Winding Down the Season

 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 National Park. One trail leads to the lighthouse and another one leads out to the rocky shore on the windward side of the island. 

A large flat rock there reportedly was a favorite old-time picnic place. Being flat, it’s been coined “Dancing Rock" purportedly for its use for music jams and dancing. 

The Islesford Dock Restaurant is a fabled meet-up place in the Cranberry Islands and always busy. Accessible only by boat or water taxi, the place is packed and the docks are full. 

We were gratified to have Bill and Lisa join us for the    trek to these two islands and happy they endured an overnight stay on Aquavit’s makeshift Pullman suite.

With Bill and Lisa we also enjoyed a road trip to various spots in Acadia National Park, thanks to David and Anna showing us the way during their visit a month ago. We can recommend the Jordan Pond House restaurant. The historic restaurant dates from the early 1870s and is fabled for their popovers. It too is popular with fellow tourists; reservations are a must if you do not want to endure a long wait. The view of Jordan Pond is picturesque. 

A car trip up to the top of Cadillac Mountain, highest point on MDI, requires reservations. Parking at park venues such as Thunder Hole or a trailhead is always a challenge. The numbers of cars and people we see inside the park confirms that Acadia is one of the most visited national parks. Yet, everybody seems laid back and patient. 

To take a break from the hordes at the Park, one can visit Bar Harbor. There, the hordes are walking the sidewalks and gawking at the tacky-tacky tchotchke and t-shirt shops, while staying in the many and various B and Bs and hotels. It’s kind of like Duval Street in Key West, but cleaner and more refined. To us, the hype is more about the idea of a coastal Maine town than the reality of an authentic Maine working community. But, these folks have to make hay when the sun shines and it only shines a couple months in the summer, so exploiting the seasonal tourists is a way of life.

Petit Manan Light

We were fortunate to have the weather clear enough for a boat trip Downeast to Jonesport. It’s a 35-mile trip (about two hours) by boat or an hour and a half by car. We'd rather go by boat. Staying at Jonesport Shipyard, inside a huge breakwater in Sawyer Cove, we moored at a float, which is a raft attached to a mooring ballast. We could launch our new inflatable dinghy and row to shore for showers at the shipyard. 

Frank and Pat from Shell Point met us there for day trips to Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge and Roque Island. We enjoyed the camaraderie of these prominent cruisers visiting our favorite area of Maine. We walked trails on Cross Island and enjoyed the view of the low frequency array at Cutler from the old lifesaving station house. 

Frank's World by A. Why-uth

  

We introduced Frank and Pat to the lovely town of Eastport. The farthest east city in the United States, it's one of our favorites. We were happy to see that much of the main street in town is full of new businesses, including many galleries. Because of COVID, on previous trips, many of these buildings were empty or a business was only open for a few days a week. 

You have to try Raye's Mustard made right in Eastport and available in so many flavors it's hard to decide. Since 1900, four generations have been making mustard in Eastport using a traditional stone ground mustard mill. 

 

Captain Frank

We decided, in spite of the fog, we would take a 5-mile trip to Roque Island. As we neared the island, passing through the narrow thorofare between islands, the fog lifted and we could see a beautiful crescent-shaped cove and sandy beach. The beach at Roque Island is reminiscent of the Caribbean, with clear blue-green waters and white sand, only juxtaposed to a spruce forest. An American bald eagle greeted us by flying into a spruce tree. The island is privately owned and visitors are allowed access to the beach only.   

Fog visited and left us frequently during our stay in Jonesport. A couple came in on a 25 ft Cape Dory sailboat late one evening, complaining of the challenge of sailing in through the thick fog. We admired their fortitude and skill. Italian academic Jonluca and Jessica were aboard and rafted up to the other side of our float. It is humbling to see how they were succeeding in sailing a small boat with few of the amenities we enjoy on Aquavit. Both were working remotely - Jonluca is affiliated with an oceanography department of a university and claimed sailing is his job! They had cruised up the Maine coast from Boston!

It is great to meet so many interesting people on the docks and at anchor. The wealthy and the modest share the same sea. Though their boats and bank accounts are disparate, the cruising lifestyle and ocean challenges are common denominators to bring people together that might never otherwise cross paths. 

On the return trip we encountered fog as thick as we’ve ever seen as well as bright sunny calm conditions, all in the same trip. 

When the National Weather Service forecasts patchy or spotty fog, they are not kidding. Passing Petit Manan light on the way up, it was clear. On the way back the sentinel wore a gauzy shroud. Cadillac Mountain had an upside down view. Instead of the fog at the top of the mountain like you would expect, it was clear. The fog was at the bottom.

Petit Manan Lighthouse shrouded in fog on the return trip.

We are about at the end of our summer cruise in Maine. We're pleased to have a seasonal slip at Dysart's Great Harbor Marina and thankful and humble that we are able to do this. We're especially thankful for our cat sitter and friend Kathryn who takes good care of Grayson while we are gallivanting. There is still so much to do and see along this coast, and inland as well, that we will be back next year to explore more.

 

As we’ve often seen and heard – don’t delay. Do it while you can. You will regret more the things you didn’t do than the things you do!

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08.21.2023 

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