The morning fog shown in my previous post was followed quickly by a rising northeast wind driving an uncomfortable chop into my anchorage. It seemed like a nasty run around Two Lights and up the Portland approaches but that’s would primarily be a matter of perspective. It’s been hundreds of miles of river and near calm since I last saw spray flying over the bow.
I spent that night in my old marina where I did laundry and had dinner with my younger son. The next day was forecast for torrential rains and some wind so I ran the three hours up to one of my favorite coves in Casco Bay and one of the best for waiting out bad weather. It turned out to be worth the trip. I hardly noticed any wind in the snug hurricane hole but there were reports of torn sails and broken moorings the next day up and down the coast.
While organizing during the rain, I discovered that none of my charts for Portland eastward were on board. It dawned on me that they were in my storage unit and picking them up was one of the things that would have been on a “To Do” list for Portland if I were that organized. There was nothing for it but to fire up and run the three hours back down again.
I went to meet Phin Sprague for lunch to catch up and talk about his expansion and reorganization of Portland Yacht Services. He was called away on an emergency so that meeting will have to wait but I walked across the city and retrieved my charts. None of this was for naught as I was able to cook shrimp scampi for my son aboard the next evening.
After a pleasant night anchored with a view of Portland’s lights, I ran back up to Harpswell Harbor. There, a spur of the moment invitation and change of plans by Dreameagle and her friends resulted in a day sail down Merriconeag Sound and back.
It was great fun short tacking single reefed down the sound with the current running hard through the thick lobster pots.
(Photo and sketch by Lisa Warren)
I then ran up to Long Cove again where I have had three evenings like this:
This is now my favorite spot in Casco Bay. Little visited, the high shores are exactly the right distance apart for both good wind protection and anchor swinging room. The shore opposite the picture is just as wild and unspoiled. Houses are only visible far down the cove where it gets too shallow to anchor.
I have seen here, all at the same time, four eagles, a cloud of Terns, Osprey’s, a seal, and numerous other birds. Tomorrow is in the mists, no plans, I’m enjoying just hanging out in Maine.
I spent that night in my old marina where I did laundry and had dinner with my younger son. The next day was forecast for torrential rains and some wind so I ran the three hours up to one of my favorite coves in Casco Bay and one of the best for waiting out bad weather. It turned out to be worth the trip. I hardly noticed any wind in the snug hurricane hole but there were reports of torn sails and broken moorings the next day up and down the coast.
While organizing during the rain, I discovered that none of my charts for Portland eastward were on board. It dawned on me that they were in my storage unit and picking them up was one of the things that would have been on a “To Do” list for Portland if I were that organized. There was nothing for it but to fire up and run the three hours back down again.
I went to meet Phin Sprague for lunch to catch up and talk about his expansion and reorganization of Portland Yacht Services. He was called away on an emergency so that meeting will have to wait but I walked across the city and retrieved my charts. None of this was for naught as I was able to cook shrimp scampi for my son aboard the next evening.
After a pleasant night anchored with a view of Portland’s lights, I ran back up to Harpswell Harbor. There, a spur of the moment invitation and change of plans by Dreameagle and her friends resulted in a day sail down Merriconeag Sound and back.
It was great fun short tacking single reefed down the sound with the current running hard through the thick lobster pots.
(Photo and sketch by Lisa Warren)
I then ran up to Long Cove again where I have had three evenings like this:
This is now my favorite spot in Casco Bay. Little visited, the high shores are exactly the right distance apart for both good wind protection and anchor swinging room. The shore opposite the picture is just as wild and unspoiled. Houses are only visible far down the cove where it gets too shallow to anchor.
I have seen here, all at the same time, four eagles, a cloud of Terns, Osprey’s, a seal, and numerous other birds. Tomorrow is in the mists, no plans, I’m enjoying just hanging out in Maine.
