Cruising Log for Week 2:  July 21 - July 27, 2002

Sunday 7/21:  Pickering Island - Somes Harbor (Somesville)  (Rhumb Line Distance: 36 nm)  PDF Route Chart  Harbor Detail Chart

We awoke to a perfect day--glassy, flat calm, bright sunshine, dark blue sky and warm temperatures.  What more could one ask for?  Oh yeah--a beautiful, isolated, wild anchorage!  Once again, we were all alone at Pickering Island, and the stillness and quiet was something to cherish.  I enjoyed the stillness in the cockpit for a while and then rowed out in the dinghy to take some photographs of the boat and surroundings, all reflected perfectly in the mirror-like water.  Beautiful!

Our plan for today was to head east through Eggemoggin Reach and across Jericho Bay to the entrance of Casco Passage and York Narrows--where Buckle Island beckoned.  We chose this spot because it was approximately halfway to our next planned destination--Somes Sound on Mount Desert Island--and because it sounded pretty, interesting, and protected.  It was about 17 miles or so to Buckle Island, which is the distance we like to travel if possible.  By 0930 we had dropped our mooring at Pickering and were powering through the glassy seas towards the western end of Eggemoggin Reach a short distance away.  The scenery was beautiful...what a great place!  

As we approached the bridge to Deer Isle over the reach, a slight breeze came up, so I raised the main and we continued motorsailing down the reach.  As we passed the Benjamin River and Center Harbor (home to Brooklyn Boatyard and the offices and shops of Wooden Boat Magazine--a haven for classic boat lovers...we'll have to take a turn through here later in the trip) the wind began to stiffen out of the southeast--perfectly on our nose, of course, and quite strong.  We threw a reef in the main and continued powering.  Once outside the reach, in Jericho Bay, the wind seemed a little less insistent, but still relatively nasty on the nose.  Part of me was looking forward to reaching our destination--Buckle Island--within the next hour or so, but another, large part of me thought we should grab the day and continue on to Mount Desert.  I figured that the wind direction, even if it stayed southeast, would become more favorable once we got to Casco Passage and turned slightly northward towards Bass Head Light, and Heidi and I talked about what we should do for several minutes.  Heidi was noncommittal, but seemed game enough to continue, even though it would more than double the length of our day, and finally I made the decision to continue and take advantage of a nice day.  

We bucked the tide through Casco Passage, but on the eastern side we unrolled the job and shut the engine off for an extremely pleasant beam-broad reach to Bass Head and Western Way beyond.  Very pleasant.  The trek down western way, gorgeous scenery aside, was a little annoying because of the combination of numerous Picnic Boat wakes (these things are everywhere up here...the ultimate accessory for your waterfront mansion), the swell opening around the many reefs at the entrance, and the wind waves.  Plus, the wind ended up dead behind.  Not wanting to jibe unnecessarily with our weakened (but securely lashed and basically functional) gooseneck, it was a little nerve wracking for a while as I headed for the green can halfway down that would allow me to then turn more upwind for a safer and more comfortable run the rest of the way.  The jib was useless so we rolled it up.  Still, it was pleasant, until the wind died behind Greening Island as we headed for Somes Sound.  I had to turn the engine back on, and we motorsailed the rest of the way down dramatic Somes Sound to the very end, where Somes Harbor beckoned.  We had chosen Somes Harbor for a few reasons:  it is always pleasant to run down the sound; Somesville is a scenic place and cozy harbor; and the wind forecast for the next couple of days sounded unpleasant, with south or southwest winds in the 20-30 knot range, so we wanted to be in a safe, tucked-in place.  (More on this later.)  We arrived at about 1630 and set the CQR on 170' of scope in about 31' or water at high tide, near a couple of other anchored boats.  The anchor set immediately.  We were very glad we had come the whole way, as the southerly wind continued through the afternoon quite briskly, and the forecast for Monday was even worse than we had anticipated earlier.  

Later in the afternoon, our closest neighbor motored over for an introduction...Dave and Peggy Scott on board Destiny; they had seen our SSCA burgee and wanted to chat.  We had an enjoyable chat with them, and they started talking about the free buses that are sponsored by Acadia National Park, and how wonderful they were for getting around the island.  They even gave us an extra bus schedule when we expressed interest.  This conversation pretty much cemented Heidi's and my thoughts that perhaps we should stay here for a few days and do some of the touristy stuff on the island...why not, indeed?

The wind stayed up most of the night, and by Monday morning we were absolutely thrilled that we had made the decision to come the whole distance today.

Monday 7/22:  Somes Harbor (Somesville)  Harbor Detail Chart

We awoke to scudding clouds and more nagging wind, but the sun poked through later in the morning.  We were both sitting in the cockpit when we heard a loon cry--very close!  Indeed, he was right at the bow, a good-sized one.  (I love loons...)  After a relaxing morning on board, we decided to row ashore for some exploring, investigation, and hopefully a minor grocery shop in town.  We rowed into the very nice public dock in the harbor and walked up the road to the main drag through town, then down to the Port in a Storm bookstore for a little browsing (Heidi bought a couple books...I didn't).  Then, after pausing by the little pond and  arched footbridge in the "downtown", we hiked a short distance towards where we thought a little general store was located...but no such luck.  Apparently this store has ceased to be since our cruising guide was published.  Too bad...we had our hearts set on a blueberry or raspberry pie.  Instead, we walked up to the corner in the other direction where a gas station/convenience store was located, and bought a few minor items, though they didn't really have what we needed.  We decided to return tomorrow or something and take one of the free buses to a market or into Southwest Harbor for some more successful shopping.  I was also hoping to see some obvious means of using my laptop ashore, but nothing yet...

Back on the boat, the wind really began to kick up in the afternoon, and we sort of held on for dear life as some of the gusts swooped through, heeling the boat 10° or more at a shot.  All was well with the anchor, though, and later I went out for a nice long row and explore in the cove at the western part of the harbor (very shallow...I even ran the dinghy aground!) and across to the island at the head of the harbor, where I scrambled up the gravel and mussel-shell beach (I had no shoes, but all this barefoot stuff pays off..) for some minor exploring ashore and some more pictures.  

Back on the boat, the highest gusts of the day blew us around as evening approached, and I worried about the security of the night ahead.  Later, four windjammers came in for the night--the beautiful Heritage, and the so-so Angelique, Summertime, and Kathryn B, a three-master that should have stopped at two.  (I'm so picky...)  They were awfully pretty to watch come in, particularly Heritage.  We were also regaled with the exploits of some very interesting and unique residents in Somesville:  a mating pair of bald eagles, who we dubbed Waldorf and Astoria.  It was really kind of cute how these two birds of prey (huge and very impressive, with full tail plumage) hung out together, nearly always on a particular branch on one of the pine trees on shore.  Over the course of our stay, we became quite attached to them, and enjoyed watching them rest on the branch, fly through the air, and even some hunting displays.  These are impressive birds, and to see two of them--not fleetingly, but nearly constantly--was very cool.

Fortunately, the wind abated for the most part overnight, and we had a fairly relaxing sleep.  I think I slept more than Heidi, who remained ever vigilant.  The full moon was beautiful, particularly with the anchored windjammers reflecting in its soft glow.

Tuesday 7/23:  Somes  Harbor  (Somesville)  Harbor Detail Chart

Yup...still here.  Of course, this much was planned...but now it looks like we will stay even longer.  With more high (25-30 knot) winds forecast for the day, as well as a strong cold front with associated (and possibly severe) thunderstorms forecast to pass through, I was uncomfortable with the notion of leaving the boat unattended for sightseeing, so we decided to go ashore on Wednesday for some national-parking (Thunder Hole beckons) and shopping excursions.  One of the many benefits of our unscheduled cruise is that (with apologies to Yogi Berra) it is  unscheduled...so we can hang out here without a worry.  Besides, where else do we really want to go on the island, particularly when we have the free, and very comprehensive, bus schedule at our beck and call?  Northeast Harbor holds little interest as a place to stay, although I like to motor through to gawk at the boats; same thing with Southwest, although we may stay a night on a Hinckley mooring to avail ourselves of the laundry and shower facilities.  Otherwise, our plans take us into Frenchman's Bay and Blue Hill Bay, but there's no reason not to stay here and avail ourselves of the tourist attractions that people travel for hundreds and thousands of miles to see.  The forecast for Thursday sounded like a good day to leave, so that fits in perfectly with our basic plans.

We spent a relatively uneventful day on the boat, with some strong wind out of the west and southwest.  It was good we had chosen to stay around.  I went ashore briefly to get rid of some trash, and the temperature difference without the wind I was used to on the boat was drastic--I was very happy to get back to the comfortable boat, despite the difficulty rowing against the wind-driven chop in the harbor.  The anchor held well with no problems; I installed some chafing gear where the line passed over the roller just in case.  I did a few small projects on the boat, but we mostly just hung around, watched, and got a lot of reading done.

In mid-afternoon, some of the highest wind gusts rocked the anchorage, but shortly afterwards it died completely, as if a bad omen of things to come.  Fortunately, we missed a couple strings of thunderstorms that we could see nearby, and all we got out of it was enough rain to rinse the boat off and clear the air.  No wind, no lightning, although we could hear thunder and see lightning quite nearby.  On the back side of the cold front, clear, dry air swept in, and we were treated to a pleasant, light-wind evening and a gorgeous sunset.  Overnight, there was a brief period where the wind picked up from the northwest, but it soon died again, leaving things flat calm once again.

Wednesday 7/24:  Somes Harbor (Somesville)  Harbor Detail Chart

Today was the day we planned to go ashore for some sightseeing and some very necessary grocery shopping.  We stocked the boat with fresh food on the day we left Falmouth, a week and a half ago, and had lived quite well on that, thank you.  However, we were down to long-life foods like hot dogs and such, and it was time to buy some fresh meats and vegetables.  I remembered a Shop 'n' Save supermarket in Bar Harbor that I used to go to sometimes when I lived on the island 12 years ago, and, with the convenient Island Explored bus schedule, it seemed like shopping there would be the way to go.  So, after consulting the bus schedule the night before, we headed ashore at 0900 to hike up to the road and catch the bus going by on its way to Bar Harbor, stopping in Somesville at 0953.  We had some time to kill, so we sat on a bench overlooking the harbor at the Somesville library and waited.  It was a beautiful day, with dark blue skies, a moderate, refreshing northwest breeze, and temperatures in the high 70's.  Perfect!

The bus arrived and we were pleased with its comfort and on-timeness. All buses go to Bar Harbor to a base area on the village green, so we got off there and boarded another bus bound for Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs and the Park Loop Road through Acadia National Park.  We had an enjoyable bus ride, taking in the vistas from the road high on some of the mountains on the eastern shore of the island, overlooking gorgeous Frenchman Bay.  At Thunder Hole, we got out and walked down onto the rocks.  Thunder Hole is a carved out peculiarity in the bold granite where the incoming swell tends to surge, creating a sort of geyser and thundering sound.  Unfortunately, on this day the swell was minimal, and the hole wasn't doing much...still, it was fun to see, and the views were spectacular--perhaps even more so for us, since we planned to be out there sailing in a day or so.  I couldn't wait!

We boarded the next bus (on this route, they ran every half hour) and decided not to get out anywhere else, so we rode back to Bar Harbor.  With a couple hours to kill before the next bus was scheduled back to Somesville, we wandered through some of the shops in this tourist destination, bought some ice cream--the cruiser's nirvana--and, eventually, headed to the old and outdated--but still useful--supermarket on Cottage Road.  I was hoping to keep the volume minimal, since we had to lug everything in a knapsack and tote bag, and we did OK...we even bought a bag of ice to help keep the meats and perishables cold.  The tote bag ended up being very heavy, and difficult to carry, but I managed; Heidi carried the knapsack, filled to overflowing, and one of two other plastic bags we had needed to fit it all.  Then, we had about an hour to kill, still, before our bus, so we crashed in the shade on the village green and waited.  When the 1415 bus arrived, we were first in line, and gratefully rode the bus back the 15 minutes to Somesville, where they dropped us off right at the boat dock road.  Some cruisers from the boat next to us had had the same idea and were also on board the bus.  We got back to the boat, most gratefully, and loaded our new purchases into the icebox.  All it takes is a trip ashore (in our case, for 6 hours) to make you appreciate how wonderful the boat is!

We needed ice badly--there were the remnants of three blocks (bought nearly a week ago in Buck's Harbor), plus some random cubes and the new bag of cubes from Bar Harbor, which had survived amazingly well.  I decided to head back ashore, after a rest, to hike up to the convenience store for some ice--get it over with.  After finally breaking the grasp of the inertia that tried to hold me to my seat in the cockpit, I rowed ashore and walked to the store, where I picked up the ice I wanted and stood in line.  Suddenly, horrifyingly, I realized that I didn't have any money--none whatsoever.  Nada.  My anger was complete as I returned the ice to the cooler and left the store, but I was soon able to see the (sort of) humor in it, and had lost my black mood by 100 yards down the road.  What a waste of time and effort, though!  I folded, and decided that I would not walk back to the store--I was beat after the long day, and couldn't face the hike again--and we made plans to head to Northeast Harbor and Clifton Dock the next morning on our way out to buy ice.  We had enough to keep things cool--and most importantly for some cool drinks in the cockpit to celebrate our full day.  It was a beautiful evening, and we enjoyed our fresh steaks on the grill while watching a golden--not red--sunset.  Indulge me yet another picture...

Thursday 7/25:  Somesville (Somes Harbor) - Sorrento  (Rhumb Line Distance:  20 nm)  PDF Route Chart  Harbor Detail Chart

Another perfect day!  A carbon copy of Wednesday, minus the stronger offshore winds.  I was up early for coffee and reading, and by 0820 we were ready to leave.  Destination:  Sorrento Harbor, at the top of gorgeous, unspoiled Frenchman Bay.  It was flat calm, so we motored up the sound, passing Valley Cove to starboard...and saw the Tabor Boy, a schooner that I used to crew on a million years ago.  We powered the whole way to Northeast Harbor and Clifton Dock, where we tied up to the dock for water (fill the deck jugs) and ice:  three blocks (10 lb. each) and two bags of cubes.  I spent some time forcing everything into the icebox...it's really a challenge when we have new groceries and new ice!  Plus, I'm an ice hoarder, and always  buy as much as I can possibly fit.

After about a 20-30 minute stopover, we were on our way again, and we motored out Eastern Way past all the expensive homes on the southern shore of Mount Desert, particularly Seal Harbor, where our favorite domestic maven cum insider stock trader has a well-barricaded and surely underutilized mansion.  Turning the corner past Seal Harbor, I raised the main and we continued motorsailing with a wind that was too light to sail.  We passed just offshore of the rocks on which we had stood yesterday, at Thunder Hole, and gawked continually at the unspoiled (thanks to the national park) eastern side of the island with its dramatic pink granite and spectacular cliffs.

Further along, we passed through the Porcupine Islands that dot the sea outside of Bar  Harbor, and scooted through the outer part of the harbor on our way north.   This was a close enough look at Bar Harbor for us...we got plenty of a taste of the bustling tourist trap when we were there yesterday on the bus.  Still, it is an attractive place (because of the scenery...not because of the downtown), and the Porcupine Islands were dramatic and beautiful.

Just north of the islands, the sea breeze kicked in, and we had a beautiful sail, wing on wing, the rest of the way up to gorgeous and low-key Sorrento Harbor, our destination for the night.  We were able to pick up one of two guest moorings maintained by the  Sorrento Yacht Club, placed with a fantastic view of the mountains on Mount Desert.  Paradise!  As we sailed up the beautiful Frenchman Bay, in all its unspoiled and road-less-traveled beauty, Heidi and I discussed where our plans should take us in the coming weeks.  I think Roque Island may need to wait...there's too much beauty to see here!  Time will tell, but it's time to slow down and enjoy where we are for the next couple weeks. I think.  All plans subject to random modification and complete change at any moment!  We enjoyed a quiet afternoon and evening on the boat.  The mosquito population here is quite evident, however, and we had trouble keeping them out of the cabin during the late evening.  Definitely the worst so far...

Friday 7/26:  Sorrento Harbor  Harbor Detail Chart

We planned at least one lay day here, possibly more depending on our mood, so it was a relaxing morning on board.  Heidi baked a cake.  The view was as spectacular as ever, one that is impossible to tire of.  'By late morning, we were ready to take in the sights of the town, so we rowed ashore.  Our  boat-neighbor who had been on the other guest mooring nearby came over on their way in to say hi and to comment on the boat.  It's always gratifying and flattering to hear.  We chatted for a few minutes, then they continued ashore and we soon followed.

We immediately liked the place.  It's very low key, quiet, and pleasant.  Everyone we met along the way was friendly and quick with a "hello".  We followed the road around the perimeter of the peninsula and walked around the whole town (it doesn't take long).  There's a pleasant little memorial on the shore just behind where the boat is moored to honor those residents who have served their country--nice, with a small granite headstone and a US and Maine flag.

Later, we paused at the beautiful shingled Sorrento Public Library, which we stumbled upon with no fanfare.  It's on the National Register of Historic Places, and well worth it.  There are not many books, but it was a very cool building.  Later, walking around, we passed by a boatyard that faced out on the cove on the opposite side of the peninsula.  There was a work shed there, and the door was half closed, but I caught sight of a familiar looking rudder and counter.  Peering in...sure enough--a Triton!  Amphritrite, freshly painted and ready for launching soon. I neglected to take a picture.    Nearby, we passed by the junction of Main Street and Waukeag Avenue.  There's something just right about a Main Street that also features a Dead End sign...my kind of town!  

Having painted the town red, we returned to the boat for a relaxing afternoon of reading and slaving over the log you've been reading.  I rigged up the dinghy and went out for a sail for a while...what fun!  Another lousy day of the cruising life drew to a close.

Saturday 7/27:  Sorrento Harbor  Harbor Detail Chart

We decided to relax one more day here and soak in the views, as well as give me time to take care of some boat projects that needed attending to.  After a light rain shower at 0400 or so, the day dawned mostly cloudy and a bit cooler, but not so bad, really.

After the usual morning rituals, I got to work.  First was a comprehensive engine inspection and fluids check, a little more intensive than the daily checks I do whenever we are heading out on passage.  I checked the oil and added a little bit to top it off, checked the strainers, filters, and all other fluid levels.  I also gave the whole engine a once-over, checking hoses, mounts, belts, etc.  Then, I started the engine to run for a while and charge the batteries.  I'm not sure why, but the voltage on the batteries seems to drop faster than I would expect.  I wonder if there's a leak to ground or something somewhere.  The amp-hour usage is minimal on a daily basis, and there are plenty of amp-hours remaining, according to the battery monitor.  However, left along, the voltage of both battery banks--including the starter bank, which is supposed to be completely isolated from the other electrical usage by an automatic solenoid--drops all on its own, even when there is no current draw whatsoever.  Strange.  In any case, both banks charge properly, and I ran the engine for an hour or so.  While the engine ran, I did some cleaning in the cabin.

Later in the morning, I tackled the gooseneck once again.  I was fed up with it the way it was, all lashed together.  It was working OK--in other words, it was acceptable for light use.  But I couldn't use the vang the way I wanted, and running downwind put a sideways and forward strain on the lashings that prevented tended to push the boom sideways and forward around the mast.  Annoying, and the lashing was never intended to be a long-term solution anyway; it only stayed on as long as it did because I couldn't immediately think of a better solution with the gear I had on board.  Each time I would raise the sail, I would ponder the question.

Finally, I decided to try something I should have done back in June when the problem first surfaced.  I had some new aluminum 1" T-track on board, but the bronze slide at the end of the boom is designed for some old-fashioned and odd size track--about 7/8".  The old aluminum track that had originally been installed was now completely trashed, and I never should have used the old piece when I rebuilt it back in June.  Oh well.

Going forward, I removed all the lashings holding the boom to the mast, and then I removed the slide from the end of the boom, holding the boom in place with the tail of one of the halyards.  With the slide in the cockpit, I compared it to the size of the new T-track, and noted that I could remove about 1/8" from the track, lengthwise, to make it fit.  I decided to try to modify it.  Using a spare piece of the old track, I marked the new track on each side where I thought I would need to cut.  With my good hacksaw (a good one is indispensable--forget about the lousy hardware store variety and buy a really good one, I carefully cut along one of the longitudinal lines, removing nearly 1/8" of material.    After beginning the cut, I realized that I would only have to cut one side of the track--the slide now fit, or nearly so.     The cutting wasn't too difficult, with a good saw; it took perhaps 20 minutes to make the cut.  There was plenty of overlap on each side to properly hold the slide, so I continued my cut until I had a piece of track perhaps a little less than a foot in length--three bolt holes' worth.  I cut off the modified section of track, and went to work with a metal file, smoothing the cut and removing a few higher spots so that the bronze car would fit properly.  It only took a little work; I was glad that these tracks are made of aluminum and not some harder metal.

When the bronze slide fit properly over the new track, I prepared to install it on the mast.  I wanted the slide to end up basically in the middle of the track, so that the strain would hopefully be spread more evenly throughout all three fasteners.  After marking the track to show where the boom connection on the slide should be, I drilled for the first of the three screw holes in the mast, lining the mark on the track up with the black band on the mast (which signifies the level of the boom).  Then, I tapped for a 1/4-20 machine screw, and installed the first screw to hold the track in place while drilling and tapping for the remaining two.

When all three screws were tightly driven home, securing the track, I slid the car over the track and marked the desired bottom end of its travel--the spot where I want it to rest.  To hold it here, and not allow it to drop at all, I drilled a final hole and tapped it as well, and then installed a pan head machine screw with a nut just beneath the head as a spacer.  This projected beyond the track and formed a stop to prevent the slide from moving past.  In addition, the screw provided one more means of fastening the track to the mast, and right at the level of the highest strain.  I feel much more confident about this repair than my last one, and hopefully this will spell the end of the issue for the remainder of the cruise and the season.  However, I think a new gooseneck/boom fitting is definitely in order for next season.

After cleaning up and putting all the tools away, I took the dinghy out for another sail, having left it all rigged up yesterday.  The wind was  very fluky, and I didn't stay out long.  As usual, the day passed very quickly...where do the hours go?  Boredom is not a word we have any experience with.  Every morning, it is 1100 before I even know it (and I get up by 0700 every day, often earlier).  I could live like this forever.  We miss the dogs; were it not for them, we just might keep heading south in September.  This is the life for me, unquestionably.  "Real life", so to speak, is a million light years away.

This ends the log for week 2.  Tune into the next log to see where we head next.  Weather permitting, we'll be leaving beautiful Sorrento tomorrow.

Please click here to continue to the log for week 3.