Nemo’s Dlog 2007

We picked up the anchor this morning in 18 knot winds - that was no fun.   We headed south and went by Stonington but there was no good
place to stay.   We did see Solmar (Robinhood 36) and they were headed toward Belfast.   We decided to try a different anchorage and headed
to Isle Au Haut thoroughfare.    Though the winds and seas were getting nasty outside, it was flat and quiet inside the anchorage where we
picked up one of the 4 guest moorings.    They have a soda bottle attached where you put the money for the night.    We had a nice walk
through town and stopped at the store and got ice cream.      Later, some kids were going around checking their lobster traps, while a 4th
kid was sitting on the bow filming them.   Maybe for some school project?   Then they came over
and wanted to sell us lobsters they found.   I barked at them as their motor was loud when they came up to the boat.   My people agreed to
buy lobsters from them, figuring they’d support the local kids.   When they came back with the lobsters the price was a little high, so they got no extra money.
I did not know what to make of these live things on my boat.  My people kept them in a bucket of seawater until dinnertime.   I kept
growling at them and checking them out and jumping when they would move.   Then they destuffed (ate) them.
That was weird. 

 

Sunset on a CD30-Ketch, at Isle Au Haut:

Went ashore for breakfast, and my people decided to move to a new harbor.   Cathy and Bruce were also going to head South to get
a jump on their trip to Provincetown tomorrow or Wednesday.    So we said goodbye to them this morning, though I didn’t know I wasn’t
going to see them again at the time.   Of course the wind was coming from where they wanted to go, but decided to beat into it anyways, which is
very tiring and makes for a long sail.   (This is because you cannot sail into the wind and have to sail at 45 or more degrees from it, and tack
back and forth.)   They did that for a while but decided to motor-sail the last couple of miles as the wind and seas were picking up as
predicted.   
Northwest Harbor was a nice harbor protected from the wind and waves, and only one other boat was at anchor in there.   There were porpoises
swimming around the harbor at sunset.   There was no easy public landing here though, so we had extended “fiesty time” tonight. 
Got very cold when the sun went down so we hunkered down inside. 

 

We motored the short distance to Buck’s Harbor, got a mooring, and went ashore to do laundry.    I got lots of shore time
as my people did 3 loads, went to the store, and took long showers.   There are two Scotties ashore there who bark a lot, but the
owners are really nice and kept coming out to see me at the picnic table.   Another Cape Dory 36 came to the dock and I thought
it was mine so wanted to get on it.    We had steak for dinner and watched a movie.    It’s weird not watching some TV every
night.     

Sunset at Buck’s Harbor:

 

This morning at 3 am we were all awakened by the bilge pump coming on.  That’s the thing that pumps the water out of the
cavity below the floor of the boat.   Normally there shouldn’t be much water in there.    So it was a little concern, though
my people quickly figured out it was nothing serious, one issue was the plug had come out of the icebox so the melted ice
had drained in there.   So we went back to bed to figure out more in the morning.  
We slept in, then they checked out every seacock and water tank and also found that the quarterberth tank leaked a little
when full, so switched to start using that tank before more leaked, then found that the valve controlling it also dripped,
so Rich tightened that.   That seemed to explain the water in the bilge, and we’ve had no issues since.
We took a long walk ashore, and Bruce and Cathy came over for hot dogs for dinner.     It was a very clear night and we could
see tons of stars, and Jupiter. 

 

After a nice walk this morning, we headed south on Blue Hill Bay looking forward to the rumored North winds
behind us, which of course never materialized.   Beginning to wonder why we have sails on this boat my people always
seem to be motoring.  
There was fog as we got more south but nothing to serious.   Rich thinks the issues with the intermittent radar are
is the circuit breaker going bad so he will replace that someday.   We stopped at the Wooden Boat School, which was quite
interesting.   Classes were going on so we couldn’t go in but we could watch.   I met a dog there.   We walked around the
grounds and I marked them for future reference.   Rich wants to take a class there someday.   There was some drizzle today
but nothing serious.   We then went on to Benjamin River, Cathy and Bruce were already there.   We found a mooring and
went ashore for a walk.   Later it rained some more so my people put me in my crate when they left for dinner.   Something
about not having a wet dog inside the other boat.    Doesn’t everyone love a wet dog? 

 

I got Melissa up at 6 am.   There was lots of fog then and it looked like a yucky day so we all went back to bed. 
However when we got up at 9, it turned out not to be a bad day, but we decided to stay put anyways.    We went ashore
for a nice walk from the yacht club, then got fuel and water.   Then we dinghyed to town and ate a late lunch.  
Melissa found free internet in the harbor so got caught up on email.    Cathy and Bruce came over for drinks and snacks. 
I think we are never getting off this boat.  

In the morning a guy from the large trawler who was the third boat in Sawyer cove came over to say hello,
he used to sail his 1986 Cape Dory 36 to Maine from Falmouth, Mass, but now they have a power boat.   We
had a short downwind sail to Blue Hill Harbor, we saw a schooner under full sail but that was about it.  
We got a mooring from the Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club (who thankfully goes by KYC).   I got to go ashore there and
walk in the woods, then we took a long dinghy ride to town that you can only get to at 1/2 tide or more.   We walked a
lot and my people went into some stores.  Then Bruce and Cathy came over for an early Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, stuffing,
cranberry sauce, pie, salad).    

 

We had a nice walk ashore in Frenchboro in the morning, then motored up Blue Hill Bay due to lack
of wind.   We saw lots of dolphins and seals.   We anchored first in Pretty Marsh Harbor which had excellent holding
but was exposed to the Southwest and the winds and picked up a bit.   Cathy and Bruce preferred Sawyer Cove
so we moved to the cozier cove.   We had dinner over on Realization and a quiet night with
no worries of another nearby boat.   No public shore here though

On this morning’s walk ashore we met a nice older basset hound with lots of drool.  Then
he shook and the drool went everywhere, that was cool.  
We had a nice sail - my people tried their new big colorful sail today, but they couldn’t go
the direction they wanted so it was only up long enough for Bruce to take some pictures of it
from their boat.  
In Frenchboro, we found a mooring with a red ball pickup, but it was right next to a big boat (too long
for it’s mooring) and my people were worried it was too close.   Melissa got in the dinghy with Bruce and Cathy
to go scope out another one and I got really worried about them, they left me on the boat with Rich and I let
the whole anchorage know it.  They decided to stay put and we went ashore for lobster dinner.   At around 10 pm
the large boat near us swung around in the light wind and their davits hit our shrouds.   I barked.  It must have worked
as it didn’t happen again through the night though Melissa didn’t sleep well after that.    Next time, no staying in Frenchboro unless
we can get one of the three outside moorings.   

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: