Distance Travelled: 268.5 nm | July 23 to August 12, 2005

This year's cruise was broken up into three separate stages. First, a "Bachelor's Cruise" with Tim Lackey on Glissando and Britton Cooke on Prudence. During the first stage we would "express" the boats up to Penobscot Bay, then enjoy a few days poking around the area.

The second stage was the "Family Cruise" when I would meet Heather and Gavin in Bucks Harbor for a week or so of cruising around Penobscot Bay and Mount Desert.

Distance Travelled: 15.7 nm | Buckle Harbor to Bucks Harbor

The forecast was calling for "widespread dense fog" for the following day, so we decided to beat feet back to Bucks Harbor so that Heather and Gavin would be able to head home within the following day or two.

From the log: Fog was in the forecast so we headed back to Bucks. Plus G was really ready to go home. Pulled anchor and headed out. Raised main while H steered. Once out of Casco Passage unrolled jib and had a nice 4 knot sail across Jericho Bay w/H at helm. I entertained Gavin, even taking him up forward while we sailed (clipped in, of course!). Around 1130 H relinquised the helm just in time for a period of very frustrating light and flukey air. ¶ Then the breeze filled in with a vengence! Screaming close reach up under the bridge @ 6.2 knots, rail in the water several times. ¶ Approaching Bucks, heard Angelica on the radio and had a short chat with Andrew [Breece]. ¶ [Back on the Arbus's mooring] Rigged awning again. Nice afternoon. Went ashore w/G to get rolls at the market. Turned in early.

Distance Travelled: 26.5 nm | PYC to Harmon Harbor

Well, the cruise was finally here! I had a few things to deal with in the morning, but was down at the club by 0930 or so. I said goodbye to Heather and Gavin and headed out to the boat. I had a few last things to load out and stow, but soon enough I was ready to go. Tim (Glissando, 381), Britton (Prudence, 680), and I got together for a quick skippers meeting and we then we were off.

Distance Travelled: 24.8 nm | Bucks Harbor to High Island Harbor, Muscle Ridge Channel

With the "Family Cruise" drawing to a close, it was time to start thinking about the "Solo Cruise." I had about one week left on my trip in which to get the boat back home to Falmouth.

From the log: H up early to pack. No fog... despite hysterical forecasts on NOAA. Took load of gear ashore and had breakfast at Bucks Harbor Market. Gav and I hung out at the BHYC while H returned to boat to get a few items. After they left, I topped up diesel, picked up a few items @ market, filled on diesel jug, potable water, and sunshower. ¶ Left Bucks at 1155 in very light SW. Planned Pulpit Hbr, but along the way decied (after listening to the forecast) to push further. Crossing Pen Bay saw many porpoises plus a whale not 20 yards off the port beam! Arrived High Island Harbor 1645 and anchored close ashore in the lee of Dix Island, in case I had to ride out the predicted strong (20-25) southerly. ¶ Nice sunset with 3-masted schooner Katheryn B in the view. AFter dinner did some route planning and reading (Moby Dick). Lights out 2245.

Distance Travelled: 45.2 nm | Harmon Harbor to Long Cove, Vinalhaven

It always seems like the cruise doesn't really start until we make it to Penobscot Bay. Since we all were looking forward to beginning the relaxation proper, we planned to push on all the way to Vinalhaven if possible. Obviously, we planned to leave early.

From the log: Left at first light„0500. Mosquitos chased us for a looooong way! Nice light air power w/fair current past Cuckolds and out to Damariscove. Turned up for White Island/Hypocrites and had fair wind when we made off for Eastern Egg Rock. Nice reach across Pemaquid point. 3 Tritons at 5.5 knots and NO ONE else around! Beautiful! Wind continued to build as we reached across Muscongus Bay. ¶ About 1.5 miles from Eastern Egg, I (leading the pack) turned up to reef. [Tim and Britton] did too. Continued on across to Davis Straights in easing air, arriving there approx 1000. Wind continued to abate. Motor sailed through channel to Mosquito Island but had fair winds again for the reach up to Muscle Ridge Channel. Nice„6.0 knots much of the way. Wind got lighter in MRC, but still enought to sail„especially with the strong fair current. ¶ Near Otter Island thought the wind really did die off and we powered inside Otter Island and across to Hurricane Sound. Travelled up Hurricane Sound to Long Cove and set anchor @ 1400. ¶ LET THE RELAXING BEGIN! ¶ Cleaned up boat and spent the afternoon rowing about, then relaxing on Glissando. Rums and grilled pizzas for dinner (use tinfoil when grilling pizzas on the Magma grill!)

Distance Travelled: 18.3 nm | High Island Harbor, Muscle Ridge Channel to Harbor Island, Muscongus Bay

Fog, again, but I was able to make another leg, eventually ending up at Harbor Island, another place I had wanted to visit for several years.

From the log: Thick fog overnight. At 0600 visibility was a few hundred yards. Tinkered about the boat all morning waiting for any break in the fog. Eventually it scaled up some and I headed out, leaving about 1130. ¶ Some fog remained in Muscle Ridge, but was lifting. Powered against a nasty swell/chop out MRC and toward Mosquito Island. Passed close aboard Palawan I. On the last leg toward Davis Straight the wind really started picking up and soon was blowing 25+ right on the nose. Planned to head in to Burnt/Allen Island so came up near Davis Island and dropped main. But when I got there I saw the "harbor" was completely untennable in the blow„wide open to the ocean to the south, no more than a slot between the two islands. ¶ Discouraged I decided to head on to Harbor Island. Just unfurled the jib and had a screaming broad reach down to Harbor Island. There was one boat on a mooring and one boat anchored far in when I got there. Dropped the anchor between the two boats in about 20 feet, arriving at 1530. ¶ Relaxed for the evening. Wind continued till quite late.

Distance Travelled: 0 nm | Lay Day: Long Cove, Vinalhaven

After the long push on Sunday we felt that we had earned a day off. And Long Cove was beautiful so we figured it was a great place to stay.

From the log: Slept in till 0730. Made coffee and wiped down the heavy dew„helping to clean off alot of salt. Midmorning went to Glissando for breakfast of homemade corned beef hash and eggs. Mmmmmm!!! Retired to Dasein late morning to attack my project list. Started item number one [permanantly install new GPS/Laptop cable], but couldn't get computer to download routes. WTF?! It worked yesterday. Spent much of the day working on that. Eventually got Tim to bring his computer over„ it worked fine. Double WTF??!! I hate PCs. My computer gets fix data fine and seems to start transferring waypoint data then the GPS hangs. Have to try my other laptop [Heather brought it when she met us in Bucks Harbor]. Grrrr. Had beers and snack until Britton rowed back from exploring. Read for a while, then Glissando for cocktails.

Distance Travelled: 0 nm | Lay Day, Harbor Island, Muscongus Bay

The wind from the previous day continued, so it seemed a good day to sit tight. Cruiser's lay day.

From the log: Woke relatively early„0645„to continued wind. Forecast predicted winds would hold all day if not build. Sat tight all day. ¶ Did little. Relaxed. Alot. Read extensively. In the evening I rowed around the anchorage snapping pics. Hit the racks early as I planned to leave first light.

Distance Travelled: 11.1 nm | Long Cove, Vinalhaven to Seal Bay, Vinalhaven (Near Hay Island)

The lay day was great, but the forecast was for upcoming strong winds over the next couple days so we decided we wanted to get to a new location so that we weren't stuck at Long Cove for a whole week.

From the log: Up relatively early. Breakfast then rowed up to the ledge [at the head of the harbor] where the water from the inner bay was rushing out over a little "falls" at several knots. Prepared route to Seal Bay. Tim came by and offered to load the roughte into my GPS with his computer, and presently we were all ready to go. Set up laptop as a chartplotter for the trip„very cool! Anchor was thick with mud, and came up very hard. ¶ Raised main and headed out in light breeze. Greenhead flies were vicious during the whole passage. Killed 8 or 10 at least. Uneventful motor through Fox Island Thoroughfare with favorable current. Arrived Seal Bay and dropped main. Motored slowly in and anchored near Hay Ilsand in 7 feet at low. ¶ Topped up fuel with 5 gallons, and installed ring and velcrostrap on mast to secure boathook. Afternoon was quite relaxing. ¶ During lunch 2 large yawls arrived and made a specacle of anchoring, eventually dropping their hooks well inside Glissando's position where we were sure they would be laying over at low tide. With 6 hours till low, we had great anticipation all afternoon and evening. Cocktail hour abouard Glissando. After dark, still a couple hours from low Britton conducted a clandestine investigation, rowing over to the inner boat and sounding. Appeared to be about 4 to 4.5 feet. "Sadly" the boat never laid over. But the following day when he tried to leave he was clearly stuck in the soft mud and had a very hard time getting the boat out.

Distance Travelled: 33.2 nm | Harbor Island, Muscongus Bay to The Basin, New Meadows River

I had planned to head back to Casco Bay, hoping to spend the night at The Basin. Fog in the morning almost lead to a change of plans, but ultimately I stuck with my orginal plan.

From the log: Alarm at 0500. Fog! WTF? Made breakfast and impatiently waited. Finally at about 1000 the fog started to scale up. Left at 1020, making sure the chartplotter was running, just in case. ¶ Headed out and started toward Pemequid Point. Fog closed in again. For about 90 minutes it was very thick. Many securite calls. Around Pemequid Point, just as I had decided to head up in to a harbor of refuge somewhere, the fog started to scale back. ¶ Had a nice quiet run across the long slog to Cape Small powering the whole way. As I turned the corner up into the New Meadows river I got slammed with a squall. NOAA was giving out severe t-storm warnings for the area, but this was just a deluge of rain. ¶ Arrived without incident at The Basin around 1620. Anchored in about 14 feet. Relaxed for the evening, but was out cold by about 2000!