Winter Harbor on Vinalhaven, ME

By 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 22 we all went for a walk through the more residential part of Isle au Haut.  There was a lovely Congregational church up on a hill with a well-constructed ramp leading up to it. We followed the ramp up for a commanding view of the waterfront. 

From there we continued walking further up the hill to the other end of the Thoroughfare, the waterway where we were moored, all the way to Laundry Cove.  New England has had the most magnificent hydrangea bloom this season and most of them have been blue or white.  Here in this part of Maine they have been various shades of pink, apparently due to different soil.

As we walked down a gravel road we met a woman walking her two dogs. Stopping to chat for awhile we discovered that she and her husband were visiting his parents’ home which from what we could tell was one of the picturesque homes overlooking the water from that gorgeous point of land.  She was very enthusiastic about the upcoming election and the Democratic Convention that was still going on.

On the way back we passed the fire station with its vintage fire truck.

We stopped for a couple more items at the local market and I bought a postcard to send to Stephanie and Ryan. The tiniest post office I’ve ever seen was next door.  It was a one woman and one room operation and the postmistress assured me that she would be sure to stamp the postcard with an Isle au Haut postmark.

After heading back to Zendo, we left our anchorage by 11:05 for Winter Harbor and arrived there by 1:00 passing by the Isle au Haut Light. This lighthouse was converted to a bed and breakfast and later was available to rent. It  was then put up for sale again and its fate is uncertain at this time. It would definitely be a very cool place to stay for a while!

Finding a suitable place to drop the hook in Winter Harbor was challenging.  We came in at high tide to a very tricky anchorage with a lot of shallow spots that were submerged during high tide.  After a couple of tries at anchoring which Jonny was concerned were too close to the shallow areas we finally found a secure place to set the hook.  We were so glad we moved to that spot because at low tide we were able to see the many danger spots surrounding us. 

After lunch we dinghied into shore and this, too, was challenging. The shore line was extremely rocky and we had forgotten to wear our boat shoes.  Jonny tied up the dinghy as best he could and we went for a walk around the headland.  There were well marked trails throughout as well including a convenient staircase!

Upon our return the tide had gone out more than we expected and the dinghy was stuck on some rocks in the mud.  He had to work really hard to get it back in the water. In the meantime he wanted me to walk all the way through a slippery, seaweed strewn, rocky shore to a point where he would pick Archie and me up so as to avoid us having to wade through the cold water and rocky sea bed.  It all worked out but it was quite the little adventure!

That evening we used our gas oven for the first time this season to cook the meatloaf I had made along with baked potatoes and spinach.  We watched the last night of the Democratic Convention and were glad to see how well Kamala did and how enthusiastic the crowd’s reaction was.  Just a little over a couple of months until the election. Fingers crossed!

Next stop - charming Camden!  P.S. All the exposed land in the foreground of the next photo was submerged when we came in to anchor. That’s how shallow it was in the area all around us!

Isle au Haut, ME

Jonny had fallen asleep before the Obamas’ speeches at the Democratic Convention the night before so he watched both of them on YouTube early in the morning of Wednesday, August 21. Stephanie called to kvell over their speeches and to tell us that they will come to stay with us for my birthday at the end of September!  We’ll be in Baltimore then because we’ll be volunteering at the Trawler Fest as we do each year. They’ll only be able to stay for one night and they wanted to know if they could bring their Corgi, Eloise. Of course we said yes!

The fog was finally lifting as we left our Orono mooring at 10:30 for a short cruise to Isle au Haut which we’ve tried unsuccessfully to visit a couple of times over the years.

It was a smooth crossing and we arrived by 12:40 and headed through the Thoroughfare which is the waterway between Isle au Haut and Kimball Island.

There were a couple of mooring balls just across from the town dock so we chose one and tied up, so easy! It had a can attached so we could place our $35 mooring fee in it.

After lunch we dinghied in to shore and checked out the only market on the island. It was fairly well stocked for an island with only 92 year-round residents.  Residents take the ferry to Stonington on nearby Deer Island do their major shopping.

From there we proceeded to hike on one of the well maintained trails that run throughout the island. Much of the island is part of Acadia National Park. We hiked for 4 - 5 miles through woods the whole way. Once again, Archie was in heaven running off the path into the dense forest.  It wasn’t until we returned to Zendo and read the pamphlet that we brought back from the small Visitor’s Center that we learned that dogs needed to be leashed. Oh, well!

Upon completing our hike we stopped again at the market to get a few provisions. Next door was a tiny gift shop where Jonny bought a baseball cap with the Maine emblem of a fir tree that he had been wanting. We chatted with the owner who lives on the island year round. She was selling lots of interesting local items including many sweaters and other handmade items by local women. 

From both shops there were great views of the harbor.

After a dinner of leftovers we settled in to watch the third night of the Democratic Convention and enjoy the maple walnut ice cream we bought from the little market for dessert. 

Next stop, Winter Harbor.  

Orono, Island, ME

The fog can be so unusual here. When we looked out in one direction from our Galley Cove anchorage on Tuesday morning, August 20, it was very clear, but looking in the opposite direction it was totally foggy!

I was supposed to have a Spanish lesson but the internet connection was so spotty that we had to cancel and reschedule. In the meantime, Jonny had taken Archie in for a walk.  By 10:20 we left our beautiful anchorage in Galley Cove (one of the best we’ve been to) and headed out. The weather was foggy and drizzly but we planned to have a short cruise.  We had scoped out several anchorages near Orno, Buckle and Mackerel Islands which Dan had also endorsed.  The weather deteriorated to full-on rain. I thought we might drive from below in the salon but the radar split screen and our visibility is not as good down there as it is on the flybridge. So Archie and I stayed warm and cozy down below while Jonny stayed above on the flybridge. I encouraged him to turn back and wait until the next day but he felt confident to proceed.

We kept going until we got close to the three anchorages we were considering,  We cruised by Opeche Island which was a fourth possibility but it didn’t appeal to us because it was too open. Then we checked out Orno Island which we liked a lot though it wasn’t quite as special as Gulley Cove. There was a mooring ball that we could grab for free so that’s what we did.  It turned out to be a lovely anchorage.  We were surrounded by three islands - Orono, Asa and Swan. 

By this time it had stopped raining so we dinghied over to nearby Buckle Island which was supposed to have great trails. The trails were covered in green moss and it felt like we were walking on the softest carpeting. 

As we hiked we discovered a number of little fairy houses nestled on the side of the trail in various states of disrepair. We had read about them in the Maine guidebook. They were whimsical little shin-high creations  made out of sticks, shells, rocks and leaves.  They were delightful!

At one point early in our hike the trail was blocked by a full sized green door, just like one you might see in a home. We tried to open it to no avail.  We couldn’t go under it, we couldn’t go over it, and we couldn’t go through it so we just went around it.  What fun!  As you can imagine, it was a fun hike!

That afternoon I caught up on blog posts and made a delicious Pasta e Ceci (chickpea) dinner.  We settled in to watch the second night of the Democratic Convention.  Who knew a political convention should be so entertaining? Michelle and Barack Obama capped it off, each with fantastic speeches!

Galley Cove, ME

We were trying to decide whether to move from our mooring in Northeast Harbor or stay because it was very foggy on the morning of Monday, August 19.

Jonny had been talking to our friend Dan who was in a Galley Cove anchorage by Bartlett Island with no fog so we decided to take a chance and join them there.  But first we had to fill our water tanks and get a pump-out. The NE Harbor dock master had told us they could accommodate us but when we called they said another boat would be blocking access to the dock all day.  They recommended Clifton Dock, another place in the harbor that was on our way out, so we stopped there.  While Jonny was filling (and emptying) tanks I took Archie for a walk.

By 11 we headed out for the two and a half hour cruise to Galley Cove.  It was very foggy and Jonny had to be hyper-alert using our radar to be sure we didn’t run into any boats.

As we rounded Bartlett Narrows and entered little Galley Cove, the fog lifted considerably.  Dan had told us there were two free moorings there. They were on one and the other one just became available! Perfect timing for us!

We arrived and tied up by 1:30 and found ourselves in yet another stunning anchorage. 

We ate lunch and right afterwards we met Dan and Cathy and headed in to shore in our dinghies. 

Dan and Cathy had walked this island before and knew the trails.  The island had been purchased by Peggy Rockefeller who was comfortable with boaters being there. We walked for four miles through beautiful woods and fields. Of course Archie’s explorations must have covered twice that distance!

Upon returning to Zendo we caught up on phone calls, had leftovers for dinner, and watched the first night of the Democratic Convention.  We stayed up late to watch Joe Biden’s speech that didn’t end until 12:30. It was an exhilarating start to this year’s convention which could have been much different had Biden not decided to step out of the race. 

Northeast Harbor, ME

We awoke on Sunday, August 18 to another foggy morning in Maine and this time it was misty as well. We weren’t sure if Michael would be up to taking his Boston Whaler out to Cranberry Island as planned but we are all hardy souls so the plan was still on.  Michael and Melina took the launch from the Seal Harbor Yacht Club to pick us up. 

Then we all took the launch out to their Boston Whaler so we could pick up Steve and Cindy on their boat.

 Archie just loves traveling on launches!

From there we headed out to Little Cranberry Island in the fog and mist. Melina had made brunch reservations for the six of us at 10:30 and we thought that we might be the only ones there due to the weather. But that was not at all the case. We arrived at The Islesford Dock, Islesford being the name of the town on Little Cranberry.  We had been here once before and really liked it. The restaurant is filled with artwork from local artists.  Brunch was also very good - I was particularly happy with my duck hash. 

Afterwards we hung out on the adjacent dock and walked through the pottery shop next door and this time I was able to resist buying anything.  Last time we were here I bought stocking stuffers for Stephanie and my nieces for Christmas.

After returning to Zendo, we decided to move to a Northeast Harbor anchorage where it would be less rolly than Seal Harbor which is not quite as protected. We also needed to get a pump-out and fill our water tanks which we weren’t able to do at Seal Harbor.  This time we were able to secure the mooring and we made the quick 40 minute trip in the early afternoon. 

We took the launch to pay for our mooring and take Archie for a walk.   While Jonny was paying, Archie met a fellow doodle in the nearby park and started doing zoomies through the park. It’s so much fun to watch him run like that.

Northeast Harbor is a really cute little town and we walked up the Main Street where we saw an old-fashioned market.  Ducking in, we bought a few items just because we could!

We were invited to join Michael, Melina, Steve and Cindy for dinner at the Nor’easter but we needed to catch up on a few things on Zendo. We planned to leave early the next morning. So we hunkered down for the evening among the lobster boats moored nearby and planned our next few days.  Hurricane Ernesto was on its way out in the Atlantic but is causing some ocean swells that we would like to avoid. So we’ll be cruising among protected islands to a calm anchorage.