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It’s Thursday morning here in CT and it’s cloudy, again.  After a winter of SUN in the Bahamas, I am amazed with how cloudy it’s been here in the last few weeks. We have been trying to find a few days to head north to Vermont to celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary (Yes, I know, we look like two kids just playing house.   37 years?  I wish we looked more the part too.)   Anyway, the weather has been cloudy more often than not.  We’ll give it another try early next week.  Who wants to head out on a “mini-vacation” for a few days in the rain?  Not I, no make that Not We.  Well, wish us good luck and a few sunny days.

However, June is nearly half over and I am NOWHERE toward getting Pandora in shape to do a bit of cruising this summer.  As I have moaned about to anyone who would listen over the last year or so, I have been frustrated by an ongoing vibration problem in the running gear on Pandora.  It seems that we have vibration that comes and goes and I am about out of ideas as to how to  correct the problem.  

Last summer I sent out the Max Prop for rebuild, it’s second visit to the manufacturer, because of vibration problems.  Unfortunately, this did not solve the problem and after getting the engine aligned and having the prop shaft tweaked a bit, the problem just won’t go away.  No, make that, the problem won’t stop and sometimes happens and as quickly goes away as the vibration is intermittent.  In any event, I decided “enough is enough” and ordered another type of propeller, this time an Autoprop.

First, here’s a video of the Max Prop (the one that has been giving me fits), an elegant piece of machinery if there ever was one.  Don’t worry, the video is only about 30 seconds.  However, be warned that the “speaker” isn’t going to get an Oscar for his delivery.  In concept, this prop is a wonderful piece of equipment.  However, it needs a fair amount of ongoing maintenance as it has to be filled with grease three or four times a year.  And, unless you are an occasional cruiser that hauls their boat at least once a year and doesn’t put many miles on it,  this means swimming down under the boat with a grease gun to get the job done.  And, if all was well and the prop ran smoothly, I’d be ok with that. However, after years of frustration, Max is Min for me so it’s time for a change.

So, what to do? A number of fellow SAGA 43 owners have spoken highly of the Autoprop and after fussing with my current prop for several years, I have ordered one of these.  The reason I waited as long as I did is that these puppies are pretty pricey and spending that amount of money for something that I can’t even see has kept me focused on trying to make my Max right.  However, after a winter of nursing it some 4,000 miles I decided “enough already, it’s time to make a change”.  Just for fun, here’s a video of how the Autoprop works. It’s a very odd looking beast.

I can’t imagine how someone came up with this concept. Oddly, it’s actually “self pitching”, meaning that it adjusts to the right pitch to get the maximum power out of your engine, depending on sea conditions.   How does it know?  I guess it’s sort of like a thermos keeping things hot or cold.  It just knows. Hmm…
I sure do hope that the effort, and cost, of pulling Pandora out of the water to make the switch proves to be a good decision. For sure, it’s an expensive one. Fingers crossed that I am not just swapping one set of problems for another.

Ok, enough about “what doesn’t work”.  How about I talk about where I want to be? Yes, that’s good.

How about Camden Maine? Yes, that’s a good spot.

Camden Maine is located in the heart of what is referred to as “Mid Coast Maine”, on the western shore of Penobscot Bay.  This body of water is one of the nicest cruising areas in Maine and a great jumping off point to explore other ports, all within an easy day sail.

Whenever we head to Maine our visits always include a stop in Camden where we enjoy taking a “harbor float” within the “inner harbor”.  The main harbor is very nice but it’s somewhat exposed to the prevailing SW winds so any boat in the harbor is subjected to what is known locally as the “Camden Roll”.  Unfortunately, there is nearly always a bit of swell finding it’s way into the harbor so enjoying a quiet evening aboard isn’t always as quiet as it should be.  Fortunately, there’s a way to avoid that and that’s to tie up to one of the small floats in the tiny inner harbor.

We generally take one of these floats from the Camden Yacht Club as they charge a bit less than the commercial yard that owns the bulk of the floats, Wayfarer Marine.   Both operations are very friendly and when all of the CYC floats are in use, we just go with one from Wayfarer.   One way or the other, being in the tiny inner harbor is a great spot.  Actually, it looks bigger from up high than it seems when you are there.

As you can see, the harbor is filled with small docks all moored in a line. It’s a great way to pack a lot of boats into a small harbor and very orderly.  Here’s a view of the harbor from high up on the nearby Camden Hills.   You owe it to yourself to take the hike up to the summit to see this view for yourself.  As if the view from the top isn’t enough?  The view from Pandora, just as nice. What a spot. Just to our stern in the shot above is a dock used by some of the local schooners who take folks out for a week of sailing.  Going out on a “dude schooner” would be a real treat?  Want to learn more?  Visit the schooner association website.  These majestic beauties are one of the real treats of a visit to Maine and Camden. To see these boats sail into a harbor at the end of the day is breathtaking. And they have to sail as they have no motors.  It’s a good thing that the captain and crew are well seasoned on sailing in close quarters.  Pretty impressive boat handling.  Me, I prefer to anchor under power.  Ok, call me a wimp, I can take it.   “Bob, you’re a wimp”.   See, I didn’t even flinch.  Well, only a little.   And if you are one of the 1% you might want to have one of these.  Not into varnish and old wood?  Perhaps this beauty is more your style.  And yes, 1% club member, for sure.However, if you are carry a AMEX Black card and are a member of the .0001% club you can have a boat like Bystander.   Bystander was built in 2007 and was designed to look like a classic steamship from the 30s. This article will give you a feel for what she’s like.  Now, that’s real money.This spectacular ship is privately owned and acts as a “tender” to a magnificent classic “J” yacht Velsheda, once a contender for the America’s Cup trophy.   This classic sailing yacht has been “rescued” several times from near death to be rebuilt. She has an interesting history chronicled here.   She is now in fit condition, probably better than new, a perfect example of what an open, and unlimited, checkbook can accomplish.  To own a classic “J” is not for just anyone.  However, he’s not alone as there’s a “bakers dozen” of these beauties around now, more than were sailing in their heyday.  Check out the “club site” for an overview of all of the current Js.  Talk about an exclusive group.

It’s amazing that one person can own a classic J along with a remarkable power yacht like Bystander.

Well, these are just a few examples of what you can find in Camden.  Even if your bank account isn’t up to owing a multi-million dollar yacht, you can always go ashore and drown your sorrows in a bowl of ice cream.  Yes, that works for me. Besides, what visit to this lovely town would be complete without a stroll down the main street, another reason that Camden is indeed one of Pandora’s favorites. Warm summer days, cool nights, beautiful views, a chance to watch the folks with “giga-money” having fun and ice cream.  What’s not to like?

Perhaps if I finish this post I can get dressed and get to work on Pandora so we can go sailing again.  Now that’s a plan.

Oh yeah.  Thanks for listening to my whining.  I feel better now too.

It’s Friday morning and I am feeling a bit guilty for not posting for nearly two weeks.  My goal, when we are “on the hard” is to post at least once a week.

However, I do find inspiration somewhat difficult when I am not out on the water. Well, I’d better get over it as shoreside is where I’ll be for a bit.   The good news is that later this month Pandora will be in New Bedford to celebrate the arrival of the Charles W. Morgan, the whaleship from Mystic Seaport.  New Bedford was the Morgan’s home port when she was an active whaler and this return visit will be her first since the 1940s.  After millions spent on her restoration over the last few years, this visit to New Bedford, for the Morgan is a big deal.  I’ll certainly be writing about this later in the month.  Stay tuned for that.

However, right now, Pandora is sitting patiently in her slip in Deep River with sails off and out for repair.  Speaking of self inflicted damage, Yes, an awkward segue, I know, I was shocked and more than a bit embarrassed to discover that I had furled the genoa on backwards, at least a year ago.  What I mean is that the sun cover, designed to protect the sail cloth from UV damage, was furled on the inside of the sail instead of being on the outside.  As a result, some damage was done to the leech of the sail.  It’s being repaired but I feel like a jerk making that mistake. Oops.   Well, the sails will be back in good shape soon.  All it takes is $$ to make things right.  Oh well….

However, enough fretting over this round of “Boat Dollars”.  For the uninitiated, a boat dollar is one thousand times more than a “normal” dollar.  Talk about inflation.  It seems that any visit to a sailmaker always leads to spending at least one boat dollar.  How is that?  Don’t know.  I guess that it just is…

How about something about moving around, no make that cruising on boats. Yes, that’s much better.

As I mentioned in my last post, I will be writing a series of “favorite places” over the next few months.  Hopefully, I will be visiting some of them again soon but for now I’ll just write about these great spots.  I’ll also be referencing past posts that I have written about those places in past visits.  I have also added a new “button” on the home page called, amazingly enough, “Favorite Places”.   Very creative, right?  

In my last post, “Yes, Bob, I guess you mean the one you wrote almost TWO WEEKS AGO”, (yes, that’s the one) I wrote about Booth Bay Harbor a wonderful place to begin a cruise in Maine. 

From there we normally head east along the coast to Muscongus Bay, an easy day sail with the prevailing SW winds, to Allen Island, summer home of the late Andrew Wyeth.  

Along the way to Allen Island, if you are heading east from Boothbay area, there is a great spot, Little Egg Island, that boasts a colony of puffins.  These little birds bomb along from the island to sea like little bullets. It’s fun to watch them.  This “puffin cam” is not actually on that island but it’s pretty cool.  It takes a bit of time to load so be patient.

On our last visit to Allen Island we spied his wife Betsy sitting on a bench outside of her home on the island.   I wrote about this in a post in 2011, photos and all.  Of course, Brenda enjoyed “knitting with Betsy” even if Betsy didn’t know Brenda was “with” her.   Well, we won’t be too picky on that point, will we?

The island is absolutely beautiful and is reminiscent of a Wyeth painting.  The island is a perfect example of what can happen when you combine wealth with good taste, in this case, an “artists touch”.  Of the many buildings that make up the Wyeth “compound”, this is one of our favorite. And no, the cross isn’t a family marker, it commemorates the visit of George Weymouth on the ship Archangel, explorer who visited the island in 1605. Interestingly, Weymouth kidnapped a number of local “savages” and brought them back to show off “at court” in England.  As you can imagine, they caused quite a stir with King George’s and his cronies.  Here’s a link to an interesting article about Weymouth’s visit, “savages” and all.

The Wyeth compound is actually made up of two islands, Allen and Benner.  There is no landing on the island without the permission of the owners.  Sheltered between these two islands is a lovely little harbor where the Wyeth family maintains moorings that visiting boats are welcome to tie up to for the night.  It’s a very nice service.

On the chart the harbor looks a bit daunting but getting in from either the north or south is easy.   Just be aware of the granite ledge to port as you enter from the south.  However, it’s well charted and is easy to see.  The harbor is protected from all directions and is very scenic.   Some of the local lobstermen store gear and their pots on the Wyeth docks.  I am sure that they keep the family in “bugs”, that’s Maine lobsterman talk for lobsters,  all summer long.

About three miles north, further up the bay, is a great spot to visit, Port Clyde. From there you can take a ferry out to Monhegan Island a lovely island known for their local artist community.  We have not visited Monhegan ourselves but hope to at some point.  Perhaps the biggest draw for me would be to take the mailboat, a wonderful old wooden beauty that runs from Pt Clyde to Monhegan island on a regular schedule.  While you are in Pt Clyde, you might want to have lunch at the general store.  It has a fabulous view of the harbor and the food is good too.  The store has a fairly good selection of groceries.  Not far from Allen, is Hog Island, home of an Audubon camp.  Actually, when we were last there in 2011 the camp wasn’t operating but we were free to explore the island.  It seems that the camp is back in business, at least according to their website.   They also have an “osprey cam”.  It takes a bit of time to load but it’s very cool.  If you’re viewing this post at night, well, come back when it’s light.  I understand that these guys travel south in the winter.  We saw some in the Bahamas this winter.  I wonder if it was the same ones?  Hmm…

The camp maintains (a relative term) several moorings for boaters to use.  We have picked up them in settled weather with good results.  These moorings are in such a picturesque spot we have used photo on our boat “calling cards” taken here for several years now.   Darn but I can’t find that photo.  Oh well.  Trust me, it’s a nice spot.

A nice day trip is to run from Allen Island north to Pt Clyde and then head up through Friendship and west to Hog Island.  It’s an easy run and will take you though some of the most scenic areas in Maine.

Well, writing about these great spots is making me want to jump aboard Pandora and head to Maine.  However, in spite of my recent ramblings about going there, our plans have changed, again.

Actually, I can’t stand the idea of missing out on a warm winter.   The idea of a New England winter with the cold that comes with that, is a bit of a non-starter for me.

This means that we have scrubbed our Maine for this year and I will again run Pandora south for the winter.  I don’t know if we will visit the Bahamas again or if we might try the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas.  That might be fun. Perhaps we can get down there early enough to visit Key West for New Years.  I am told that they have a “red shoe”, complete with a resident “drag queen” named Sushi, that drops to the street at the stroke of Midnight.  The gay community has a big presence in Key West and, based on this video, they are a group that really knows how to throw a party.  Would be a hoot, that’s for sure.Yes, a bit different than the ball in NYC but hey, it’s warm.  NYC at 10 degrees or Key West at 80?  Hmm…One way or the other, perhaps the best thing about Pandora is that we can take her anywhere we want.   For now it’s fun to think about what’s possible and it’s more than possible that we will head south for the winter, details to come.

Well, there you have it…   A single post that includes sail repair, puffins, ospreys, a classic wooden mail boat and a drag queen video.  How’s that for variety?  Some might say random is a better description.

More to the point, I have work to do on Pandora and the sun is out.  That’s all for now.

It’s Sunday morning on Memorial Day weekend.  Actually, I can’t believe that I am on dry land on a MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, and don’t really mind.  Well, I don’t mind too much.  Old habits die hard, though.

For the 30+ years that we owned boats prior to my retiring, Memorial Day weekend was the official beginning of summer here in New England and it was took a “cold day in hell” to keep us at the dock or on the mooring, as it were, on this, the first long weekend of summer.

Actually prior to my “new life” of semi-leisure (I did cut the grass yesterday, and trim the roses and the cherry tree…), I can only recall a single memorial day weekend that we weren’t able to head out onto the water and that was years ago and a result of insurmountable mechanical “issues”.  No, I can’t recall the year and the exact problem, however.  And that is just as well as it was no doubt so traumatic that I repressed the memory.  To miss a long weekend…

However, it’s sufficient to say that it was a BIG DEAL.  Yes, there were rainy Memorial Day weekends but that generally wasn’t enough of a deterrent to keep us from heading out.  Sorry Brenda…   Well, now times are different.  At the very least, I just returned from several months in the Bahamas, but that’s another story and one that I have prattled on endlessly about in this blog.

So, what’s to talk about?   Maine!  Yes, Maine, where we will likely be heading later in the summer, after I complete my list of upgrades and repairs on Pandora.  However, it’s a holiday weekend and I don’t want to talk about things I have to do to get Pandora “ready” just now.

So, I’d prefer to talk about one of  my favorite spots in Maine and they are really great spots.  We have cruised to Maine many times, about 15 actually, not to put too fine a point on it. However, the last time we’ve been there was back in 2011.  Wow, that seems like a lifetime ago, alas I digress.

So, what are my favorite places to visit in Maine?   Glad you asked…  For now, I am going to just focus on one.  I’ll cover others in future posts, pretty soon, actually.  

So, Booth Bay Harbor:  This is a wonderful spot to begin a cruise “down east” as it’s in the mid coast part of well, “mid-coast” Maine.   There are some fun events scheduled according to the local chamber of commerce including an antique Lyman boat parade and viewing on Sunday August 10th.  There’s also a town wide celebration on August 22nd through the 24th in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Boothbay.  Sounds like fun.

One of our favorite ways to visit Boothbay is to take a mooring right down town from the Tugboat Inn.  The moorings are very close to town, a few hundred feet actually, and are protected by a tiny and very picturesque island.  I love the home that’s perched on it.   Not a bad view to enjoy coffee with in the cool mornings. This harbor is well protected and has most everything you might need including a good grocery about a 15 minute walk outside of town.    Of course, there’s plenty of “T shirt” shops but I wouldn’t hold that against them if I were you.

There are plenty of places to eat in town.  Two of our favorite are The Boat House Bistro.  We enjoy the third floor open air area with it’s great view of the harbor. We also enjoy a special meal at The Thistle Inn, just outside of town.   It has a very historic feel and the food is quite good. 

Of course, there’s lots more to do in Booth Bay Harbor but a simple Google search will give you more than I can in a single post.  For now, it’s sufficient to say that it’s a great place to visit.

However, one problem with this spot is that it’s a hard place to swap crew as there isn’t a car rental spot very close.   However, if you aren’t swapping crew.  Not a problem.  When I have to take on or relieve crew, my choice hands down, is Rockland.  Stay tuned for a post on that.

This is in no way a complete overview of Boothbay harbor but it will have to be enough for now as I have to get on with my day.  It is, after all, Memorial Day weekend.

That’s all for now.

It’s Friday morning and it’s been a week since I returned home from the Bahamas.  Aside from cutting the lawn, planting gardens, setting mouse traps (a few moved in while we were away).  And, if you’re wondering, one down…

Anyway, in spite of a long “honey-do” list, I can’t help thinking about “what’s next” for us and Pandora.

As I have mentioned many times, being home during New England winters doesn’t hold a lot of attraction to me so one given for the 2014-15 winter is that we will be somewhere WARM.  Beyond that, nothing is certain.

One thing I am sure about is that I’d love to visit Maine again as it’s been several years since our last visit, 2011 actually, not to put too fine a point on it.

For many years, about 15 actually, we did visit Maine each summer and loved it. While I really enjoy the Bahamas, I might have to say that in a “shoot-out” I’d likely choose Maine.   I am in now way saying that I don’t like the Bahamas but Maine is just so magnificent.

No, you can’t swim in Maine unless you have the fortitude of a polar bear, but it’s just so, well, green.   There is nothing that compares with the water of the Bahamas but once you step ashore it’s pretty arid and I did miss the lovely shades of green that we have in the northeast.

So, what next?

One option we are thinking about is to make a run north to Maine this summer for perhaps a month and then we’d put Pandora up for the winter and fly somewhere.  As Brenda and I are splitting our time ashore and afloat, the options are winters afloat or summers afloat, with the balance of our time spent here on land.

However, it’s a tough call as the Bahamas are so beautiful… Although not too many places to eat out there and those nasty cold fronts that I wrote so much about last winter.

Maine, beautiful scenery, great spots to eat out.  But…the water is SO COLD.   No swimming in Maine.

Decisions, decisions…

So, the blue waters and secluded beaches of the Bahamas…Water so clear…. Yes, really clear.  Perfect scenery in Maine.   Camden, one of our favorite spots.  How’s this for a great view from the cockpit.  And a view from the Camden Hills of the harbor.  Pandora’s there in this shot.  She’s the white one.  Well, she’s there, trust me.  Besides, perhaps we’ll see Tenacious, owned by Dr. Bosarge, the guy who’s island, Over Yonder Cay, we visited in the Bahamas this winter.   I have written about this fabulous spot several times.  Most recently, following our visit in April of this year.  And last June when I found out about this wonderful island and its owner, Dr. Bosarge. 

While I didn’t know that we’d be visiting Dr. Bosarge’s spot in the Bahamas when I took this shot of Tenacious back in 2011 in Booth Bay Harbor Maine,  I just liked the boat, or should I say “yacht”.   Of course, the definition of a yacht is a boat used for pleasure that is bigger than yours.  Well, Tenacious, at 115′ certainly qualifies.  Besides, I was particularly struck by the cannons on board.   Now I know a bit about Dr. Bosarge and his love of antique weapons.  Cannons,  better than “blowing the conch” at sunset, at least in Maine. Who knows, perhaps he’ll be there again.  Maine it is… for sure, perhaps.  Well, we’ll see…

Of course, what does Brenda think.   Time will tell.

It’s Saturday morning and Pandora will soon be on the hard again for some upgrades and repairs.  It seems like the process of keeping a boat “ship shape” is a never ending process.

Returning to the Essex Yacht Club a few days ago was fun and exciting as it closes a loop that began for me way back in September when I headed out for Annapolis.   Brenda was there to greet me as she had flown home from Nassau last week.

Approaching the dock.Back on dry land.  The run north from Nassau was uneventful if a bit light on the wind.  We had pretty good wind from Nassau to Cape Hatteras but from that point on, not enough. I had decided to head through NYC, as opposed to heading around Montauk,with the belief that we would have a better angle to the expected wind.  However, the winds were lighter than I had anticipated so that didn’t really help.  Actually, we motored most of the way from Hatteras to Essex and I ended up motoring into a pretty good easterly wind down Long Island Sound.  Perhaps it might have been better to go the other way past Montauk.  Alas, enough of that as I covered the trip in nauseating detail in posts last week.   

In any event, I am back and Pandora is about ready to be “decommissioned” for a bit after being underway for nearly a year.  It’s funny how “gremlins” take over on a boat as the months roll by.  In Pandora’s case, some of these issues cropped up and then mysteriously, resolved themselves.  Unfortunately, more often than not, most “issues” do not go away on their own.  Wishful thinking.

One thing that I was not counting on for this spring is hauling Pandora out of the water so soon.   As I have mentioned in past posts, perhaps in excessive detail, are the “issues” associated with my MaxProp and vibration in the drive train under power.  After sending the prop back for a rebuild last summer, I STILL have problems and am at a bit of a loss as to what do to.  Fortunately, the folks at MaxProp seem open to working with me but at this time I am inclined to just get a new prop and get rid of the old one that has caused so much annoyance.   The cost of a new prop is just part of the answer as the cost of putting Pandora on the hard is a significant expense as well.  Hope that gets resolved, once and for all.  

Even though Pandora will be out of commission or a while, I will continue to post regularly.  What I’ll write about is a mystery for me but I expect that I will be inspired as I go along.  I hope that you will be too and continue to come along with me over the coming months.

So, with just a few days at home since arriving here earlier in the week, I am already thinking about next winter and where Pandora will take us.  There are a number of options but for now I’ll leave that topic for a future post.

Today my son Christopher and his girlfriend Mercedes will join me aboard Pandora for the short run up the river from the Essex Yacht Club to a marina in Deep River where Pandora will sit while work is done on her.    It’s funny, as others are scrambling to put their boats in the water for Memorial Day weekend, Pandora’s about to take a rest ashore.

Speaking of resting, I have to say that after a week of disrupted sleep aboard Pandora as we made our way up from the Bahamas,  I am finding myself a bit “boat lagged”, if  such a condition is possible.   One way or the other, it seems that I have been working hard to catch up on the lost sleep over the last week.   Perhaps voyaging on small boats should carry warning.   “Do not operate heavy equipment while using this product.”   No wait, Pandora is a piece of heavy equipment.  Hmm…

Perhaps it’s not the lost sleep at all but more a issue of being on dry land with so many more chores to do that has me dragging.  It’s harder being on dry land. Aboard Pandora it seems that not much takes place before noon.  I am afraid that shoreside living is much more like work.

Work!!!  Work, now that’s a scary concept.    I am so glad I don’t have that to contend with.   

On dry land….  All is not lost as we live close to the water so “aquatics” will never be far from us.  I look forward to enjoying lovely views along the CT River over the next few months.  It’s great to be home, indeed.