I hope folks don't mind me jotting down our foibles. We really are a fairly intelligent couple. We're just learning the ropes . . . I mean lines.
Saturday was turning out to a great day to set sail and explore a new locale for a couple of would-be cruisers. This time, we set our sights on South Freeport, Maine, not to far from the L.L. Bean megaplex bearing town of Freeport. The wind was crisp for demi-newbies like ourselves and we enjoyed three to four hours of close reaching on a port tack. Chebeague Island glided along our starboard side with Little John to port. There were boats enough to be interesting but not trouble some.
Around 3:00, we dropped sail just outside Pound of Tea Island (a name and a cost, rolled into one) and motored into the mooring field. We know that the sides of the bay get really shallow so we picked a spot just east of the moorings, centered between two balls and dropped the anchor. It set immediately so the No Smoking signs went off and we were free to move about the cabin. After a bit, we boarded "Kraken", our dinghy and set off for shore, about a quarter mile across a watery expanse. Pam remarked that the bottom looked sandy, a great place to swim. We landed and explored for an hour or two then returned to find Kraken, high and "dry". I would have to pull, push it across 100 feet of clam flat. ARRGGG! So I pushed, and pulled, and pushed and retrieved my sandal from the muck. Then, I pushed some more. 30 minutes and a quarter mile later, I finally found enough depth to climb in and start the trolling motor. Then I got out and pushed another 100 feet.
Back on the boat, well bathed in sea water and I took a sounding, the old fashion way. Five feet, no problem. And the tide continued out. At four feet, the tide turned and all was good with the world. We retired for the night around 9:30. Well, I fell asleep in the cockpit beneath a rising full moon. Pam threw a blanket over me and went to bed inside.
7:30 in the morning I awoke at the same time as Pam. Odd, but not as odd as the angle the the boat was listing to. I assured my lovely bride that it was simply because we were both reclined on the port side of the boat. My bad. I carefully took a sounding; 20". I require 30 to float. Anther couple of hours resting in the sun, watching the other, well placed boats sequentially rotate to face the incoming tide and it was our turn.
Note to self, check the tide predictions before dropping anchor
Saturday was turning out to a great day to set sail and explore a new locale for a couple of would-be cruisers. This time, we set our sights on South Freeport, Maine, not to far from the L.L. Bean megaplex bearing town of Freeport. The wind was crisp for demi-newbies like ourselves and we enjoyed three to four hours of close reaching on a port tack. Chebeague Island glided along our starboard side with Little John to port. There were boats enough to be interesting but not trouble some.
Around 3:00, we dropped sail just outside Pound of Tea Island (a name and a cost, rolled into one) and motored into the mooring field. We know that the sides of the bay get really shallow so we picked a spot just east of the moorings, centered between two balls and dropped the anchor. It set immediately so the No Smoking signs went off and we were free to move about the cabin. After a bit, we boarded "Kraken", our dinghy and set off for shore, about a quarter mile across a watery expanse. Pam remarked that the bottom looked sandy, a great place to swim. We landed and explored for an hour or two then returned to find Kraken, high and "dry". I would have to pull, push it across 100 feet of clam flat. ARRGGG! So I pushed, and pulled, and pushed and retrieved my sandal from the muck. Then, I pushed some more. 30 minutes and a quarter mile later, I finally found enough depth to climb in and start the trolling motor. Then I got out and pushed another 100 feet.
Back on the boat, well bathed in sea water and I took a sounding, the old fashion way. Five feet, no problem. And the tide continued out. At four feet, the tide turned and all was good with the world. We retired for the night around 9:30. Well, I fell asleep in the cockpit beneath a rising full moon. Pam threw a blanket over me and went to bed inside.
7:30 in the morning I awoke at the same time as Pam. Odd, but not as odd as the angle the the boat was listing to. I assured my lovely bride that it was simply because we were both reclined on the port side of the boat. My bad. I carefully took a sounding; 20". I require 30 to float. Anther couple of hours resting in the sun, watching the other, well placed boats sequentially rotate to face the incoming tide and it was our turn.
Note to self, check the tide predictions before dropping anchor
