Maine!
One of the countless Maine lighthouses
We’ve fallen in love with Maine! Wearing down puffies instead of bathing suits, viewing evergreens and granite outcrops instead of palm trees on sandy beaches, and avoiding lobster pot buoys instead of coral reefs – it’s completely different from what we experienced in the tropics, yet Maine’s unique allure draws us in.
We left Rockport, MA in the wee morning hours, headed to Falmouth, Maine, just outside of Portland. We made good time, with sailing speeds topping 10 knots, and reunited with Balance 482 owners Paul and Meg upon our arrival. We spent a fun day and a half with them, including venturing out to the LL Bean summer concert series in Freeport, ME to see Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin.
We continued up the Maine coast, enjoying a brief lunch stop at the majestic Sequin Island before arriving at Harmon Harbor. As we traversed the narrow harbor, looking for a mooring without a too-close lobster buoy to snag ourselves on, a friendly voice called out that we could use their extra mooring ball. That’s how we met Mike and Rainy, a lovely couple from Houston who live in Maine all summer. What a day it turned out to be! After a glorious sail, a leisurely walk to Five Islands fishing village to feast on the most tender fried clams ever, we shared a delightful evening of wine and stories with our newfound friends.
The next morning we were off again, headed for the Isle au Haut, when we sighted our first whale! Although we couldn’t tell its type, we were enthralled by the whale’s spouts of water followed by views of its curving sleek body surfacing before returning to the deep. The day’s excitement also featured dolphin and seal sightings and picturesque lighthouses -- all far more entertaining than our nearly minute-by-minute course adjustments to avoid the multitude of lobster buoys.
The Isle au Haut, population 92, is a small island that’s 5.5 nautical miles long and 2.2 nm wide and houses a remote portion of the Acadia National Park. We spent a rainy day anchored at Duck Harbor, enjoying Corey’s lobster bisque and slurping fresh oysters, before the sun returned the next morning in time for a lovely hike up Duck Harbor Mountain and the Western Headlands.
Our next stop is Mount Desert Island – the northernmost point of our journey before we turn around and more slowly descend back to the Chesapeake.
