September 10-11, 2025 Rockland, Maine - a fantastic little town

 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday   September 9-11, 2025   Exploring Rockland

Rockland is a fantastic little town.  Town development was based on rock - hence the name.   Granite and limestone quarries nearby provided building materials for the growing big cities of Boston and New York.  At one time 25 limestone quarries fed 125 kilns along the waterfront converting the limestone to lime to be used in cement. Of course, there was also shipbuilding to support that trade, as well as the fishing fleets.  Great museums, art galleries, coffee shops, bakery, donut shop, two breweries, restaurants, etc. By Maine standards it's a bigger town with a population of about 7000.   Main Street is vibrant and lined with older buildings.  Nice to see most every storefront was occupied.  

Some of the buildings lining Main Street

King tides this week (12') due to full moon create dry land around the dingy dock 

Rockland has a huge harbor - just a portion of the moorings are shown here

Rockland is home to The Farnsworth Art Museum, the Sail, Power and Steam Museum, the Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland Historical Museum, Project Puffin Visitor Center, Coastal Children's Museum, Museum of Maritime Pets and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art.   Needless to say - plenty to keep us occupied.  Plus there's the Strand Theatre - an art deco theatre showing current movies but also live recorded plays, operas and documentaries.  We went to see the recorded live performance of Noel Coward's play "Present Laughter" which was recorded in London.  Pretty interesting experience - almost as good as being at the live performance. Penobscot Bay is home to multiple Windjammer boats with several based here, although more are located a few miles up the road in Camden. 

Andrew Wyeth's "The Blue Door" was the last painting he did at the Olson's Farm
 after Christina and Alvaro's deaths

N.C. Wyeth produced many illustrative works for novels such as
Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe

Started with a visit to the Farnsworth Museum.  It has an extensive collection of Wyeth artwork due to the family ties to the area.  They have owned a summer place nearby for generations.   The collection contains numerous paintings from N.C Wyeth (the father), Andrew (his son) and then Jamie (Andrew's son).  Very interesting to see the progression of each artists work as well as comparisons between them.  Got to meet Capt. Jim Sharp who now runs the Sail, Power and Steam Museum.  At 92 years old he's still full of energy and stories.  He was an early pioneer in establishing the current Windjammer sailing cruises which are now so popular in the area.  

The Sail, Power and Steam Museum sits on part of the old Snow Family Shipyards

Every room loaded with interesting items.  Here's an old International Harvester Truck. 
 Note its use of old wagon wheels 

The boatbuilders workshop.  Again, a bit of everything

From the Lighthouse Museum.  A second level Fresnel lens. 
This one had a unique outer second set of lenses that rotated

Met a fun couple from Iowa while we were all looking at the "For Sale" postings in the front window of a realtor shop.   Wound up having them over for drinks on the flybridge as the sun set.  Following day we met up with neighbors from Richmond Hill who have a house a few miles north of here.  They kindly took us on a tour up to Camden with lunch at a wonderful waterfront restaurant.  Tried my first crab roll.  Not like our Chesapeake Bay crab but a nice alternative to a lobster roll.

Our new friends from Iowa - Tim and Bev.  Can't believe we missed
taking pictures with Matt and Eileen while at lunch

American Independance woke us up as she docked at 10 PM

The bigger American Glory ship docking just as American Independance left the dock. 
We're not the only ones catching lobster buoys. 
He blew out 6-8 of them when using the bow thruster.

There is a farmers' market oddly enough on Thursday morning right beside the marina.  Probably the best one we've seen in a while.  Lots of local produce vendors and much of it organic at pretty reasonable prices. So the smaller cruise ships from the America Lines stop here, we've run across them in all sorts of cities up and down the east coast.  Oddly, people got off the boat and into buses that took them elsewhere.  Unfortunate as there is so much being offered here.  Overall, for us it was a great town for an extended visit. 

Great produce at the farmer's market. 

Looks like fall is in the air!

September 9, 2025 Swimming with the lobsters

Tuesday Sept. 9, 2025  Wooden Boat School to Rockland, ME    34 miles and 4.4 hours

The day started off and ended nicely enough but we sure had an issue in the middle.  Left the mooring ball at Wooden Boat School at 8:30.   Looked like an easy couple of hours to Rockland passing at times between scenic island passages with quaint towns and other times across some open water.   Weather was looking delightful.  Sunny, light winds and virtually no waves. But with highs forecast only into the low 60's we opted to run in the comfort of the pilothouse.  Nice run across Jerico Bay and then through the passage by Stonington. 

Delightful morning to be out cruising

Light winds made for slow sailing on the Windjammer ships

Passing by Stonington - still very much a fisherman's town

Lobster fisherman tending his traps aside Deer Island Thorofare Lighthouse 

Lobster traps abound but seem to be fairly spaced providing decent open areas between them.  Coming out into the East Penobscot Bay was a different story.  The marker buoys were everywhere.  Plus the current from an incoming tide was pushing some of the smaller secondary tied markers underwater making them invisible.   Saw an underwater one a few seconds too late and ran between it and the main marker.  Instantly throttled down and kicked the transmissions into neutral.  Hoping we would just pass unencumbered. NOPE!  Definitely caught the line - hanging from something on the starboard side running gear. Engines are still running so try to utilize the line cutters on the shafts by taking the engine momentarily into forward and reverse.  Seems to work as the float moves off but we're dragging about 10' of line behind us.   Engage the engines and cautiously move forward.  All seems good except we're dragging this line.  Hoping it's maybe just hung around the rudder we move on.   All good until that dragged line snags another buoy which I again never saw.  Just felt an odd vibration and so instantly put it into neutral.  Check behind us and we're fouled good.   Dragging another float and can tell this line is wrapped good.  Try pulling on it and pushing on it with our fully extended boathook to no avail.  Nothing.  This is not good.   The unpleasant thought occurs I may need to dive in to cut it off.  Our entire time on this trip I've repeatedly dunked a foot in the water to see about a swim and always came back the same " No way - too cold".  Now we're in the middle of the bay in 200' of 61-degree water on a sunny but 63-degree morning miles from shore and in a minefield of more buoys.  There really is no other option at this point other than going in. Off with the clothes, on with a swimsuit and facemask. Grab the specialty knife we carry for cutting lines in a lock in an emergency.  Sit on the swim platform, put the ladder down and hang my legs over.  DAMN!! It is cold!!  Decide best to go all out and do this quick as possible.  Tie a rope around my waist in case I drift off and take the plunge.  Eyes bulge as I gasp for a breath.  Then on with it and dive down.  Clear water gives amazing visibility and immediately see multiple lines wrapped around the shaft between the strut and the prop.   Up for air, flip open the knife and then down again.  My brains is screaming " Go back up. Go back up"!  But I tell myself - not until you complete the task at hand. Grabbing the prop for stability, I start sawing on the lines.  The knife is amazingly sharp and cuts through the lines quickly.  The line to the trap drops down and the line to the buoy drifts away.  A couple of extra strands are still attached.  I grab them and surface with everything free and a few strands of line for a souvenir.

The only mementos from my lobster trap diving adventure. After the fact,
I asked Martha if she took any pictures of this episode.
  She rightly said she didn't think I would have appreciated coming up gasping for air
with my blue lips to see her snapping away on her iPhone. 

I feel bad about the trap being lost but read later that a lobsterman typically loses 50-60 traps annually - so that one is joining many more lost down below. Now need to get out of the water.  Struggle up the swim ladder, plop down on the swim platform, then make my way into the cockpit and get wrapped in a towel Martha has ready. Scurry down to the head and jump in the shower.  The water feels amazing as it warms me up and rinses the salt water away. Back into dry clothes and we're ready to fire up the engines and do some testing. Engines start and run fine, transmissions shift and engage, no leaks or vibrations down below.  360 degree visual to make sure we're clear of anything else floating and we're finally back on our way.   Still plenty more pots to navigate around for the remainder of the day but we manage to stay clear. Through the North Haven passage where the marked channel is mostly clear of traps and out into the open West Penobscot Bay. 

The Goose Rocks lighthouse built in 1890 at the entrance to the
Fox Islands Thoroughfare and still an active aid to navigation

North Haven, Maine - locals and fishermen here almost all on mooring balls

Still plenty of traps but they are spaced more reasonably and it's easier to find a line through them.  Make our way past the breakwater and lighthouse guarding the entrance to Rockland.  We had fully expected to need to anchor here but when we call the municipal marina they advise they have room on the dock for us.  Cost is a little more than mooring but we had read this is such a big harbor with several ferries coming and going that it can get quite rolly.  After a tough day we decide docking is an easier option plus it will give quick access to downtown for exploring.  We'll put in here at Rockland for a few days. Was reading an old captain's log from the 1800's in a museum and found it interesting that he finished every entry the same - "And so ends another day"!

Rockland harbor lighthouse sits at the end of a mile long breakwater
that partially submerges at high tide.

Journey for Sept. 9, 2025
The two little blue squiggles at the 10:30 mark are where I went swimming

September 8, 2025 Exploring a few areas around Mt. Desert Island

Monday Sept. 8, 2025  Northeast Harbor to the Wooden Boat School   34 miles and 3.5 hours

Sort of a slow start and short day.  Time for the required pumpout but had to wait for the employees to arrive.  Just started their new fall hours today... 9am instead of 7am.  Once that was done, we decided to take a detour up Somes Sound.   This is referred to as America's Fjord.   I guess after seeing the Saguenay Fjord in Canada we were a bit underwhelmed. 

Started the day with boats swinging in all directions
and us close quarters stern to stern again

The view up Somes Sound and the fjord

Deep 260' water lined with granite cliffs 

What continues to overwhelm us are the sheer number of lobster traps and lobstermen.  Couple that with the still active sailing clubs and the open waters suddenly become a maze to work through.  We had opted to run from the flybridge thinking it would give us the best unobstructed view of the fjord.  The viewing was better, but it sure got cold up there with a little breeze and low 60's temperatures.

Fleet of sailboats headed out across our path - or perhaps us across their path

Typical Downeast lobster boats around Penobscot Bay working their traps

Made our way across Blue Hill Bay and around to the Wooden Boat School.  Grabbed a mooring ball, dropped the dingy and went exploring at the school.   Was told it's a school for retired guys with too much time on their hands who like small old wood boats.  And that's pretty much the demographics we saw.  Currently working on two new wood boats and refurbishing several others.   Nice fleet of small wooden sailboats out in the moorings.   Anchorage is a bit exposed but light and variable winds made it a fine stopover for a night.

Scenic Bass Harbor Head lighthouse on pink granite shoreline

Colorful collection of lobster trap buoys collected along the shore at the school

Out in the yard waiting their turn for refurbishing

If you like wood - the piece of mahogany on the stern of this little rowboat was magnificent

Working on bending and fitting planks to the framed up ribs

Even got treated to a pretty decent sunset 

Journey for September 8, 2025

September 3, 2025 Our First Foggy Taste of Maine

Wednesday Sept. 3, 2025   Roque Island to Northeast Harbor mooring  5.3 hours and 51 miles

Northeast Harbor is a favored destination in Maine.  Smallish marina but big mooring field. During the season the moorings stay booked solid.   Called the dockmaster on Tuesday to verify the situation and all he could tell me was he currently had 2 mooring balls open for our size.  Yes - it was first come, first serve.  Just call on the radio when entering the harbor and they would verify if a mooring was available. We had planned a 7AM departure from Roque Island to arrive at Northeast Harbor by noon.  If nothing was available at least we had time to go elsewhere.  Another good night's sleep in our calm protected cove.  Alarm sounded at 6AM.  Got up to turn off anchor light and all around us was nothing but solid white - we were fogged in.  Not going anywhere until it burned off a bit. 

Fog off the stern

Fog off the bow

7 AM came and went. 8AM came and went. 9AM saw a few scattered brief sightings of the shore but then would disappear into fog again.  We were beginning to think we might be there an entire day. At 10 we could make out enough shoreline to decipher where the opening out the cove was located.  Things were starting to look better. Not real visibility but at least clear enough to see the lobster buoys 100' ahead.  We decided we better go and hope the tales of fog clearing out by 10 or 11 were true.  GPS - on, Radar - on, AIS - on, Auto foghorn - on.   Inching our way out the cove with Martha expertly sighting and guiding me around the landmine of lobster traps was challenging and anxiety producing.   By 11 the fog was thinning but we're still mostly driving by instrument. Thankfully the traps are a bit more widely dispersed allowing for fewer evasive moves. Finally, around noon the fog lifted.  Gone completely and a sunny day within the next15 minutes!  

Turned into a gorgeous day once the fog lifted

Not a lighthouse on our charts - just a private residence
 with a wannabe lightkeeper as owner

Couple of interesting sightings as we traveled offshore.  Came across a couple of dolphins surfacing.  Just not like our species down south who like to play at the bow or side waves.  Couple of surface sightings and gone.    Then came upon a pod of seals who were working a school of baitfish.  Fish jumping, sea gulls diving, and the unmistakable black heads of the seals surfacing.    Final activity was trying to spot puffins as we rounded Petite Manan Island.   It's one of their protected rookeries.  Martha was disappointed all we could see were sea gulls and cormorants. We may be too late in the season for puffin sightings - sounds like they are done breeding and raising chicks by mid to late August and then return to the sea.

Only company all day was catching and passing this sailboat

Made it to Northeast Harbor.  As we're approaching, we hear a call to the marina on the radio.  A 50' sailboat is asking if they have a mooring ball available.   Yup. we have one.   We're hoping that isn't the last one.   As we get closer, we call and thankfully they have an open ball for us too.   This is a big tight mooring field and we cruise past our line of balls twice before finally finding the correct one.  May have been a bit unfocused while busy looking at all the well maintained wooden boats! The mooring equipment is top notch and oversized.  Exactly what we want given winds are expected to gust on Saturday up to 30 mph. 

MDI (Mount Desert Island) is home to Bar Harbor on the opposite side of the island and Acadia National Park inland.  It is a summer tourist hot spot.  Lots of hikers and bikers for the miles of developed trails in the park. Bar Harbor is a cruise ship destination adding to the crowds. From Northeast there is a free shuttle bus around the island to Bar Harbor. We'll spend a few days here to explore, reprovision, and to wait out those windy conditions coming our way.

Northeast is a cute little town.  Not very big. Basically, just one main street with several gift shops, restaurants, art galleries, and home design studios.  Nice local museum in the old fire dept building.  Interesting video presentation of home movies taken by a local resident showing life here during the 30's, 40's and 50's. Made our way to the Pine Tree Market to scout it out.  Before crossing the border we had used up all the meats, vegetables and fruit on board as customs can be picky about those items. Always better to be in a position to comply. Had read that this store is well equipped with all the food supplies a traveling boater would need - but be ready to pay for them.  We were sticker shocked and decided we could wait to buy food in Bar Harbor where there is a Hannaford's grocery store. There had been a marine supply store in town with a great reputation for having anything you needed - vintage to new.  Unfortunately, it's been closed down.  Apparently, another victim to the ease of buying online.

Passing by an arts studio - taking my chances by "poking the bear"

Love an old unique tombstone - this one obviously for a sea captain

Spent two days in Bar Harbor.  L.L.Bean supports a free shuttle bus service transporting tourists and hikers all around MDI.  Worked out great for us.  Pickup each morning right at the marina at 8:50. Twenty-five minutes later we were dropped off at the village green in Bar Harbor in time for wild blueberry pancakes at the local eatery. Then catch the 4:30 bus back.  A cruise ship was in port both days.  Just from different lines. They have to anchor out and shuttle passengers in so not the huge influx all at once we expected.  Visited the Abbe Museum which is primarily focused on the Wabanaki Nation - its people, homeland, heritage and culture.   Plenty to do with gift shops, restaurants, ice cream, galleries, a brewery and the big grocery store.  We loaded up two big bags and a backpack with food and hauled them back.

Martha finally found a puffin!!

Great collection of lobster trap bouys on the side of this restaurant. 
 Wish he had collected a few more!

Day two we went through the La Rochelle Mansion Museum which is also the headquarters for the historical society.  Since no brickyard existed on the island, it was very unique to have a brick structure.  Built in 1903 by George Bowdoin (a partner in J. P. Morgan, as was his father) during the gilded age as the largest "summer cottage" on the waterfront.  41 rooms on 3 floors covering 13,000 square feet with 20 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.  Lots of gorgeous woodwork.   The building has been amazingly maintained in original condition.  However, there are only a few period furnishings.  Much of the decor is centered around artifacts from the historical society archives presenting the history of Bar Harbor.  By the time our bus was half-way back to Northeast Harbor the fog had started rolling down the hills and quickly enveloped the bay.  Had to hunt our way through the mooring field to find As You Wish.

The front of La Rouchelle

The grand staircase and elaborate moldings

Eerie dingy ride through the mooring field

It all worked out OK.  We finally found her!

Crazy day on Sunday. Overcast and rainy with occasional light fog.   With no wind boats were shuffled around by the changing tidal current. But every boat was rotating at different times and speeds. Made us realize how precisely they have measured out the distances between these moorings. Spent the day planning our next several stops as we begin to inch our way down the coast.  Rain finally broke late and we were given an awesome sunset through the fading clouds.

View out the back of the boat this AM with boats swinging in opposite directions.

. 

Almost unbelievable array of color in tonight's sunset after a rainy day.

Journey for September 3, 2025