Distance Travelled: Est. 3 nm | Destination: Rockland Harbor

Since we had decided to start the push home, we were anxious to cover some ground. We wanted to be able to spend 2 or 3 days making the trip, so we had planned to leave between 0800 and 0900.

Abort again!

Heather and Gavin went to Lucky Bear for breakfast, but I needed to plot a course and take care of a couple minor things before we left, so I stayed behind. While I was working one of the Atlantic Challenge rowing boats went by. It was neat to see this community boat with rowers of all ages working together.

Distance Travelled: 21.7 nm | Destination: Rockland Harbor

Heather's parents needed to head back to Rockland to pick up their other daughter. Since we needed to begin our trek back home, we also decided to try to make Rockland.

Pleasant Passage

We were up around 0700. I plotted our course for Rockland, and then went ashore to top up our water, grab some coffee, and use the shoreside facilities. We prepared the boat, and after saying goodbye to Tim, we dropped the mooring and motored out of the harbor, leaving at about 0850. As we came around Harbor Island I raised the main and we powered down the bay.

Distance Travelled: 0 nm | Destination: Bucks Harbor

With no plans to go anywhere for the day, we dedicated the whole day to pure relaxation. As usual, Gavin had us up early, but it was no problem—we were getting pretty used to it by now!

Babysitters!

Heather decided to sleep in so Gavin and I hung out in the cockpit for a while. Soon, Heather's mother, Bear, came by in the dinghy to see what was up and deliver some blueberry muffins. I said I was getting ready to go ashore for some coffee, and she told me to bring Gavin by Lucky Bear and leave him with Jere. I did so, and he agreed to watch Gavin if I would bring back a newspaper. Easy!

Distance Travelled: Est. 12 NM | Destination: Pulpit Harbor Bucks Harbor

Our plan for the day was to head south to Pulpit Harbor on the west side of Vinalhaven Island where we were to meet up with Heather's parents aboard Lucky Bear who were heading north from Tenants Harbor. However, we awoke to thick fog, and spent several early morning hours lazing around. Heather lounged in the v-berth and I made some eggs and corned beef hash for breakfast.

Distance Travelled: 7.5 nm | Destination: Pickering Island

Gavin was up early, as usual. I wanted to go ashore, and Heather decided to stay aboard with Gavin. I grabbed my shoes and wallet and hopped in the dinghy to head in to the Buck's Harbor Yacht Club.

Morning Relaxation

My first order of business was to replace my venerable Oakleys which had finally given up the ghost the day before. Heather had indicated that there was a rack of ten-dollar-sunglasses in the Buck's Harbor Market just a short way up the hill. I figured I would be able to kill two birds with one stone by getting a cup of coffee there as well.

Distance Travelled: 27.4 nm | Destination: Buck's Harbor, Brooksville

When we got up, it seemed much more clear than it had the night before. We could, in fact, see all the way out of the harbor and over to the Cranberry Islands. Overhead we could still see low clouds, but the ground level visibility was enouraging.

Surprisingly Thick

We went ashore first thing, hoping to grab showers and a cup of coffee before we headed out. The forecast for north of Stonington was calling for increasing fog over the next several days, so we wanted to be sure to get out of Northeast Harbor while the visibility was still ok.

Distance Travelled: 0 nm | Destination: Northeast Harbor

We were woken by unbelievably heavy rain. We stayed aboard and Heather entertained Gavin while I got a little extra sleep. Around 0900 however, the rain began to ease and we were soon contemplating a trip ashore.

Morning Errands and Projects

We packed Gavin up, donned our foulies and headed in to the town dock, again rowing the long distance. It was still drizzling as we left the boat, but by the time we got to the dock the precipitation had pretty much stopped. On the row in I paused to take a picture of a Triton as well as the sexy Northeast Harbor Class boats.

Distance Travelled: 34.5 nm | Destination: Northeast Harbor

We woke to a cool. . . ok, ok, COLD. . . morning. Despite that fact that it felt like it was only 45 degrees or so, the HIOBS students took a quick morning dip in the water off the dock. Hardy folk! We got things ready and prepared to head out, as we had a long way to go and expected to have to motor the whole way.

Just a little excitement

We dropped the mooring at 0720 under an almost solid overcast and motored out of Hurricane Island Sound into Isle Au Haut Bay between Vinalhaven and Isle Au Haut. We had an uneventful motor along the southeast side of Vinalhaven, but it was so cold that we broke out the wool sweaters and hot tea! This, coming from a guy who routinely drives with his windows down in February.

Distance Travelled: 16.2 nm | Destination: Hurricane Island

Gavin woke up at 0515. Ugh. Neither Heather or I wanted anything to do with getting out of bed, however she got up and brought him up to the v-berth hoping that he might fall asleep. Eventually he did, and we all slept in till about 0730.

Quiet Time Ashore

We had decided to only go as far as the southern end of Vinalhaven that day so there was no rush to get under way. Heather suggested that I go ashore to get coffee and have some quiet time. I needed to go ashore anyway to get ice and fill up our two sunshowers.

Distance Travelled: 29.9 nm | Destination: Tenant's Harbor

We woke to a cold Sunday morning, heavy dew, and a seemingly brisk north wind. I wiped the boat down and we enjoyed a nice breakfast and coffee. I got the boat ready to go and Heather had a nice chat with the owners of the Lyman who were sitting down on their dock enjoying a cup of coffee.

Smoked!

By 0815 we were motoring away from the mooring. Outside the harbor we hoisted the main, and started off across the Sheepscot. We had a nice sail across the river until the wind began to ease. This was to become a theme for the day: variable winds, generally on the nose.