We got to Belfast yesterday afternoon and got a mooring close to the dock. We all jumped in the dinghy to go take showers at the Harbormasters’ facilities. You know you are a true cruiser when you run into people you know that are passing by you in a dinghy. We ran into someone we met a few years ago at a SSCA Gam in Annapolis. The Seven Seas Cruising Association, of which we are active members, has cruiser get togethers called “Gams”. In the whaling days when two ships came upon each other at sea they would heave to and trade news and stories. It was called a “Gam”. We’ve seen this cruiser at a couple Gams since then, but it’s still odd to stop and talk in the middle of a busy harbor. Belfast is the biggest town close to the Islesboro Gam which is being held tomorrow and Saturday. Other SSCA members we know, and some we have met this season, are also here. We have run into a couple others in town.

We checked out the town for a while yesterday and then contacted our friends that live here. They are a young family that we met cruising in the Bahamas. I read their blog from time to time and I knew they were living here now. We emailed them and asked if they wanted to get together and that is when they offered us their car to take the grandkids to the airport. Last night we met them at the pizza parlor in downtown Belfast. They don’t live that far from downtown so we walked to their house to hang out for a while afterwards.

This morning we had breakfast at a diner in town and continued checking out the shops and the museum. Belfast must have had an artistic bench creating competition because there are creative benches all over town. The picture above is of Emilia sitting on the birds nest bench, which she says was very uncomfortable, even though she, and Sam in the background, are giving the thumbs up sign, their favorite picture pose. How could I not post this picture – they are so cute!! They are now back in Maryland with their dad but I think they had a good time exploring Maine with us. We will miss them.

Tomorrow we will motor a few hours to Islesboro and find somewhere to anchor close to where the Gam will be held. There will be a dinghy raft up cocktail party tomorrow evening. It will be our first and I have no idea what to expect, and I’m not sure what I will bring yet. On Saturday there will be a lunch time pot luck. I’m planning to bring one of Bill’s favorite recipes – hot dog pie. We will see how that turns out…