinner, bed for babies, and cards for us.

August 14 We are getting into more of a routine with naps and food prep in the galley. The kids are both getting colds but are behaving well for the conditions and the boat is well suited for tiny people. John is not. Up the anchor and over to Seal Bay on the other side of Vinalhaven. After naps, we all got into the dinghy and explored around the area and looked at the birds and seals. Dinner and cards for us.

August 15 We got up with the kids and left for Rockland because we wanted to go to the Home and Boat Show there. We all loaded up the dinghy and went to see the show which has something for everyone. The kids liked it too in their wn way and we had lunch right there. Afterwards, we walked in town and went to the ice cream place of course. I had Logan on my back in the back pack for hours but he was a doll the whole time. Dinner, bed for the kids and early bed for all.

August 16 The longest day of the summer! Alsion’s flight wasn’t until 5pm and we all got up at 6 a.m. after going to bed so early. To make things worse, it was raining outside and we all had to stay inside and “play”. By 10a.m. we were all ready for the looney bin. I got out a movie for Ethan thinking it would last for 2 hours and it was over in 30mins so we watched it twice! then we watched Cinderella which entertained him for a while as long as the mice were singing and fighting with the cat and the fairy godmother was turning creatures into carriages, etc. When the ball started, we lost Ethan. John and I watched the rest. It was finally lunchtime and nap time. While they slept, we were waiting for John’s mother, Monaise, and step father, Angus, to arrive mid afternoon with their car to take Alison and the kids to the airport. They came on board and siad hi and goodbye and John went to the airport and the grocery store while the parents settled in on board. We had a nice welcome grownup dinner ashore at the Boathouse. Angus had his two favorites; steamers and oysters and wanted crab cakes too but we talked him out of it! Back to Windermere and to bed early.

August 17 It was foggy but we took off anyway because we have good radar and know the area well. Smith Cove off of Castine was our destination for the day. By the time we got to the top of Islesboro, the fog had lifted and and it was a sunny day. After anchoring and a late lunch, we launched the dinghy and went into Castine for ice cream and to show them the tiny village. That evening, we had a good dinner on the aft deck and watched a movie.

August 18 It was sunny again and we motored down the back side of Islesboro and around the bottom and west back to Rockland. That night, we walked down the main street a bit window shopping to dinner at Lilly Bistro, which we love, and Monaise and Angus did too.