Log of the ELISSA II: August 24-29, 2014 Burnt Coat Harbor, Bucks Harbor, Pulpit Harbor, Castine, Bucksport, Searsport and Belfast Maine

08/24: Sunrise presented the day in brilliant colors with deep blue waters, cloudless skies and light (but chilly) SW winds. Off the Mooring Ball at 0930 for a short (20 minute) tour of the harbor, arriving at the Hinckley fuel dock for ice and dog walk at 0950. By 1030, with full ice chests and empty dog we were on our way to intended anchorage at Buckle Island, a place recommended by locals. Arriving on the scene, and with our 45 degree list still fresh in our memories, we concluded that shallows surrounding deep enough water, combined with exposure to winds from NW to NE worried us enough to pass on what was a very pretty and isolated anchorage. Instead, went on to Burnt Coat Harbor on south side of Swan Island and found a superb anchorage with 360-degree protection, deep water and a very small (absolutely no amenities) settlement populated mostly by lobstermen & families. We grabbed a green Mooring Ball (with a float AND coke bottle attached in which we placed $25 for the mooring fee) and enjoyed what is perhaps the quaintest location of our Maine cruise to date. Bonnie: The entrance to the harbor had a lighthouse, which was to be a walking destination once ashore. Before we left, mooring neighbors came by in their dinghy to let us know at 4 PM there was to be a Celtic Concert at the Lighthouse – a fundraiser to support the now community owned Lighthouse. Tied up at a Lobster house dinghy dock and enjoyed a lovely walk along a pine-covered ridge overlooking the rocky coast. The concert was attended by +100 people and 3 dogs (Jada included)! It was excellent, included bagpipes and a lovely ending to a beautiful Maine day.

Burnt Coat Harbor, Swan's Island

Burnt Coat Lighthouse

Solitary Piper

Accessibility at its best!

Beautiful place to remember loved ones

Lobster Float Graveyard--could I have taken a moment?

Our $25 mooring payment

08/25: Began yet another day of clear skies, warm sun, light SW breeze at 0915 after a dog walk (by dinghy to shore). Three hours later and after 23 miles of stunning scenery and thousands of Lobster Traps we arrived in Bucks Harbor off of the Eggemogen Reach where we filled the fuel tank and grabbed a mooring ball in a most perfectly sheltered harbor. The harbor is in a circular shaped cove about a mile in circumference. At the wide mouth of the cove there is an island that blocks wind & wave from the south. The other three sides provide 100% (360 degree) shelter. As early as the mid 1800’s it was formally listed on charts as a “hurricane hole”. Bonnie: What a delightfully beautiful day AND harbor! The marina staff were more than helpful and friendly—bringing Jada treats as we lurked at the dock answering many questions re: what a boat from Michigan was doing in Maine! Bill’s standard reply is he missed the turn at NYC and went right instead. We got settled in on the mooring ball and dinghied in to visit the local market and sample gourmet sandwiches from the highly recommended and anticipated Bucks Harbor Market Restaurant—that just happened to be closed for dinner on Mondays. L. Walked down to the BH Yacht Club—built in 1912 and has the pennant from the first privately owned yacht to pass through the Panama Canal and the Cape Cod Canal. Accepted the invitation to sit and rock in the rockers on the porch and enjoy the harbor view and club members. Oh my goodness--almost forgot: I saw a Harbor Seal approaching Bucks Harbor--resurfaced twice but NO camera!!

The HOBBITSHIP, aptly named 26ft sloop

THE Pennant over fireplace

Summer cottage

Like this Trawler

Lobsterwoman!!

Modern Castle

USCG Buoy Tender

08/26: We awoke to yet another atypical Maine day, clear, cool and light winds. Spent a leisurely AM on the mooring, taking advantage of (for a change) good wireless connectivity from Marina despite no phone. Apparently ATT L has monopoly of service in this area of Maine. Around 1030 went into fuel dock, filled the ice chests, walked Jada & pumped out the holding tank, Got underway at 1125 with 2’ seas on the nose, a slight swell and brilliant day for a 3 hour, 17 mile cruise to Pulpit Harbor on the north coast of Northhaven Island. Were on a mooring ball by 1345 and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on board before taking Jada for her evening visit to shore. Bonnie: This harbor has been recommended by many as one of the loveliest and it is another one! There was no marina but had read there were mooring balls for rent. And there are always the private mooring balls everyone says to moor to and just move if the owner shows up! We haven’t become comfortable with that concept yet. While cruising by a moored sloop, we were instructed to grab a mooring with an orange float; well that was easy! North Haven is an Island of summer homes and a few hardy year-rounders. As you enter the Harbor, you pass Pulpit Rock, which is topped, by a huge Osprey nest. This nest has been written about for +100 years!!

Pulpit Rock

+100 year old Osprey nest

Welcoming Committee

Sunset over Camden Hills

8/27: Left Pulpit Harbor at 0900 on the way to Bucksport ME on the Penobscot River (about half way between the open Atlantic and Bangor) to visit yet another set of Army buddies of long standing – Alvion & Cindy Kimball. Again we were blessed with beautiful weather (not at all what we expected of Maine weather that we had read about) with 2-3’ waves from astern-a sleigh ride. We made an intermediate stop in the town of Castine, the earliest settlement (early 1600’s) in Maine. Arrived at 1100 at the Town Docks (free tie up for 2 hours) and enjoyed a two-hour documented walking tour of the town, also the home of the Maine Maritime Academy. Off two hours later arriving in slip at Bucksport Marina at 1500. A total of 33 miles and 4 hours under way. Bonnie: Castine is a quaint village with a few shops and restaurants AND a very bloody history! It has been occupied by Native Americans, the Dutch, the French, the British and, of course, Americans. The changing of countries did not occur peacefully or just one time. For such a peaceful village it has quite a bloody history. One crushing defeat was in 1779 when the 4 American Commanders were feuding among themselves. A British Frigate slipped in and sank all American vessels and the survivors had to walk back to Boston. Paul Revere was one of the Commanders and subsequently Court Marshaled….and pardoned. Many of the Loyalist’s homes were moved up the coast into Canada! Bucksport is off the beaten track for Maine cruisers but for us was a delightful surprise. Al and Cindy “retired” to nearby Orland ME in 2001 to locate, buy and run a BnB. The Orland House has been a smashing success (per Trip Advisor reviews)! Al was stationed with us at Ft Sheridan in 1970 and also at Ft Harrison in the 1990’s. Cindy had given presentations for the Spousal Leadership Seminars I coordinated when we were stationed there. We had Docktails aboard and then went to MacLeod’s Restaurant for dinner---I enjoyed a delicious Haddock baked in an herbed cream sauce.

Sea roses

Inn at Castine

Hmmm, a new name for our trawler? Was on entry steps to small cottage

B and B

State of Maine training ship

Maine Meritime Academy

Catholic Chapel 1600's, French Settlers

Sandy Point Light

Penobscot Narrows Bridge, Bucksport

8/28: Lay Day: Enjoyed a lovely walk along Bucksport’s Town walkway along the shore-@ 1 mile long with historical plaques along the way detailing the local history. One can continue up the Penobscot River all the way to Bangor. Across the water is an Island where Robert Perry had his ship constructed that took him on his explorations to the North Pole. Al picked us up for our day’s touring. We began by crossing the beautiful Penobscot Narrows Bridge and ascended its Observation Tower by a 50 second elevator up 427 feet. We enjoyed 360-degree view of the area, including seeing Cadillac Mountain. It is the highest observation Tower of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Next was a visit to Ft Knox – a VERY impressive casement fort. It was built following the War of 1812 (which also saw disastrous defeats by the British in Castine) to protect the waters leading to Bangor and the thriving lumber industry. The Fort never saw any battles but was the mustering location for the 20^th Maine in the Civil War. We picked up Lobster Rolls (delicious) and met Cindy back at the Orland House for a lovely garden lunch. Both Cindy and Al are Master Gardeners. Next was a drive to view the 2014 Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium in Prospect Harbor. The Symposium is a biennial sculpture event that has resulted in 27 granite sculptures being placed in towns and villages in Down East Maine. This year there are 7 sculptures being created for 7 more towns – Bucksport is one. It was wonderful and fascinating to watch these artisans, in 6 weeks, turn a huge block of granite into beautiful works of art. This year’s artists are from the US, South Korea, Republic of Georgia and Switzerland. On the return to Bucksport we enjoyed Ice Cream—seems to be a daily ritual of Al’s..and whoever is along! Because their “thingy” to their gas grill wasn’t working we returned to the Elissa II and enjoyed steaks grilled ashore and fresh corn on the cob. See what local knowledge can provide in small US towns and villages! What a great day.

Ft Knox

Bridge Observation Tower-427 ft

Cadillac Mountain-on a clear day one can see forever!

Ft Knox and Bucksport

Al and Bonnie

From This

To this

To this (small scale model)

Cindy and the Sculpter

Penobscot Narrows Bridge at night

8/29: Still another beautiful day (according to locals, atypical weather for late summer Down East) with a leisurely morning before a short run to Harbor at Belfast ME. Got under way at 1030 and 2 hours and 15 miles later we tied up at the Town Dock in Searsport Maine to visit the Penobscot Maritime Museum. We were met by the Harbormaster (Wayne Hamilton) who mentioned that he was also President of the Museum Board of Directors. Later I paid closer attention to his business card and discovered that he was also the owner of Hamilton Marine, a nationally prominent vendor (of Marine products, with retail outlets in a number of New England towns as well as a very comprehensive on-line catalog). I imagine that many of our fellow Loopers have used the catalog to obtain needed parts, as have we. We left Searsport at 1530 and were on our mooring ball in Belfast 6 miles and 45 minutes later. Bonnie: The Vreelands had recommended “swinging by Searsport” for the Museum and then onto Belfast. So glad we did. The Museum is a 4 block area of restored homes: one is furnished as in the 1800’s, another exhibits lighthouses and shipwrecks, another seafaring history thru various art mediums, paintings, scrimshaw, etc. One building housed a great children’s hands on experience with a 1800’s kitchen, toys, garden, store, sea faring tasks, etc. Wished Meridian had been with us! Wanted to linger! Belfast was “just around the corner” and a cute little town with its history told by the “Museum in the Streets” – large plaques scattered around town. Also, Cincinnati has its Pigs, Indianapolis has its Indy Race Cars, Orillia ONT has its guitars and Belfast has its Seats. Throughout the town, there are a variety of seating choices created by area artisans. After all of Melissa’s FB postings re: Green Curry, we enjoyed a Vegetable Green Curry for dinner—pretty good but still need to go to Thailand!