Saturday, July 30, 2011

Back Post: : Thursday, July 29,2011 : Sailing to Tenant's Harbor

We left Long Cove on Thursday( I made a mistake; We left Boothbay on Wed. not Tuesday)) with beautiful morning skies and winds that filled in nicely from the S-SE from 8 to 12 knots. Under full sail from 10:30- 14:30 past Old Man's Ledge with Monhegan Island coming into better view. Monhegan is the Island where the Wyeth family summered and paintied for some 20 years. As I understand there is no where to anchor or moor so a ferry for the day or to stay a night or 2 is the only way to truly see the Island. It is 1.7 miles long and about .5 mile wide with walking trails and a couple Inns. After Lunch ,  we rounded Old Man's ledge and had just come up to  our waypoint off Old Cilley ledge at 1320 when we were looking close starboard and saw a huge humpback whale do a gentle roll along side us! I imagine she came over to see what we were as we were sailing at about 5 knots. She rolled again gently , and we could see that she was about as long as our 36 foot vessel! She rolled 4 times then never surfaced again. I ran D down stairs to turn on the gentle Sirius station as we have heard whales like music but she had another plan.
At last our first whale sighting from the quiet  of our own cockpit and to think we both were looking right where she surfaced just 30 ft away- it was a miracle! I knew the day was special as we sailed but had no idea there was a "whale more" to come!
Sadly at 1430, we rolled in the sails as we could not carry them into Tenant's Harbor. After passing safely thru about 1000 fluorescent lobster buoys (which were really a pretty sight with the afternoon sun shining on them.) We picked up a free mooring which belongs to a friend we met in boothbay. Herb and Cathy Stackhouse , (formerly of Pensacola now based in Washington, Georgia) bought a cottage on Sprucehead Island just the next village over from Tenant's. They picked us up and we drove the short 10 miles down to Port Clyde where the Monhegan ferry departs. I was afraid it would not have much character since they have cars parked there  for overnight ferry travelers but there was only one small lot that by no menas marred the town. Ate at the Dip Net that is newly owned by one of the LL BEan grandaughters. Great Fish and visit .
Friday morning after pancakes and sausage on board, we went ashore for some jogging and showers at the Lyman-Morse Yacht center. Then to Herb and Cathy's cottage that evening for Grilled Halibut steaks that were out of this world good! Their cottage is perfectly Maine and has a 200 degree view of Seal Bay and False Whitehead Harbor! Unbelievable! Then back to the boat just before the predicted light rain which fell nearly all night. Awoke to dry, clearing skies. Relaxing  in Maine. We expect to shove off for Rockland in the next day or 2 to receive mail.

Cindra, David and Lulu, too

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