We sat in Gloucester this morning discussing our next moves, explore Gloucester, stop in Boston and visit friends, etc. The conclusion, which we have reached before on this trip, is that the logistics of getting ashore in busy places make boats a poor way to do things you can do by car. On the other hand, boats are a very good way to do things you can only do by boat.
A reality of cruising is that we could have happily spent a week within a few miles of almost any place we have stopped. You can’t do everything and we decided we would rather spend the time we have left seeing the very different landscape around Woods Hole and the Elizabeth Islands than the north shore of Boston. So, we headed off south and westward, motoring through the islands to Marblehead Neck and then setting the sails for a spanking broad reach to Boston hitting seven knots for long periods. Dreameagle is really getting her sea legs as this run would have had her looking a bit green around the gills just a couple weeks ago. We pulled in early to the anchorage off World’s End Park inside Nantasket Beach for an afternoon of catching up with things like showers, email, and this post.
Another reality of cruising is that there are rough days but there is also the wonder of the unexpected. We had left Chebeague Island the day before and docked in Portland to rent a car and drive back up to Bath to pay the excise tax on the boat which can only be done in person. During dinner ashore at the very fine Snow Squall restaurant, I was preparing Dreameagle for the day to follow. Strong winds were forecast and I was expecting a difficult and challenging day, programming courses into the GPS for bailouts to Kennebunkport and Portsmouth. Conditions were expected to improve through the day but I expected it to be our most challenging yet. It was anything but and turned in to one of the best of the trip.
We left as the sun came over the horizon and ran under power in rising wind that promised to be all I expected. I kept the engine going until off Two Lights, Cape Elizabeth in order to avoid a dead downwind leg with the rig slating around in the confused chop normal to the Portland Harbor approaches. We set the sails as soon as we rounded the cape and could get onto a broad enough reach that the jip would fill.
As we were crossing Saco Bay, moving very fast and wondering how much harder it would blow, I looked out and saw a porpoise and then another. They came over and swam alongside the boat, not as closer as the dolphins do in the south but clearly checking us out. The water was so clear that we could see them swimming. They swam out and around and returned a couple of times. In my half century of cruising, I have not seen anything like this, just the occasional flash of small black back and fin. It was wonderful to finally have a clear look at these creatures after all this time.
The wind, contrary to forecasts, began to ease. Soon we were motor sailing and, by the time we were off Kennebunk, we were a powerboat. Dreameagle took a good long nap and then had her first experience of standing watch alone while I did the same.
I woke up and went on deck shortly before we passed infamous Boon Island. Not long after, I looked over and saw a strange fin in the water. I was sure it was an Ocean Sunfish, something else I have never seen. Dreameagle went to the bow with a camera as I circled around but it sank out of sight before we saw anything more.
Minutes later, I saw another floppy fin. Seconds after that, I saw a whale spout ahead. We circled around again and, this time, the strange creature remained on the surface. We got close enough that we could have touched it with a boathook.
As we were looking at the sunfish, a whale surfaced not more than a football field away. The whale circled around and headed towards the boat so I shut down and drifted. It came within a few boat lengths of us and then lazily swam off before treating us to a farewell wave of its tale. I’ve seen a lot of whales in my cruising but this is the first time I have seen flukes go up in the air.
We looked out and saw that there were dozens of spouts ahead. We saw a few more spouts and whales and were treated to several more fluke waves as we continued on to Gloucester but none so close.
We pulled in to Gloucester just in time to watch a great sunset with two traditional Gloucester schooners in the under it.
The full album of this leg can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203898945987588&type=1&l=f6c1d3c069
Tomorrow is forecast to be another windy and challenging day but, who knows what will actually transpire?
A reality of cruising is that we could have happily spent a week within a few miles of almost any place we have stopped. You can’t do everything and we decided we would rather spend the time we have left seeing the very different landscape around Woods Hole and the Elizabeth Islands than the north shore of Boston. So, we headed off south and westward, motoring through the islands to Marblehead Neck and then setting the sails for a spanking broad reach to Boston hitting seven knots for long periods. Dreameagle is really getting her sea legs as this run would have had her looking a bit green around the gills just a couple weeks ago. We pulled in early to the anchorage off World’s End Park inside Nantasket Beach for an afternoon of catching up with things like showers, email, and this post.
Another reality of cruising is that there are rough days but there is also the wonder of the unexpected. We had left Chebeague Island the day before and docked in Portland to rent a car and drive back up to Bath to pay the excise tax on the boat which can only be done in person. During dinner ashore at the very fine Snow Squall restaurant, I was preparing Dreameagle for the day to follow. Strong winds were forecast and I was expecting a difficult and challenging day, programming courses into the GPS for bailouts to Kennebunkport and Portsmouth. Conditions were expected to improve through the day but I expected it to be our most challenging yet. It was anything but and turned in to one of the best of the trip.
We left as the sun came over the horizon and ran under power in rising wind that promised to be all I expected. I kept the engine going until off Two Lights, Cape Elizabeth in order to avoid a dead downwind leg with the rig slating around in the confused chop normal to the Portland Harbor approaches. We set the sails as soon as we rounded the cape and could get onto a broad enough reach that the jip would fill.
As we were crossing Saco Bay, moving very fast and wondering how much harder it would blow, I looked out and saw a porpoise and then another. They came over and swam alongside the boat, not as closer as the dolphins do in the south but clearly checking us out. The water was so clear that we could see them swimming. They swam out and around and returned a couple of times. In my half century of cruising, I have not seen anything like this, just the occasional flash of small black back and fin. It was wonderful to finally have a clear look at these creatures after all this time.
The wind, contrary to forecasts, began to ease. Soon we were motor sailing and, by the time we were off Kennebunk, we were a powerboat. Dreameagle took a good long nap and then had her first experience of standing watch alone while I did the same.
I woke up and went on deck shortly before we passed infamous Boon Island. Not long after, I looked over and saw a strange fin in the water. I was sure it was an Ocean Sunfish, something else I have never seen. Dreameagle went to the bow with a camera as I circled around but it sank out of sight before we saw anything more.
Minutes later, I saw another floppy fin. Seconds after that, I saw a whale spout ahead. We circled around again and, this time, the strange creature remained on the surface. We got close enough that we could have touched it with a boathook.
As we were looking at the sunfish, a whale surfaced not more than a football field away. The whale circled around and headed towards the boat so I shut down and drifted. It came within a few boat lengths of us and then lazily swam off before treating us to a farewell wave of its tale. I’ve seen a lot of whales in my cruising but this is the first time I have seen flukes go up in the air.
We looked out and saw that there were dozens of spouts ahead. We saw a few more spouts and whales and were treated to several more fluke waves as we continued on to Gloucester but none so close.
We pulled in to Gloucester just in time to watch a great sunset with two traditional Gloucester schooners in the under it.
The full album of this leg can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203898945987588&type=1&l=f6c1d3c069
Tomorrow is forecast to be another windy and challenging day but, who knows what will actually transpire?
