A Sailing Boat Gathers No Moss

Readers will remember that we started our trip close to 35 degrees South; Jason suggested that we challenge ourselves by sailing towards 44 degrees North.   No need to open your atlas, 44 North is Portland, Maine.  The plan became more concrete when we signed up for a Backroads bike trip which began in Portland and went on to Mount Desert Island and Casco Bay.

CAPE COD CANAL

But to get to our bike trip on time, we still had a few miles to sail. Our next leg of 66 nm from Pocasset  to Beverley (Massachusetts) began with a transit of the Cape Cod Canal. Unfortunately, I can’t contribute any tips on the transit because after helping Jason spot the entry buoys, I went to sleep. In my defense, we had woken up before sunrise so as to catch the Easterly flood from Buzzards Bay to Cape Cod Bay.

[Jason’s canal tips:  1) Go with the tide, 2) Don’t go to close to shore or a fisherman’s casting will hook your boat, and, 3) Place a courtesy call to Canal Control to see if there are any large ships expected during your passage.  Also, ask if the railway bridge is raised – it is hard to see at night.   4) I would not transit for the first time at night but the second time is fine. ]

Eventually Jason woke me from my slumber and I was greeted by so little wind that I thought we were inside a bottle. Beverly was still 40 nautical miles away. During my watch, my two fears of New England sailing crept into my mind.  The probability of  wrapping a lobster pot’s warp (line) around hungry propellers is high while transiting the dense fields of buoys common on the coast.  I would have to get used to dodging pots we traveled north to Maine.

Like with many of my fears, Jason thought my second fear was unfounded, or at least, remote. However, 30 minutes after the Cape Cod canal my fear was realized.  We sighted a whale.   Whales do not have radar or AIS and might topple Two Fish on impact (or so I thought).  Soon after shouting “whale ho” we found out that whales are easy to avoid but whale watching boats are the true danger.  Right whales gracefully transited our course for the next few hours until the wind filled in for a nice sail.  Despite Jason being below decks, he sensed the early puffs of the breeze filling in and immediately came on deck to raise the main.

Safely tied up in Beverly, we headed out for dinner.  Our dock was filled with locals, and had not yet been invaded by tourists.  What it lacked in picket fence charm, it made up for in a proper New England attitude.  Locals, fishermen and two sailors filled a packed restaurant where quality food was being served at the right price.   Two seats at the bar gave us a great platform for people-watching.  The Red Sox are doing poorly, so conversation was about the upcoming football season and who was paying for the next round.   I thoroughly enjoyed the incredibly fresh fish and chips.  Throughout the summer we discovered some of the best food in unexpected places.

 

 

SALEM

Salem, across the harbor from Beverly, has some whaling era houses as well as the impressive Peabody Essex Museum, where we saw a Turner exhibit.  Turner inspired an industry of  dramatic nautical painters.  Later, I was a bit let down while visiting the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables house.  It looked nothing like the cover of my Penguin Edition.  Visiting Salem did provide a good excuse to read The Crucible.  If you are close to Salem, visit the sights, but this was not a must-do on our list of towns.
Before sailing out, we were really happy to be able to meet up with our friends, and past crew members, Erin, Chris, and Darren. We missed you, Salwa.

PORTSMOUTH NH / KITTERY ME

From Beverly to Portsmouth (N.H.) is  49 nm, and, for once, we didn’t have to leave at daybreak. On land, I always wake up earlier than Jason, but at sea the salt air shifts his internal clock and he thinks 4am is a natural time to start a sail.

Our intended destination was East Badger Marina.   I spoke with the dock master  several times to arrange and confirm our space (pink job on Two Fish).  Each time we spoke, he reminded me of the powerful current that passes through the Marina.  After his third warning, I researched his claims and discovered that the tidal current in the Piscataqua River is listed in NOAA’s top 50 in the US. Two Fish’s arrival was timed so that the current would be close to slack,  but we still encountered 1-2 knots while docking.  When a new boat arrives, the entire marina comes to catch their lines.   We had 15 eager helpers.  I am impressed by year round liveaboards in snow states.   I would not last a day.   The drop in temperature even in the summer was apparent after transitting the canal.   My frequent wearing of fleece hinted to Jason that we should not linger long in these northern latitudes.

current from Two Fish on Vimeo.

 

The current would show its true strength after dinner ashore.   When we returned to the boat, the current was so strong that Two Fish was being pushed away from the dock and we didn’t have the strength to sweat the lines in. A bit of quick thinking by Jason and an almost-athletic jump by me and we were able to get back on board using a line and our genoa winch. Portsmouth was one of our favorite stops – great town, great people at the small marina and a beached submarine which had been turned into a museum.  The museum submarine, the Albacore, was the first true submersible that could travel at speed.  The tape-recorded stories from those who had been stationed on her livened up the visit.  If you find yourself a bit optimistic on your fix-it abilities, you might enjoy this submariner’s story: Early Life on the Albacore
While we were there, a modern nuclear submarine was towed into the nearby military shipyard, complete with escorts to stop river traffic during transit.  Portsmouth’s main strip had many restaurants and very few curio shops.   We are disappointed when we visit towns full of antique shops, but lacking in restaurants because we have room in our bellies but no space for grandfather clocks.

Our selection of our next port of call is similar to deciding what to cook.   First, we peruse the cruising guides (cook books) for places that catch the crew’s interest.  However, the captain’s choices are bounded by travel distance and weather (what is in the fridge).  We enjoy a variety of types of stops.  Some with museums and restaurants and others with nothing but a nice view.   If we don’t like where we are, it is only a slip of the line or a weighing of anchor to be on our way.

PORTLAND

Onward another 47 nm to Portland, Maine, where later in the week we would join our group for the bike trip.  Jason is a fiendish fan of Maritime museums so we rented a car to visit the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath.   Jason gave it 5 stars. We listened to an excellent 90 minute lecture on the Schooners built in Bath for shipping coal.  The museum houses many old runabouts.   The most curious vessel was powered by boiling naphtha rather than steam.  The reason for using boiling naphtha was to circumvent rules that required all steam-powered vessels to have licensed pilots.   However, naphtha tended to catch fire and the trade-off seemed foolhardy.   Another study in government regulation.

The “sculpture” of the Schooner Wyoming really brought to life how amazing the shipyards were. The Kennebec River was a popular setting for shipyards because of the protected harbors, ample width, and gentle slope for launching the completed boats. In the museum exhibits, I tried the old version of a windlass, where I pushed on the large wooden handles.   I am happy our windlass only requires pushing a button.   We were also excited to see an exhibit about the trade  route from Argentina to Maine – the same course we had sailed.

 

We spent a few days securing the boat in South Portland and meeting friends before our bike trip. It was a bit hard for Jason since the 6 day trip would be the longest he would be away from Two Fish since her construction.

These photos of our trip should give you a good feel for how spectacular the coast of Maine is. On the food front, I ate lobster rolls or some variation on the theme every day, and marveled at how much New Englanders love their ice cream, despite the cold evenings. One of our highlights was meeting Blue Dawn again and sharing a wonderful dinner in Rockport. My sports accomplishment of the week was cycling to the top of Cadillac Mountain after months without real training.

Fortunately, we returned to a safe and sound Two Fish just in time to make sure that she was secure for the 30 knot breezes expected that evening. Being tied to a dock is a bit harder on the boat than floating freely, so we made sure lines were secure and fenders were in place.  We borrowed fenders from the marina so that the boat was cushioned by an odd collection of 10 fenders and balls.  We tied some of the fenders to the dock cleats to create a floating barrier, not just fenders hanging over the side.

During the height of the storm there were small breaking waves coming across the docks.   They washed the wooden inspection ports out of position and tossed lawn furniture on its side.  We walked the dock very cautiously and on the windward side.

Like all good sailing plans, ours changed.   Into the trash bin went Provincetown and the Hamptons and back to Rhode Island via an overnight sail began the new plan.  I was eager to get back into the Sound where evenings were not so cold. But before we left Maine, we drank the bottle of wine that we brought from the Yacht Club Argentino to celebrate making it from 35 South to 44 North.