We're in Maine. I'm wearing long pants, shoes and socks and a sweatshirt! It's cold here. Gone are the sunny, hot Caribbean days!

After our month in Annapolis, we headed north. Ken and I decided against another long passage and opted to day sail up the coast repeating our journey south of two years ago--Chesapeake Bay to the Chesapeake-Delaware Canal, down the Delaware Bay, up the coast of New Jersey, through New York Harbor, up the East River, east through Long Island Sound, stopping in Newport, Rhode Island. Each night we anchored at sunset and were up early the next day for a full day of sailing or motor-sailing depending on the wind. Although we anchored each night, we never got off the boat so it was akin to a passage in that we were on the boat for 6 days.

We joined the throngs of boats moored in Newport Harbor. I don't think moorings could be any closer! After three days in Newport, we made a one-day, 90-mile passage to Gloucester, MA. It was a long day, but nice to be moving north as we were hoping to spend August in Maine.

Gloucester, a working harbor, appears not to have changed in over 100 years! John and Karen, who helped Ken sell the Lexus two years ago and who live in Massachusetts, came to visit us while we were in Gloucester. Curious about boat life, they asked all sorts of questions: Does the boat always move? How do you cook? What is it like to live on a boat? Fun to share our lifesytle on Aurora with others in real time and wonderful to have guests visit us. We went out to Karen's favorite Gloucester eatery, Woodman's and enjoyed a quintessential New England meal of fried clams, chowder and cole slaw.


From Gloucester we motored across the bay to Marblehead which is renowned for its yacht clubs and yachting community. Marblehead was a treat. We were able to secure a guest mooring at the Boston Yacht Club for two nights. Walking around Marblehead is like stepping into the past. The neighborhood near "Boston," as the yacht club was referred to on the VHF, was residential and, due to preservation requirements of the town, filled with well-maintained houses dating from the 1700's. We wondered narrow, winding streets lined with clapboard homes sporting shuttered windows and small porticoes. The famous painting "The Spirit of 76," housed in Abbot Hall, embodies the history of the town and the pride of its citizens. A very American town, Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Salem, where we purchased Aurora, was our next stop. For me it was a nostalgic experience. Took me back to the beginning our our adventure. We had lunch at the Jaho Java coffee shop, across from Bunghole liquor, where we had spent many, many hours on our laptops ordering parts and getting ready for our big adventure. Ken didn't share my sense of nostalgia, and initially I couldn't understand why. It's true, one can never go back, still I wanted to revisit places that held special memories. Turns out what were special memories for me were not so special for Ken. I learned that he didn't savor the time we spent in the coffee shop and was quite anxious as we outfitted Aurora and prepared for our adventure. This time we left Salem familiar with Aurora, comfortable with sailing and confident in our ability to make the over-night passage to Maine.

As we entered the Gulf of Maine we entered the fog. Eerie. Quietly we moved across the water peering into the fog looking for boats and listening for the chime of bells on the aids to navigation. One relies on equipment, radar and chart plotter, but never completely. Our senses guide us as much as our equipment. As we entered the channel between islands on our way to Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island we could make out shapes on the water ahead of us. As we got closer the fog shrouded shapes turned into lobster boats. We watched lobster men working at their day's catch. Quickly, no movement wasted, pulling lobsters from cages tossing back those too small. Placing the catch into tanks. Reloading the cage with fish. Over the side and into the cold Maine waters goes the cage to snag another lobster tomorrow. So busy they didn't look up to see us sail pass. A cold, wet, physical life, that of the Maine lobster man.

Maine's coast is rugged and tree lined. Reminds me of the Pacific Northwest with the ocean meeting forested hills and granite outcroppings. And like the Pacific Northwest it is damp, rainy and cold!

Friday, August 8th

Been a few days since I started my update. Northeast Harbor in the town of Mount Desert is where we originally landed when we arrived in Maine. A charming little village, about 3 blocks long, with a picturesque harbor located just outside of Acadia National Park on the southern end of Mount Desert island. Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperative and so we've not explored the island as much as anticipated. The sun came out one day and we hopped the free Island Explorer Shuttle to Jordon Pond, a glacial lake set in the lush green forest of Acadia park. After a hike around the pond, Ken and I
enjoyed lunch at Jordon Pond House, known for their popovers. Seems every dish comes with one, sometimes two, of these delicious accompaniments. And they were served with fresh, home-made blueberry jam. Delicious! From Jordon Pond we hopped the shuttle to Bar Harbor where we made reservations with the Harbor Master for dockage on Tuesday, August 12. Erik, Ken's son, will be joining us for a week, and we'll meet him in Bar Harbor on Tuesday. After a quick walk around town, we grabbed a shuttle bus back to Northeast Harbor. Nice service.


Yesterday morning we left Northeast Harbor and motored up Somes Sound, the only fjord in the continental United States. Somes Sound is a six-mile-long fiord that cuts Mount Desert island almost in two. The terrain along the coast of Maine including Somes Sound is different from the places we've sailed to date. Evergreens cover the mountains which come right down to the water. Granite outcropping meet the water rather than sandy beaches or marshy shores. And the forested islands are shrouded in fog and mist much of the time. All very dramatic. At the end of the sound is the Somesville Harbor where we are anchored. Somesville, the oldest village on
Mount Desert island, is tiny. I did find a gas station and mini market, a post office, a nice bookstore, what appeared to be an antique store and the Masonic Hall which hosts theatrical performances during the summer on my walk around town. That appears to be it for Somesville. Although small, it is quite picturesque, white clapboard houses, large lush trees, lovely flower gardens set against a backdrop of the harbor enclosed by forested mountains and a few islands.

Tomorrow the forecast is for sunshine! I'm sooooo looking forward to seeing the sun. We're going to explore the park! And we can with ease on the free Island Shuttle.

Safe Passages!