FIVE ISLANDS TO PULPIT HARBOR


On Sunday, August 3rd, we left Five Islands at 6:15 AM in light winds and calm seas, motorsailing through Casco Bay. Muscle Ridge Channel, the passage from Casco Bay to Penobscot Bay, was our first real encounter with multitudes of lobster pots, but we slowed down and picked our way carefully (and successfully) through them. We came into the harbor at Rockand, picked up a mooring , then heard from both Vic & Linda (Victory) and Jim & Joanne (Grayce). Victory came into the harbor shortly after Chanticleer, and Grayce was already at anchor in the south section. Although we had planned a relaxing couple of days, the cruising gods had other ideas – our water system shut down the next morning and it took most of the day, plus two trips to Hamilton Marine for a new water pump and a new galley faucet, to make things right again. We did get to enjoy fresh lobster from Jesse’s Fish Market, which was every bit as good as we remembered it. We went there in the morning, ordered the lobsters, then picked them up in the evening (Jesse’s cooks them for you at a very modest price of $3.00 for the whole order), took them back to the boat and chowed down with our friends from Victory and Grayce.
On Wednesday, August 6th, we motored across Penobscot Bay (no wind) to Pulpit Harbor on North Haven Island, anchoring in about 20 feet. About 4:00 PM, a strong thunderstorm came in and although we were secure, when the storm passed we felt we were too close to one of the moored boats so we moved to a more open area.. The next morning, we had another repair – the wire to the washdown pump had separated at the fuse holder. We replaced the fuse holder and reconnected the wires – another crisis averted. We had a nice walk from Pulpit Harbor to the Village of North Haven (about 3 miles each way), met Jim & Joanne again (they were anchored in Perry Creek), had a nice lunch at Cooper’s Landing. As we were in the dinghy heading back to Chanticleer we met Paul & Lise Dunn (Effie), who had made a special detour just to hook up with us. It was great to see them, and they came over to Chanticleer for a little Happy Hour after the afternoon thunderstorm. We talk on the radio from time to time, and keep up on Facebook, but spending time in person is the best.