{"id":3156,"date":"2014-06-06T14:13:21","date_gmt":"2014-06-06T14:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=3156"},"modified":"2014-06-06T14:25:09","modified_gmt":"2014-06-06T14:25:09","slug":"allen-island-summer-home-of-the-wyeth-clan-a-maine-favorite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=3156","title":{"rendered":"Allen Island, summer home of the Wyeth clan. A Maine Favorite."},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s Friday morning and I am feeling a bit guilty for not posting for nearly two weeks. \u00a0My goal, when we are “on the hard” is to post at least once a week.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0 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. \u00a0New Bedford was the Morgan’s home port when she was an active whaler and this return visit will be her first since the 1940s. \u00a0After millions spent on her restoration over the last few years, this visit to New Bedford, for the Morgan is a big deal. \u00a0I’ll certainly be writing about this later in the month. \u00a0Stay tuned for that.<\/p>\n

However, right now, Pandora is sitting patiently in her slip in Deep River with sails off and out for repair. \u00a0Speaking 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. \u00a0What 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. \u00a0As a result, some damage was done to the leech of the sail. \u00a0It’s being repaired but I feel like a jerk making that mistake. Oops. \u00a0 Well, the sails will be back in good shape soon. \u00a0All it takes is $$ to make things right. \u00a0Oh well….<\/p>\n

However, enough fretting over this round of “Boat Dollars”. \u00a0For the un<\/span>initiated, a boat dollar is\u00a0one thousand times more than a “normal” dollar. \u00a0Talk about inflation. \u00a0It seems that any visit to a sailmaker always leads to spending at least one boat dollar. \u00a0How is that? \u00a0Don’t know. \u00a0I guess that it just is…<\/span><\/p>\n

How about something about moving around, no make that cruising on boats. Yes, that’s much better. <\/span><\/p>\n

As I mentioned in my last post, I will be writing a series of “favorite places” over the next few months. \u00a0Hopefully, I will be visiting some of them again soon but for now I’ll just write about these great spots. \u00a0I’ll also be referencing past posts that I have written about those places in past visits. \u00a0I have also added a new “button” on the home page called, amazingly enough, “Favorite Places”. \u00a0 Very creative, right? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From there we normally head east along the coast to Muscongus Bay, an easy day sail with the prevailing SW winds, to\u00a0<\/span>Allen Island, summer home of the late Andrew Wyeth. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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. \u00a0These little birds bomb along from the island to sea like little bullets. It’s fun to watch them. \u00a0This “puffin cam<\/a>” is not actually on that island but it’s pretty cool. \u00a0It takes a bit of time to load so be patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

On our last visit to Allen Island we spied his wife Betsy sitting on a bench outside of her home on the island. \u00a0 I wrote about this in a post\u00a0in 2011<\/a>, photos and all. \u00a0Of course, Brenda enjoyed “knitting with Betsy” even if Betsy didn’t know Brenda was “with” her. \u00a0 Well, we won’t be too picky on that point, will we?<\/span><\/p>\n

The island is absolutely beautiful and is reminiscent of a Wyeth painting. \u00a0The island is a perfect example of what can happen when you combine wealth with good taste, in this case, an “artists touch”. \u00a0Of the many buildings that make up the Wyeth “compound”, this is one of our favorite. \"\"<\/a>And no, the cross isn’t a family marker, it commemorates the visit of\u00a0George Weymouth<\/a>\u00a0on 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. \u00a0As you can imagine, they caused quite a stir with King George’s and his cronies. \u00a0Here’s a link to an interesting article about Weymouth’s visit<\/a>, “savages” and all.<\/p>\n

The Wyeth compound is actually made up of two islands, Allen and Benner. \u00a0There is no landing on the island without the permission of the owners. \u00a0Sheltered 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. \u00a0It’s a very nice service.<\/p>\n

On the chart the harbor looks a bit daunting but getting in from either the north or south is easy. \u00a0 Just be aware of the granite ledge to port as you enter from the south. \u00a0However, it’s well charted and is easy to see. \u00a0The harbor is protected from all directions and is very scenic. \u00a0 Some of the local lobstermen store gear and their pots on the Wyeth docks. \u00a0\"\"<\/a>I am sure that they keep the family in “bugs”, that’s Maine lobsterman talk for lobsters, \u00a0all summer long.<\/p>\n

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>\u00a0a lovely island known for their local artist community.\u00a0 We have not visited Monhegan ourselves but hope to at some point. \u00a0Perhaps the biggest draw for me would be to take the mailboat<\/a>, a wonderful old wooden beauty that runs from Pt Clyde to Monhegan island on a regular schedule. \u00a0\"\"<\/a>While you are in Pt Clyde, you might want to have lunch at the general store. \u00a0It has a fabulous view of the harbor and the food is good too. \u00a0The store has a fairly good selection of groceries. \u00a0\"\"<\/a>Not far from Allen, is Hog Island, home of an Audubon camp<\/a>. \u00a0Actually, when we were last there in 2011 the camp wasn’t operating but we were free to explore the island. \u00a0It seems that the camp is back in business, at least according to\u00a0<\/span>their website.<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0They also have an\u00a0<\/span>“osprey cam”<\/a>. \u00a0It takes a bit of time to load but it’s very cool. \u00a0If you’re viewing this post at night, well, come back when it’s light. \u00a0I understand that these guys travel south in the winter. \u00a0We saw some in the Bahamas this winter. \u00a0I wonder if it was the same ones? \u00a0Hmm…<\/span><\/p>\n

The camp maintains (a relative term) several moorings for boaters to use. \u00a0We have picked up them in settled weather with good results. \u00a0These moorings are in such a picturesque spot we have used photo on our boat “calling cards” taken here for several years now. \u00a0 Darn but I can’t find that photo. \u00a0Oh well. \u00a0Trust me, it’s a nice spot.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0It’s an easy run and will take you though some of the most scenic areas in Maine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, writing about these great spots is making me want to jump aboard Pandora and head to Maine. \u00a0However, in spite of my recent ramblings about going there, our plans have changed, again.<\/p>\n

Actually, I can’t stand the idea of missing out on a warm winter. \u00a0 The idea of a New England winter with the cold that comes with that, is a bit of a non-starter for me.<\/p>\n

This means that we have scrubbed our Maine for this year and I will again run Pandora south for the winter. \u00a0I don’t know if we will visit the Bahamas again or if we might try the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. \u00a0That might be fun. Perhaps we can get down there early enough to visit Key West for New Years. \u00a0I 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. \u00a0The 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. \u00a0Would be a hoot, that’s for sure.Yes, a bit different than the ball in NYC but hey, it’s warm. \u00a0NYC at 10 degrees or Key West at 80? \u00a0Hmm…