July 26-28 Back in Rockland to pick up Warren Hutchins who is an old friend of John’s from sailing days at Oyster Bay. He was very glad to escape the NYC heat and congestion. Right away, it was off to Winter Harbor on Vinalhaven and a sunset arrival at the anchorage. He brought champagne and we found mussels and cooked them up. The mussel hunting was harder than usual because we had waited till the tide was a bit too high for our usual spots. Warren is the man who taught us how to play Biriba so it was fun to be finally playing again with him. I introduced him to almond milk and vegeburgers and they both went over well. On Weds. we went up to Islesboro and anchored in Cradle Cove for the night. We launched the dinghy and ran up the bay to let our Warren take a walk on Warren Island! That night was movie night.

July 29 Down to Rockland and put Warren in the water taxi for the first leg of his jouney home. Then we went up a short ride to Camden to meet up with our friends from Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Cocktails were served on one of their boats and dinner was ashore at a good restaurant called Cappy’s. We met some newer members that we enjoyed and saw some old friends too.

July 30 Everyone met up again in Smith Cove near Castine and we had everyone for cocktails aboard Windermere. The wind was good that day for the sailors!

July 31 Went into town for breakfast and to meet up with a new friend who lives in Castine. He owns a trawler and John had been e-mailing him for the last year because he owns a company that makes a product that works with our electronic charts. He and his wife and a friend came out to see the boat and they were impressed. That afternoon, Mike and De and another sailing couple arrived and we had a feast that was provided by all on board Windermere.

August 1 This was launch the laser and give everyone a ride day. The wind was perfect and using Mike’s dinghy worked well for crew transfers. What an exhilarating feeling to be out in a big bay all by myself on my favorite laser! In the late afternoon, we headed back to Rockland.

August 2 New guests arrived in the afternoon. First Mike and Janie Galbreath from Greenwich and then mom’s neighbor and friend Dick Schulze. They arrived in such good time that we were able to take them to Winter Harbor for the night. Lobster dinner was the order of the evening to welcome them properly.

August 3 The morning expedition was not far and very successful- mussel gathering by Mike and Dick. We waited this time for a good low tide and the mussels were easily visible. Then we went back to the boat and cleaned them on the swim platform. After lunch, we took a dinghy ride over to Seal Bay. This time, it was about half tide and the seals were still out on the rocks. Usually, we go a high tide to circumnavigate the island between Winter Harbor and Seal Bay and had never seen the seals. After the ride, the tide was high enough to land the dinghy by Starboard Rock. We all hiked up through the woods to the top for the famous view. This time we made seafood pasta with the mussels and played Mexican train dominos after dinner.

August 4 We worked our way over to Cradle Cove on Islesboro and took a nice walk on Warren Island. Duck a l’orange was dinner with peach and blueberry cobbler.

August 5 Off early to get back to Rockland. Mike and Janie treated us all to lunch at the Boathouse restaurant and then left for home. Later, we had some old mutual friends of John’s and Dick’s over for cocktails. They are up here on their trawler. Dick treated us all to a delicious dinner in town at the Lilly Bistro restaurant.