Sept. 12, 2026 Castine anchorage (Smith Cove)

Sept. 12-14, 2026   Rockland, ME to Smith Cove Anchorage    29 miles and 3.5 hours

Very pleasant mid-morning departure from Rockland Landing Marina.  Sunny and 60. Winds hadn't started up yet making our departure easy.  Primarily an open water cruise today, but in the more protected waters of Penobscot Bay.    Make our way out the harbor and past the lighthouse protecting the town seawall.   Pleasant scenery with the Camden hills off to the port side and various islands along the way. 

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse built at the end of a 4000' breakwater
protecting the harbor from strong "northeasters"

Camden Hills in the background as we head across Penobscot Bay

Decided we could be content with this house and boat for our summer cottage

Lobster traps around but mostly scattered and not creating a terrible obstacle for us.  Otto is getting a bit restless going unused, but course corrections still occur too frequently. We would constantly be engaging and disengaging him. Just easier to steer ourselves for a couple hours.  Take a NE heading cutting across West Penobscot Bay before settling into a N tack.  This heads us up Penobscot Bay proper.  Water is fairly protected from any sea swells this far inland but southerly winds at our stern are starting to change flat calm into ripples.  Water is cold and deep in the main channel.  250' deep and 61 degrees.  Keeps the area free of lobster pots providing a bit of a breather.

Approaching the waters between Belfast and Castine we're inundated with sailboats working their way back and forth across the open bay.  Interesting to see the heading all aligned on AIS.  Pretty obvious we're cutting right through their regatta.  Manage to get through without forcing any boats to alter course and lose time.  Bunch of nice boats making decent time now that the winds have picked up. 

Headed for the regatta

Old wooden classic sailboat still has plenty of life

Our plan was to do a day stop in Castine.  Use their town dock for a few hours to quickly walk the town.  Supposedly some nice historic homes nestled along the water.  Didn't see any transient boaters out on the water and with it being after Labor Day figured it wouldn't be an issue finding space. Castine is home to the Maine Maritime Academy and their training vessel State of Maine.  Not a huge dock to begin with and a few of the locals already had their boats secured.  Figured prospects were dim that a couple of them would leave simultaneously so we could fit.  

Passing Dyce Head Lighthouse built in 1828 as we turn
into Bagaduce River and head for Castine

Maine Maritime Academy on the hill overlooking Penobscot Bay

No way you can miss the State of Maine at their dock in Castine

Left side of this picture is the Castine town dock. 

We had planned on staying in Smith Cove across from the town, so just went and anchored.  Good spot with nice protection from the SW winds that have been building and are expected to continue. Tree lined shore with just a few homes mostly hidden and scattered in the woods.  Had the anchorage completely to ourselves. Forecast calling for rain all day Sunday so we'll stay anchored and plan on stopping for a quick tour of Castine Monday morning on our way out.  Late afternoon we heard a commotion outside in the water.  Watched as a combination of seals and cormorants were feeding on a school of fish.  

School of baitfish jumping to avoid the seals

Sunday was a complete washout. Rain most of the day.  Good day for some football and F1 racing on the TV.   Thank you Starlink and Amazon Firestick!   Wound up starting Monday at the same anchorage.  Rain all gone and a nice sunny day. Still cool in mid 60's. Winds picked up from the NNW with small craft advisories due to 25-30 mph gusts. By the time we would have been ready to head for a different anchorage the winds were already blowing strong so decided to just stay here the extra day.  A bit exposed to the winds so feeling a little chop which became a bit bigger chop with whitecaps. Bouncing a bit and swinging with the wind. Kept checking our anchor alarms and could tell we were doing a very slow drag.  Not good as that would now be taking us towards shore if the anchor fully let loose. Rough conditions but decided best to move now rather than risking anything catastrophic during the night. Started the engines, raised the anchor (last 50' of chain caked in mud but anchor came up clean!) and headed for a less exposed area in the cove. Sizeable mooring balls not being used so grabbed one hoping the ground tackle was sufficient for our size.   All worked out in the end.  Even able to see a decent sunset where a bar opens up between two islands. 

Dreary, rainy, overcast, damp day at anchor Sunday

Sunny, windy, wavy with small craft advisory on Monday

The tree lined rocky shoreline gave us good protection from SW winds.
 But once winds turned NW a dragging anchor would take us to them.

Day finished with diminished winds and waves. Made for a nice sunset

Journey for Sept. 12, 2026

 

Sept. 9, 2026 Rockland, Maine

 Sept. 9-11, 2026   Boothbay Harbor, Maine to Rockland, Maine 45 miles and 5.1 hours

Good time in Boothbay Harbor.  Nice town, good eats, good drinks, friendly dockhands.  But we still need to keep moving north.  Been planning this trip for Wednesday.  Pretty decent weather today before the seas turn ugly on Thursday. Strong winds should build up to 5' seas before settling over the weekend...so off we go.  Overcast and cool, but no rain in forecast.  Woke up to 55 degrees and highs only mid 60's.  Feel like temps stayed in mid 50's all day.  Breeze off the 61 degree waters keeping it damp.  Would have liked running from the pilothouse but these lobster traps have us too nervous.  Better visibility from up top which we'll need. 

Saying farewell to Boothbay Harbor

Dreary and cool morning to start our voyage

After exiting Boothbay we round Linekin Neck and are in open waters. Waves are running 2' but with a short period and primarily on the starboard bow.  Not the smooth up and down swells, but a more push-push-push sensation.   Fairly long haul across the Gulf of Maine.  Deep water - we see up to 230' deep.  Still doesn't keep the lobstermen from setting traps.  Pass the 38' tall Pemaquid Lighthouse built in 1835.  Sitting on a rugged granite wave-swept ledge, it is supposedly Maine's most photographed lighthouse.   Continue on and make a pass aside Eastern Egg Island.  Breeding grounds for a re-established colony of Puffins.  Amazing birds.  Live about 30 years. Don't breed until 5 years old.  Spend 7 months completely at sea then return to the same borough, on the same island, with the same mate, to lay one egg each year. After their 3 month stay on the island, which is generally May, June, July, it's back into the sea for another 7 months. We're once again too late this season to see any.   Start working our way northeast through a maze of islands and then along the coastline as we head up West Penobscot Bay.  Tide is against us and several times as we pass between islands, the current surges and lobster trap markers become very difficult to see as they bob above and then below the surface.  Finally make it to Owls Head Lighthouse.  Sharp turn to port and we're pointed at the open waters of Rockland Harbor.

Out working the traps

Yup - Passed by a lot of lighthouses today

Follow the channel all the way in and dock at Rockland Public Landing by 1:30. Nothing fancy but gives good protection from the expected swells and winds this harbor can get.  Felt like a longer day than the 5 hours it took to get here.  Just a lot of physical and mental fatigue. 

Noticed this crazy looking cloud pattern once we got docked

Looked like a weird watercolor painting in shades of gray

Get settled in and then a quick walkabout.  Enjoyed this town during our visit last year.  Still has plenty of charm and things to do.  Farnsworth Art Museum (multi-generational Wyeth family art collection), Center for Maine Contemporary Art,  Maine Lighthouse Museum,  Capt. Jim Sharp's Sail, Power and Steam Museum, The Strand Theatre (movies, plays and symphony), Project Puffin Visitor Center, Hamilton Marine store, two breweries (Stone Alley and Rock Harbor), tons of restaurants, Atlantic Baking Company (amazing breads and pastries) and a Thursday morning farmers market which is primarily vendors with edibles - fruits, vegetables, cider, meats, seafood, baked goods, honey, maple syrup, etc.   Original plan was to stay 2 nights, but opted for a third night just because we like the town.

Vendors setting up for the Thursday Farmers Market

Picture perfect tree lined Main Street

Splitting a lobster lunch - Lobster Corn Chowder and
Lobster Roll "Tourist Style" - buttered instead of mayo

Boats moored out in the harbor towards evening

There are three windjammer cruisers that operate out of Rockland. 
The green hulled Stephen Taber is the largest

Mural in town celebrating the puffins who were recolonized nearby.

Stopped at Blue Raven Art Gallery housed in an historical bank. 
 Amazing artwork on display including this rooftop garden area.  

Three days without a real sunset. Figured "Sunset at Tenants Harbor"
by William B. Hoyt was next best thing.  Available at the gallery for $20,500!

Journey for Sept. 9, 2026

Sept. 7, 2026 Boothbay, Maine

Mon.-Tues. Sept. 7-8, 2026   Isle of Springs to Boothbay Harbor 5 miles and 1.25 hours 

What should have been a very simple half hour cruise down to Boothbay Harbor turned into a bit longer trip.  We have reservations at Boothbay Harbor Marina for two nights. They actually called about 10 AM asking when we'd be arriving.  Said the slip was available and come anytime.   Short run but needed to plan for a swing bridge about 2 miles away that only opens on the hour and half hour. Figured we'd take our time rather than trying to rush things.   Decided to shoot for the 11:30 bridge opening.  Started pulling up the anchor at 11.  Had 125' of chain deployed and first 50' came up nicely.  Then the chain was covered with heavy thick mud, requiring extensive washing to clean off.  Still had 25' to go when Martha informed me it was 11:20 and we needed to get going.  Started pulling the chain in faster and got the anchor to the waterline.  Told Martha to head out as I cleaned and secured the last of it.  Came around the bend about 1/2 mile from the bridge at 11:30. Called the bridgetender and no go.  Too late.  Needed to circle around for half an hour in a fairly narrow area loaded with lobster pots and small boats able to skim under the bridge. Bridge opened promptly at noon and away we went. 

Beautiful old wooden boat fit under the bridge and passed us by

Cars stopped so we've inched our way closer and now just waiting for the opening

Always feels a bit tighter than it actually is going through these openings

Deep water is along the right-hand bank

Narrow channel, lobster traps, boats coming and going.  Must be Labor Day.

Twenty minutes later we were in Boothbay Harbor and headed to the marina.  After a week of anchoring out we were ready for a few days on land.  Couple of chores first.  Called the pumpout boat and arranged for them to come over.   Past due to defrost the freezer section of the refrigerator.   Time to refill the water tank.   Boat could use a better washdown but I'll wait until after we do the offshore run to Rockland for that.   

Several Windjammer sailing boats use Boothbay as their home port

Popular port of call for megayachts too.

We had skipped Boothbay during our Down East loop.  We had spent a few days during that trip exploring Bar Harbor and found it just too touristy.  Had heard Boothbay was also touristy, so passed it up.  Decided to give it a shot this trip and glad we did.  Cute town.  Yes, it's touristy but on a much scaled down version versus Bar Harbor.  They've managed to save a number of the older buildings on the waterfront which have been converted to shops and restaurants adding to its quaintness.  

Nice collection of lobster trap buoys in front of this store

Captain Sawyers Place - now an inn

Couple of the older repurposed buildings along Main Street

After a quick walk through downtown, we opted for an early dinner at Footbridge Brewery.  Good selections of diverse beers but even better they had really good BBQ.  Martha had a pulled pork sammy  and I had a smoked steak sammy.  Just a really good job on both and a much-needed change from our usual fare.  Tuesday morning started with a drizzly day.  Gave us an excuse to go out for breakfast.  Got some Maine blueberry pancakes.   Rain stopped by the time we were done and sunshine already popping out.  Turned into a delightful day- mid 70's. Had to move the boat to the outer dock to make room for a 65' Palm Beach yacht that was coming in.  Gorgeous boat!  Then some tourist shopping and eventually a trip to Hannaford's grocery store for some provisions.  Finished the day with another visit to Footbridge Brewery and then a trip to Downeast Ice Cream Factory.

The 65' Palm Beach yacht preparing to dock - long, wide and sleek

The footbridge is an iconic landmark in town.  Originally built in 1901 at 
the headwaters of the harbor it connects the east and west sides of the town

Seems with each passing day as we continue northward
we see more colors starting to show in the trees

Journey for September 7, 2026