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.
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| Delightful morning to be out cruising |
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| Light winds made for slow sailing on the Windjammer ships |
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| Passing by Stonington - still very much a fisherman's town |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| The Goose Rocks lighthouse built in 1890 at the entrance to the Fox Islands Thoroughfare and still an active aid to navigation |
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| 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"!
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| Rockland harbor lighthouse sits at the end of a mile long breakwater that partially submerges at high tide. |
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| Journey for Sept. 9, 2025 The two little blue squiggles at the 10:30 mark are where I went swimming |
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