day eight - an invitation

Wake at 5:00 to the sound of early morning rain.  Pack the sleeping gear, leave the tent up to wait out another brief shower.  Windless.  Under power 5:45.

There are tents at the west end of Bean Island, overnight campers.  A line of cormorants glides by.  Low overcast and fog clinging to Mount Desert Island.  Clearing to the northwest.

6:45 the sun breaks through approaching Porcupine and Bar Islands.  Pass between the islands at 7:00, docked Bar Harbor town dock 7:15.

I need to get rid of some trash, it always surprises me how much accumulates - mostly packaging for lunches and freeze-dried meals - after just a couple days on the water.  Walk the six or seven blocks to the grocery store, easy.  Walk the six or seven blocks back with five gallons of water, not so easy.

A light rain falls then moves on.  I spread out some gear to dry, walk up the hill to find a nice restaurant called Testa's open for breakfast.  

Still no wind.  Cast off and motor south.  Hints of wind passing the Thrumcap.  10:30 passing Schooner Head, surf breaking on a ledge ahead.  10:40 round Great Head and can see the Cranberry Islands in the distance.  

Wind at 11:20 off Otter Head, full sail on what it turning into a beautiful day.  A Coast Guard boat motors by, slows down, waves from the crew on board.  Noon off of East Point, light wind but still making way.  I get a text from John.  He and Bruce and their wives are in a waterfront home in Manset on Southwest Harbor.  He tells me to give him a call when I get close.  

1:30 tied up at the town dock.  Walk a few blocks untile I hear John calling from the porch.  They had just finished lunch but take me to the kitchen so I can make a sandwich.  We sit outside on the beautiful afternoon and talk about Bruce's boat LOON and my sailing.  They have plans for the afternoon but tell me to anchor out in front of their house in the evening, they'll pick me up and I can get a shower.  

I spend the afternoon daysailing in the harbor.  Relaxing, peaceful sailing.  Anchor down 5:00 and Bruce rows out in a dinghy to pick me up.  I shower, put on a new set of clothes and thank my friends for their hospitality.

They invite me to sit on the porch with them and have a dark and stormy, one made with the bottle of rum I had left with them a couple of days earlier.  And then I am told I am staying for dinner.  How nice.  Small seared steaks and potatoes, cole slaw and my choice of red or white wine.  We sit outside at dusk, SPARTINA with her mizzen still up just off the rocky shore.  Ice cream and hot chocolate for dessert.  It is dark by the time John rows me back to SPARTINA.  

18.17 NM