Northeast, ME to Rogue Island, ME

Friday, 31 July 2015

This morning we took the launch in and did laundry and let the dogs romp.  Since there were only two washers and dryers, and we had four loads, the dogs got to romp for a good while!

The skies cleared remarkably, as we soaked in the gorgeous views.

We slipped our mooring around 1045 and went out the harbor about halfway to Clifton Docks, where we took on fuel.  The folks there are super nice, grab your lines as you come in, and treat you like they like you!  Isn't that nice?!

So, trash emptied, laundry done, water and fuel full, and air clear, we cruised up the coast to Rogue Island.  We went out the Eastern Way, and followed the coast closely to see the water side of the coast that we'd ridden on the bus.  

We angled to view a little of Big Moose Island before going around Schoodic Point, between Little Moose and Schoodic Island.  

We cut through the Outer Bar between Green Island and the mainland, north of Big Nash Island and through Moosabec Reach, and under the 39' fixed bridge.  

I read that Jonesport is said to be one of the foggiest areas in Maine, so maybe that is the reason lobster pots are scattered every 15'?  No one could see where the other guys are?  The channel through the Reach, to the west of Jonesport was the most concentrated pots we've seen this trip.

We entered the Rogue Island area between Great Spruce an Double Shot Islands, and anchored in Lakeman Harbor to the Northeast.  I could hear a sheep on Lakeman Island before dark, though the island appears to be rock-lined, with spruce trees covering it.

Castine, ME to Northeast, ME

Thursday, 30 July, 2015

This morning dawned crisp and clear, and we were underway by 0600, delighted to be able to cruise back through Eggemoggin Reach, to be able to see the beautiful scenery we'd missed.

That does not mean it was easy to leave our gorgeous location, and our friends' mooring, but, we hope to return!

We cruised past Castine, and headed back up Eggemoggin Reach.  The western end of it was beautiful!

About the time we were even with Wooden Boat, we could see the impending fog bank, and thus ended our views and our photos for the next few hours.

The fog reduced visibility to a few hundred feet, making dodging all the lobster floats all the more difficult.

I called Northeast Harbormaster when I was just outside of Bear Island, asking about conditions in the harbor, and was told there wasn't any fog.  Since I was less than a half a mile awau, I was wondering if the folks ever left the office.

As I entered Northeast, I couldn't see either bank of the narrow channel.  Then, poof!  The fog was gone, and it was like entering Shangrala!  

I asked to be allowed to come to the service dock to take on water, and was told it was full.  But, they placed me on a floating dock for a night that had water on the dock!  It is pretty cool, to be tied up to a 40' floating dock, attached to an anchor, but not the shore, in the harbor, with a water spigot on it.

We took the launch into Northeast, and caught the shuttle bus into Bar Harbor.  We took the dogs with us this time, and Mocha enjoyed her first trip on a bus, and her first trip in and out of shops.  Mercy, the semi-retired service dog, showed her the ropes, including showing her how to relax on the bus.  

We met a lot of cruisers on our return bus trip, and came back to see another Nordic Tug tied on a neighboring floating dock.  George and Cynthia came by to say "hello" and we visited for awhile.

Tonight it is raining, and I hope that front may clear some fog.

Castine, ME, con't

Wednesday, 29 July, 2015

This morning we went into Castine by dinghy.

The Schooner Days were starting, and the docks were full.  We were told we could tie the dinghy up for two hours, and I think we got one of the last spots.

We walked, with the dogs, up through town, to the Lighthouse.  There are a lot of informative signs along the way, telling a lot of the local history.

We walked through the woods near the lighthouse, to an overlook of the cliffs.

Then we continued along the streets through town, cutting through the Maine Maritime Academy campus, before returning to the pier, grabbing an ice cream along the way.

We went back to the MERCY for a little bit, and then went to Indian Bar to let the dogs swim.  The water was cold enough that our Florida dogs didn't get wet past their chests!  My legs were cold to the touch (below the knees) for 30 minutes after we'd left!

Ellen and I went into town after giving the dogs a bath, and ate supper at a booth on the town pier.  The food was really good!

Then we returned to our mooring for a gorgeous evening, watching a couple of harbor seals around the boat.

Castine, ME

Tuesday, 28 July, 2015

At 0530 this morning, the fog was thick!  We were nestled in our nice thick blanket of fog when there was a sudden flash of light ashore, followed a second later by a boom of thunder.  I don't know that I've ever experienced lightning before with the intensity that followed, while in heavy fog.  Then the rain began, and it washed away the fog, for a little while.

We ran the inflatable into Castine to say good-bye to our Nordic Tug friends, who are slowly working their way back home, while we plan to stay in the area for a little longer... so much coastline, so little time!  We walked around town a little bit, feeling a little lonely all of a sudden!  We've had such a good time with this group of people.

Castine is a pretty little town, and the home of Maine Maritime.  The State of Maine, the Maine Maritime training ship just came into port yesterday, which is a pretty big event, I think.

The town of Castine has a public dock where you can drop folks off, get a pump-out, or dock your dinghy if they have room on the shore side of the dock.  We tied up for awhile, and walked around.  If you go, be sure to pick up a walking map!

We ate a good bar b que pork sandwich in town, and started to walk up to the lighthouse, when we saw a couple with two yellow labs coming down the hill.  We walked with Jeff and Karen Siegel, and their dogs, Dylan, and Dee Dee, who started and run Active Captain.  They are a super nice couple.

Dylan looks like he and Mercy could be brother and sister, from their facial expressions, to the way their fur curves along their backs, to their "angel wings" on their shoulders.  

We lounged around the town docks for a long time, visiting with the Siegels, and watching the world go by, before walking a little more, and returning to the boat.

Northeast Harbor, Somes Sound, to Castine, ME

Monday, 27 July 2015

This morning the fog was thick at daylight, and thicker still as the sun allegedly came up.  The group decided to wait until 0930 to head out.  The fog would rise and fall, depending on the location, and the water temperature.  We could see just often enough to believe the others when they told us what a beautiful place Maine is!

MARNICK, AFTERNOON DELIGHT, and MERCY headed around the corner into Somes Sound.  Somes Sound is supposed to be the only fjord in this area, with a narrow passage with high banks.  The fog lifted until we got to the narrow passage with high banks, then settled on the side of the hill.  We'll have to go back and see how high those banks really are!

The end of Somes Sound showed a nice mooring field, great places to kayak and explore, and nice scenery.

When we left the Sound, we went by the S/V Rebecca to wave and thank the crew for the ride last night.

Then we did a Southwest drive-by.  Southwest is the name of the town opposite Northeast.

We continued westward, hugging the coast tight, and then passed to the north of Pond Island before dropping back to the south to Journey northwest through Eggemoggin Reach. The fog lifted a little as we approached the Deer Isle Bridge.  We passed south of Cape Rosier, and then turned close to its western shore.  It was foggy, low 60's air temp, low 50's water, and people in swim suits on the beach.  I was inside, long pants and shirt, socks, and drinking hot chocolate.

We passed by Castine, where MARNICK, AFTERNOON DELIGHT, and ENCORE stopped, while R C Caislin and MERCY continued into the back of Smith's Cove, behind Sheep Island to grab a mooring a friend is letting us use for a few days.  (Thanks!)  There are eagles and seals back here, and the cove is gorgeous!

R C Caislin tied up with us, and we celebrated Ellen's birthday.  They taught Ellen and I how to play Mexican train with dominos.  What a great end to another fun day!

Northeast Harbor and Bar Harbor, ME

Sunday, 26 July 2015

When we finally got around to checking the temperature, after we'd been up for an hour, it was 49 degrees.  BRRRR!

I can't say enough about LLBeans' free bus service.  They have several routes that loop through the area, enabling us to go places, and see things that otherwise we would not have had an opportunity to do.  The bus will drop you at one hiking trail, and you can hike somewhere else.  For hikers in the area, it saves car shuttles.  I don't know how many cars it eliminates from the island. It also gives the kids who can't drive yet the ability to enjoy the area they live in.  What a great service!

The buses are dog friendly, as are many of the shops in town.  There are dogs everywhere, enjoying their people.

This morning we caught the launch into the marina, then took a bus into Bar Harbor.  After several hours in Bar Harbor, we caught another bus to Southwest.

Bar Harbor is a tourist town.  The town is pretty, and the t-shirt/souvenir shops are a little more upscale than most of Key West.  I didn't spend as much money in town as I did at Defender, but, I did replace T shirts that have bit the dust this summer, as well as buy a much needed pair of shoes. 

We ate lunch in a great little restaurant, one of many  choices.  The bowl of crab chowder was great with a grilled cheese sandwich to warm up Floridians, as it began to drizzle rain.

When we got on the bus to Southwest, the crew of the Marnick was headed that way too.  We planned the rest of our days activities, and at some point found out that the launch quit running at 6 today instead of the usual 8.  So, five of us were on a bus, unable to make bus connections to get back to Northeast before the launch quit running.  I was glad I had the phone numbers for the other two Nordic Tugs in my phone!  Of course, you don't know if they are in town....

There were two young men on the bus who crew on a sailing yacht, and one of them offered us a ride in their "rubber duckie."  One of their crew came from the yacht, and picked up the now seven of us, and took us around to Northeast Harbor in the drizzling rain with the fog setting in.  I don't think I've enjoyed a cold, wet ride so much in a long time!

We came back, and I ran the heater on the boat until Ellen whined about being too hot, a nice change for the cold day!

Seal Harbor to Northeast Harbor, ME

Saturday, 25 July 2015

We departed Seal Harbor around 0800 on this crisp, cool morning.  (Crisp and cool means I was bundled up in warm clothes, and constantly putting my hands in my pockets to keep them warm)  Water temperature read 52 something at one point.  I think it was 57 degrees in Boothbay this morning.  So, no, Bob, the dogs aren't merrily splashing around in the harbor.

Anyhow, the tide was low, and seals were out laying on the rocks.  Someone used the term, "sunning themselves," and we all laughed, because there was no sun.

"Hi guys, I'm from Florida."

"Anyone want to come to Florida with me?"

We crossed East Penobscot Bay, and under the south side of Deer Isle, through the Deer Island Thoroughfare.   We crossed the Eastern Passage, and immediately to the south of Desert Island, and around thru the Western Way Inlet, into Northeast Harbor.   A lot of boats converged upon Northeast Harbor about the same time, and the radio was full of calls to the harbormaster wanting moorings.  We were assigned to a floating dock, which we shared with the Nordic Tug ENCORE.  

The floating dock is about 40 feet long, and anchored some way to the bottom, but free floating from the shore and other vessels.  The whole, floating platform, is an interesting concept, and the dogs enjoyed getting off the boat and walking in a new place.  It is, however a short, narrow walk.

The harbor operates a launch that picked us up and took us to the shoreside dock.  We emptied our trash, paid the harbormaster, and jumped on a free bus that is sponsored by LL Bean, running into Acadia National Park.

The ride was great, and the scenery spectacular.  We rode parts of two different bus routes, and got off to investigate at Jordans Pond, the visitors center, and a place called Thunder Rock.  The gorgeous cliffs we saw from the sea are a red colored granite.  The view from the land is an interesting change of perspective than the one from the sea.  I like both!

By the time we returned to the boat, we were tuckered out.  A fun day, a secure mooring/dock, and a cold night in store for us tonight.

Boothbay Harbor to Seal Harbor, ME

Friday, 24 July 2015

Today our trip almost overwhelmed my sensory absorption capabilities.  The scenery was spectacular!  I can not put into words how beautiful this place is, and the photographs just can not convey the thrill that I get looking at the view.  

We took on a little fuel in Boothbay, where the fuel is expensive, choosing to top off later on.  We were done fueling and walking the dogs a little sooner than we anticipated, which put us slightly ahead of the rest of the Nordic Tugs.  That is fine with me, since I run a little slower, and was sure the others probably wouldn't have plotted in the same route I had to Seal Harbor... so many islands, so many choices to run!

I heard the other tugs on the radio, when the group spotted whales (which we missed) and I called them to see puffins, which stay in one place!  The puffins evidently nest around Eastern Egg Rock Island.  Three of the tugs ran up our way, and I held my breath, hoping they would all see some of these rare (to us) birds.

The group split again as we took the circuitous short-cut through the lobster float gauntlet, managing to miss them all, but, a few were close calls.  We passed the town of Port Clyde, a spot we will have to come back to!

About the time we emerged from under Mosquito Island, we were in front of four of the tugs that had chosen to come up Muscle Ridge Channel.  We cruise a little slower than most folks choose to, so we asked them to come around.  They all chose not to, since we were still in a gauntlet of lobster floats, so we increased rpms a little.

We saw ENCORE at a distance, and I suppose she waited for us in Seal Cove as we came through the Fox Islands Thoroughfare, because somehow she ended up falling in behind us.

We circled around towards the back of Seal Harbor where four of us anchored, and one boat chose to not come quite as far inside to anchor.

We saw a small seal surface with a fish, and sea gulls diving, hoping for an opportunistic meal.  The seal went under a few times, avoiding the aerial attack, and resurfacing to struggle with a fish that just didn't want to be swallowed.  It appeared the seal eventually won.

Kim, from the MARNICK, and I, and the two dogs, ventured out in the dinghy, but, didn't get far before the rain chased us back to the bigger boats.

I need some help from my birder blog readers... Scott, Lila, Debbie, this means YOU!  Please identify this bird.  They are very common up here, about the same size as the puffins, forage underwater, and are everywhere.  I just don't know what they are.   OK, got answer:  Black Guillemot.

I really need some of my birder friends with me.  There are LOTS of birds I can't identify.  Thankfully, there are still a few I can!  I saw PUFFINS!  Wish all my friends could be here!