Sept. 6 Gail and Willard Welsh drove me back to Rockland and John picked us up at the dock. After loading Zalty(the dinghy) on the top deck, we sped to Bucks Harbor to meet up with my brother Mark and his wife, Laura. We wanted them to see the boat and have dinner with us all on the boat. We arrived at dusk and anchored. john went ashore to get them and we all had a fun dinner together.
Sept. 7 It was gray and rainy and windy, so we went to Smith Cove where we could gather mussels for the next night’s dinner. After we dried off and had dinner, we played Chinese checkers! That was a blast from the past.
Sept. 8 The sun came out and we headed to Pulpit harbor so we could walk to the grocery store on North Haven. Along the way, we all picked wildflowers for an arrangement. Dinner was a seafood pasta made with the mussels Gail and Willard had collected. This time, we played dominos together.
Sept. 9 A beautiful clear day greeted us and we left the harbor and the osprey sitting on her nest (pulpit) and headed for Winter Harbor on Vinalhaven. Soon after anchoring, we were joined by Algonquin and eventually Rita Maria. Some people went up to the top of Starboard Rock and some in the dinghy to see Seal Bay next door. Dinner was for 10 on Windermere out on the aft deck. Algonquin treated us to lobsters and I made an upsidedown rum cake with plums, blueberries, and pecans on top! By 9:15pm , we were all ready for bed. Can’t stay up and party like we used to in our yourh!
Sept. 10 After breakfast, everyone braved the lobster pot gauntlet across a small bay to our east and on to Merchant Row and McGlathery island. After lunch, we all went ashore and walked along the rocks and enjoyed a glass of wine. Cocktails and dinner were on Algonquin and this feast was more of a pot luck feast. The Welsh’s brought chanpagne to add to the party. Gail and I worked on a great card for Mike and De’s first anniversary. Leslie made a dense chocolate cake. There were lots of toasts and merriment but by 9:15 pm, we were all pooped and went back to our various boats to bed.
Sept. 11 Yet another sunny day and time to take the Welshs back to Rockland. As we went through the Fox Island Thoroughfare, John navigated the lobster pots and the rest of us sat up on the flybridge enjoying the view. All of a sudden, a big bird flew right across our path- an eagle! and then flew back the way he came to his perch on a big rock island. That capped off the trip for Gail and Willard. Once back in Rockland, they treated us to lunch and left for Mystic. John and I raised the anchor and headed up the bay to Islesboro to have dinner with some of John’s old friends on the island and spend the night there.
Sept. 12 Sunny once more and we love it. Back down the bay to Rockland to wait for Chris and Corey’s arrival.
