Nemo’s Dlog 2007

This morning we went ashore again, and then back on the boat said goodbye to Merrie and Mike who were going to start heading back south.     We are going to go over to Winter Harbor which isn’t that far, since the weather is still a little iffy today. 

(Later) The seas were kinda rolly out there today, I didn’t like that much, but the harbor was okay.   We saw a big boat, and found out by listening to another radio conversation that it was a NOAA research vessel out looking for turtles and other sea life and documenting it.    My people sailed most of the way over from Northeast Harbor.   We got moorings from the Winter Harbor Yacht Club in the “Sand Cove” part of the harbor.  It’s a nice yacht club, beautiful old building.   My people took showers, then we (with Bruce and Cathy too!) walked a long walk into town, where we got ice cream, and the nice lady there gave me a big bowl of water.  There was also an IGA so they could do a little shopping.   Then a long walk back to the boat.   Then dinner and a good night’s sleep.     

Winter Harbor:

Winter Harbor Yacht Club:

Today was an awesome day as we spent most of it ashore.   We went out for breakfast, then took the free Bean Bus http://www.llbean.com/outdoorsOnline/acadia/index.html   over to Bar Harbor.    That was a great town as most stores let me go shopping too and the restaurant let me eat there on the deck where I got part of a burger and part of a chicken sandwich.    Met lots of dogs and people.    Then  took a different Bean bus back.    We did lots of walking around Bar Harbor and I was tired.   Cathy and Bruce came over later, then Rich made mussels for dinner.   I was a very good dog as I was worn out.

Today there was some fog in the morning but it didn’t look too bad so we set off for the ride to Northeast Harbor, which was about 10 miles away.   But the fog really filled in and once we got out of the harbor the wind blew and the waves were rough.  I did not like it one bit and threw up, then laid on the cockpit floor.   It was somewhat stressful for my people, watching the radar, looking for lobster pots, using the chartplotter.   Luckily it didn’t take *too* long and as we got past Cranberry Island the waves calmed down and there was little fog in the harbor so we could get a spot on a dock.    I thought it was great we were at the dock and jumped right off the boat.   Adagio was on the other side of the dock so I thought I could just visit them but my people wouldn’t let me run amuck like that.   

Then, we went to shore and that was good.  I rolled around in the grass and enjoyed solid earth under my paws.   My people found the store and bought some stuff, and then went back to the boat and came back to shore for garbage and the Post Office, and found a place for dinner.  Then it was back to the boat, and back ashore for dinner later.   Even though it was a yucky morning it turned out to be a good day with 3 shore visits.   After dinner we stopped by another Cape Dory (Al Lawton’s boat) which I made myself right at home on and gave that crew of 4 guys (Al, Bill, Bob and Mark) kisses and begged for food.   I was a bit whiny as my seasickness had worn off and now I was very hungry.    I was restless so my people took me back to my boat where I ate two bowls and then wanted to go to bed.  

This morning I got to go ashore in Smith Cove, there was a little park and a path to walk over to another cove.  Lots of good smells.    Then we left for Mackerel Cove, motorsailing for a little bit, then sailing for a while, then motorsailing again.   We saw a few schooners.     In Mackerel Cove everyone came over for happy hour, that was fun.    Then there were showers in the evening and overnight.    No easy place to go ashore here though, a long dinghy ride to the ferry dock.  

This morning was awesome, I got to walk around the island again.   Takes about 45 minutes to do the loop.   I met a blind dog….I guess his people are seeing eye people.   

Then we had a great sail over to Castine.    Realization put up their big colorful sail (asymmetrical spinnaker) and Rich took lots of pictures of them.    We rafted up on a mooring at Castine at Eaton’s boatyard.   Castine doesn’t seem like the friendliest place, not pet-friendly, and the stores had lots of postings regarding the internal town politics, where there seems to be a lot of bickering.    So we probably won’t bother visiting there again. 

We went over to Smith Cove and anchored near Mike Thorpe and Merrie Bergmann (Adagio, Outbound 44, former Cape Dory owners) but they have a brand new boat so my people put me in my crate while they went over to check it out and have happy hour.  My people tell me that their boat is *really* nice and really spacious.   It even has a little workshop area.   Rich really liked the little workshop area :-) and engine access and storage space.    Melissa liked the large head and seperate shower.      

   

Went ashore this morning for groceries, met lots of nice people on the street.   Lots of people tell me I’m too big to be a beagle.   My people explain that I’m a mix of something with beagle.    Ate some red thing that rolled by on the sidewalk and my people couldn’t get me to drop it.   I swallowed it so fast even I don’t know what it was.  

Then we motored over to Warren Island State Park where they have free moorings.   We went ashore and walked the long loop around the island.   It was great to run around in woods and grass, instead of sidewalks.    There are about 10 campsites on the island and the only way there is by boat so it’s really roughing it.   We slept on the warm dry boat after dinner on Realization.  

Oh, did I mention I got to go swimming?

Well my people told me that the sushi place was not open on Sundays, so they ate somewhere else which was good, but no leftovers :-(   This morning we got up and decided to get fuel and water.   There was a big yacht there filling up his 1500 gallon fuel tank so we had to wait a while, and I got to meet people on the dock.  Rich did an awesome job docking and undocking.    We met Phil and Sharon from the CD36, Evergreen, up here in Maine from the Chesapeake.  

Then we went off to Camden, and got in touch with Bruce and Cathy on the radio and met them there.   We got moorings from Willey’s.   I got to go ashore for a while, then we all had dinner on Mahalo.     

 

The wind has calmed down a bit from yesterday.    We went ashore this morning to do more laundry - the bedding and towels, and get breakfast.   Rich made another trip inside Hamilton Marine….it’s like a dog treat store for people I guess.   While we were waiting for Rich inside one store some woman started howling at me on the street.    I think she was trying to get me to howl but of course I did not.   I just thought she was really weird.  

I was anxious to get back to the boat by the early afternoon when we did as it was prime naptime and I was missing it.  

My people decided to stay here one more night and go out for sushi tonight.   They are running low on provisions but there’s no good place to get them without a taxi ride, which they cannot do with me.     So they are going to try the next port.  

My favorite lobster boat so far:

 

Today it was still raining and very windy.  We all slept in, then Rich made pancakes!   Then it finally stopped raining but still blowing hard, but we went ashore with laundry anyways.    Melissa got a message on her cell that the autopilot part was in, even though it wasn’t supposed to be until Monday.   So that gives us more options as to what to do after today.   It’s still quite windy and laundry took all day (one washer/dryer) so we’ll stay here again tonight.   They ate early dinner at the Black Bull which lets me go in and hang out in the bar.   The bartender really likes me and I think she’s neat. 

World’s largest lobster:

 

We decided to move on to Rockland, as there was no laundry in Tenants, and the weather was supposed to be bad on Saturday.   We went for breakfast ashore before leaving, of course I got some bites.   I think there was some cranberry scone and a egg sandwich but I cannot be sure as I ate it so fast.   We motored up the Muscle Ridge Channel to Rockland, wind was on the nose, but a favorable current, so we made it there quickly.   At least it seemed quick, I napped the whole way.   Penobscot Bay is so nice as there are mountains and schooners around.    We picked up our friends mooring, and went into town to assess the laundry and restaurant situation.  It’s my people’s 16th wedding anniversary so they were going to go out.    After spending a few hours ashore it was back to the boat for showers and then my crate came out again :-(  but my people weren’t gone too long - they said they had an excellent dinner at Amalfi, but they didn’t bring me anything.    We all went to bed early, and thunderstorms came overnight.