Holbrook Harbor

The ride to Holbrook Harbor near Castine was reminiscent of a few I've had down in the infamous Buzzards Bay (Mass.). A west wind with gusts to around 30 knots. In the clear from Belfast between Sears I. and Islesboro the seas rose to 8 feet. The entrance to the harbor faces west so most of the harbor was unsettled. I finally eased in between Holbrook and Ram Islands.

In this peaceful spot it was hard to believe that the rollercoaster was still running on just the otherside of Holbrook (ahead in the picture below).



I had put off an overnighter until my new anchor, roller, mooring bit, hawse pipe, etc. were installed. Now the anchor was finally tasting mud.

I finished the book The Boat Who Wouldn't Float, by Farley Mowat before turning off the cabin lights and hitting the bunk. During the night I put on a sweat shirt, then ran Mr. Heater for 15 or 20 minutes till I was toasty. By morning I was cold again. Eventually I got up to a bright, sunny, and remarkably calm day.

I made coffee for the first time in a stainless steel drip pot I had picked up at a yard sale years ago. You heat the water in the same pot that the coffee drips into so you have to be fast when you pour the water. The little butane stove worked like a champ. Here is the last egg sizzling in bacon grease.

The heavy winds on the previous day had kept the harbor vacant of cruisers but for Dream Weaver and a catamaran some distance away. The morning brought a few visitors including this lobsterman and his trusty gull.

After breakfast I cleaned things up a bit and settled down in my office to do some design work on my current "saw sharpening" exercise.

I finished a up a good design session about noon, fixed lunch, did my final tidying up for the trip back to Stockton Springs.

On the way back, seals were easy to spot in the now calm bay. However, one lay right on my path and I didn't notice it until it was too late to take evasive action. At the last moment it dived. I turned and saw it surface a couple hundred feet back. Looking at me. I waved. It dove again.

I arrived back home ontime. It was good to see Sue and she was glad to see me. She confided that she "thought" about me, but did not miss going on the overnighter. I enjoyed the solo time and challenge.