Day 172 - Tue 15 Sep 2015
Moored – Vinalhaven, ME

[photo: just some of the raw beauty of this area]

There were gusty winds of up to 25 kts or so last night, but we were secure and comfortable. Every once in a while in the early morning, the boat rocked rather aggressively and we knew it was a wake from a commercial boat going in or out of the harbor. Breakfast was a bakery item that had the consistency of a bagel but was woven like a large pretzel in a rectangular shape. It was tasty, but chewy.

We cast off at 0735 and headed out to the E past the Rockland breakwater. I had to steer 20 degrees off my desired course to avoid the intense sun glare. We were not complaining about the sun being intense, mind you, but we did want to have a chance to see the numerous lobster pot buoys, and if they are in the glare of the sun, forget it.

I had to change course back into the glare when a large ferry started bearing down on us from ahead and that is when I heard a loud bump, a few shakes, and then a slight vibration. I figured I had snagged a buoy line and slowed down, then tried reverse on both engines to see if whatever it was would come free. It did not appear to, but the vibration was only minor so I carried on. It also seemed that it was on the port side – why does everything happen to that side?

Within an hour, we got to the famous Fox Thorofare, a tidal river separating the islands of North Haven on one side, and Vinalhaven to the S. It is not very narrow, but you can still see both coastlines very well and the large estates up on the hillsides. It was just after low tide, so the scenery was especially beautiful. That is when you get more exposure of the massive rocks that form the shoreline with the gorgeous trees standing tall and majestically on top.

There was some current pushing us through, along with the wind at our backs, so it was almost smooth as glass for a while. At some point, however, the flooding (rising) tide started pushing through from the other side of the island group and opposing the W wind, so a slight chop started to build.

We had originally thought to anchor in Perry Creek because we are generally heading SW to end our journey for the year and didn’t want to backtrack too far E today. We compromised, however, by slowly cruising all the way through the Fox Thorofare to enjoy the gorgeous scenery and checked out both Winter Harbor and Seal Bay on the E side. There is no question that the raw majesty of the rock, trees, and water over there (especially Seal Bay) is amazing, and we are glad we took the advice of several Mainers to check it out.

Rather than try to stay there for the night, however, we backtracked about 50 minutes and picked up a mooring in Perry Creek. It is beautiful, too, but doesn’t have the impressive rock formations of the other locations. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful spot to stop for the day and enjoy, and leaves us 50 minutes closer to our destination tomorrow.

Diane served a great green salad with salmon left over from her lunch the other day, and then I donned my thick wetsuit and went over the side to inspect the props. Sure enough, the port prop had some line wrapped around it. Fortunately, I did not even have to cut it, but simply unwound it off the shaft and prop blade. The time in the water was less than 3 minutes, but getting the wetsuit out from its storage, donning it, taking it off, and showering took far longer. In any event, no damage was done to the boat and it was only a minor inconvenience. I feel bad that perhaps a lobsterman lost some gear, but it was a thin line so maybe it was only the toggle and the main line is still intact.

While I was on a roll, I got out the stuff to change the oil in the starboard engine and by the time that was done, I was sweaty and needed another quick shower. Having that shower at the stern of the boat is great. Unlike last night, the air temperature was so warm with the sun blazing down that it felt good to use lukewarm water and stand in the breeze.

Finally, we got a chance to relax. I need to mention that Diane was standing by for both chores and stepped in to help as needed. No matter how much you think you have everything you need at your side, there is almost always a “honey, could you get me…?” situation.

Diane got her bathing suit on and sat on the sunny foredeck with her folding chair. It is hard to believe that 2 days ago it was really cold all day and even last night it was pretty chilly. We both enjoyed the delightful sunny weather and pleasant temps. When it was supper time, I got the generator going for just a half hour to get the batteries charged up and heat the water for showers and dishwashing.

Supper was cod fillets that Diane had bought, homemade rice pilaf, and frozen peas. We ate al fresco on the transom and then enjoyed a wonderful evening as the sun set and the thin crescent moon rose in the W over the head of the creek. It really was quite magical.

Tomorrow, we plan to skip Port Clyde and head to an anchorage between Harbor and Hall Islands. From there, we will be able to reach Boothbay Harbor the next day. We are taking advantage of the good weather to make reasonable jumps towards our destination of Newburyport, MA. At any time the weather could get nasty for a while and we don’t want to get stuck having to make a lot of miles in adverse conditions.