Category: Travel

Went to Monhegan Island on Boss Lady on Tuesday, staying in the home of Bob’s friend’s family. Lovely cottage with a 30 mile view to the west. We left in a cold drizzle and light fog around nine, snug in the cabin with a wood fire burning in the Fatso stove. Went around the north of Little Deer Isle and down through the Fox Island Thorofare to West Penobscot Bay and then the open ocean to Monhegan. Fun dodging lobster pots barely visible in the strong ebb tide. Weather cleared in the afternoon giving us a pleasant evening.

On Wednesday we went around the south side of Monhegan with nothing to starboard but Mother Atlantic (Gulf of Maine technically). Perfect conditions; the wind and sea relatively flat without a cloud to be seen. From there we went past Matinicus, peeking in the tiny harbor and around the south side of Isle au Haut, seeing a finback whale and dolphins in the process. We stopped and anchored in Sand Cove on Marshall Island, going ashore to play on the beach. It’s one of the few pure sand beaches on this stretch of coast. Then up through Jericho Bay and Eggomoggin Reach to the Landing. Lot’s of great Boss Lady time. Such an able and hospitable vessel.

Dodging pots in the Fox Island Thorofare. Low clouds and spitting rain. Warm in the cabin thanks to Mr. Fatso.

North Haven, home of the famous North Haven Dinghy. Building in the center is shaped like a ships stern.

Fish Beach, Monhegan. Note the wheels on the skiff in the foreground. No docks (except for the ferry) so the locals need to drag or roll their skiffs down the beach. (Or wait for high tide.)

Monhegan harbor; Boss Lady moored on the right side. Note how open it is to the SW.

Just needs a new transom.

Late afternoon light from the cottage where we stayed. Thanks Sandy!

More later,

Russ

Eggomoggin Reach that is. Julia and I are up in Maine enjoying the high life. Pics on Flickr here.

Saturday and Sunday saw Elegant Punt sailing. I built a pair of these Phil Bolger minimal dinghies for a client almost twenty years ago. Amazingly enough they ended up here. The client is a friend of my brother and his family had outgrown the boats. Now there’s a brace of them here at the landing.

Punt racing at one and a half knots.

Fog yesterday morning complete with a “fogbow”, a rainbow like apparition.

Went for a quick sail in Tendress yesterday, just reaching back and forth in the somewhat recently rare sunshine up here.

We hope to go to Monhegan on Boss Lady today or tomorrow, weather permitting.

More later,

Russ

Mixing it up on a Friday afternoon. That’s Mickey Lake in the sunglasses with the Bauer girls. Holly, on the right, (sorry if I got it backwards) built a Nutshell Pram with her Dad, Steven. They brought it to display in the I Built it Myself exhibit. Fine job with a bold royal purple sheerstrake.

In the white boat to leeward is Joe Foster (CSoH). He’s driving with Mary Bauer enjoying the view.

Joe and Mary to weather. Lazy sailing; plenty of time for gawking. Nice ballet with all the water taxis, row boats and of course the 24 ton steamboat Sabino.

Julia and I were ashore having a smoke when the great rum swap and seizure took place. As mentioned below, we had cocktails on the LGH Saturday at 5:00; fog right on cue. I brought Goslings Rum and Regatta Ginger Beer. The Goslings ran out far too early. Providentially, a Caledonia Yawl built by Two Daughters Boatworks stopped by as they needed ice for their rum. Presto; a quick barter and enough rum for another round of D&S’s.

While that was going on Joe, Phil and Paul commandeered a passing outboard skiff, pics somewhere, to go to Airlie. She’s a Nova Scotia built swordfishing schooner owned by Forum member Jamie, and was moored conveniently a few hundred yards upstream. Most importantly, she had a gallon or two of rum on board. More rounds!

More later,

Thanks for stopping by.

Julia and I drove up last Thursday, home yesterday afternoon. We had a delightful time with old and new WoodenBoat Forum friends. There’s a Set on Flickr here.

We stayed at the Whaler in downtown Mystic. Nice suite with a porch for post show gatherings.

We started the weekend Thursday at Doug and Carter’s for their second and hopefully Annual WoodenBoat Show Party. Neat spot in the woods of Guilford.

One of dozens of beautiful boats afloat and on the hard.

Sea Harmony, an Albert Strange Canoe Yawl belonging to friend and Forumite, Thad. Wonderful old Shipmate stove on board.

Classic picture taken by Jonathan Krabak, Port Captain of the Lettie G. Howard and Forum member.

Julia holding my Dark and Stormy on the Lettie while folks enjoy this treat. I managed to wrangle an invitation for a visit, bringing our own libations. The fog was appropriate…sometimes it’s just a matter of timing.

They’re everywhere. After an hour or so of this we all drove over to Abbot’s in Noank to eat some bugs.

WoodenBoat Magazine had the Seaport arrange for Forum members to use the Oyster House as a meeting spot. Nice shade with plenty of breezes. Pleasant to sit and watch the livery fleet sail back and forth. (And listen to old and new friends chat.)

Friday afternoon a group of us rented three Beetle Cats and chased each other along the waterfront for an all too quick hour.

Rumor has it the show will be back in Mystic again next year. Some fun.