Coastal Cruising: Bay Breeze & Aquavit

 Winding Down... This year, Maine has been unlike the past few. The weather has been so fickle that we have not had any windows to cruise for much more than a day or two. A rainy day is followed by a perfect one and then the next falls back to fog. Even the locals are complaining about how weird the weather's been.  Otherwise we’re stuck in the marina, busying ourselves doing projects on the boat or editing Marvin's next novel, Houseboat Hermit of the Everglades , and sketching  out a sequel to Across Florida Straits that may answer the questions many have asked about what becomes of Matvey . (Thanks to all that have purchased and read, and especially the kind comments.) Baker Island and Islesford Dock restaurant are becoming a favorite day trip for us from Southwest Harbor. Being only about a 12-mile round trip we enjoy anchoring at Baker and dinghying into shore to walk the trails.  Only a couple of private residences are inholdings in this unit of Acadia Nation...

Maine is Cool! While back in Florida our friends are suffering record heat and humidity, we are thankful (and a little guilty) to be enjoying pleasant cool temperatures and easy breezes at our Mount Desert Island marina. Summer here got off to a slow start this year. Rain and fog blanketed the coast during almost all of July. Tourism and boating activity was way down from what we’ve seen in the past. We had a decent weather window for our 50-mile trip from Rockland to Southwest Harbor early in the month and a few breaks in the following weeks that let us get away from the dock a couple of times for short day trips, only going out and back to a nearby island or two.  Day trip out to Duck Islands to see Puffins - skunked!   On to Baker's Island attached to Little Cranberry Island. We enjoyed an excursion to Baker's Island  with Pat and Judy. A pleasant walk on the island to explore the graveyard and 1828 lighthouse was followed by picnic of cheese and crackers and bottle...