SV Kiviuq

We arrived Belfast in Maine's Penobscot Bay at around 1630hrs LT on Tuesday 4th July after a leisurely and sunlit beat up the bay that began at dawn. The previous evening we made the decision to lie-to in the offing in order to avoid navigating through the unfamiliar rock-strewn channels at the entrance to Penobscot Bay in darkness. This proved to be a wise decision given the density of lobster pots in the area that soon became apparent once we began the final approach on Tuesday morning. We had to take avoiding action on at least a dozen occasions.

As we beat up nearer to Belfast we spotted a distinctive sailboat that we suspected belonged to a couple we had met in Grenada. Their home is on one of the islands near Belfast from where they run their skippered charter business. It was not a surprise when they eventually called Kiviuq on the VHF to welcome us to the area because they were aware of our plans and Kiviuq is almost as distinctive as their own boat (and identifiable on AIS). They also very kindly helped with communications with the Belfast town dockmaster because the UK mobile 'phones we were carrying don't work here.

Thanks to those relayed communications, as we neared the town dock the dockmaster was waiting for us having reserved a space for Kiviuq on the outermost pontoon. In no time at all we were secured to the dock and receiving a very warm welcome from all and sundry. We had the impression that the entire town was aware of our arrival.

Our charter business friends had also alerted Customs and Immigration to our imminent arrival in the USA. Thus it was that after a brief call to the authorities from the dockmaster's office we were visited by a charming, albeit armed, CBP officer before we had settled down to dinner. She had driven from Bangor to take care of the formalities, and this on a national holiday. So we were officially in the USA and able to go ashore well before the end of Independence Day.

The following day (Wednesday) we were busy organising US cell 'phones and 'phone plans, and once that was accomplished we moved the 100m or so upriver to another berth that had been reserved for us at the Front Street Shipyard, where we plan to base ourselves for the foreseeable future. From here we can explore Penobscot Bay, considered Maine's premier cruising ground, and attend an Ocean Cruising Club Rally in Camden in August. There are also one or two lobster fests on the calendar, and lobster is of course one of the things, in addition to the sailing, for which folk come to this part of the world.

Err........and the beer is good.