6:10 off the mooring under power on a dewey morning. Want to try and catch Matt and Joe on Seal Cove.
Windless, we motor around Calderwood Neck, enter Seal Cove at 7:35. Follow the water right up to where I had anchored last year for a storm. I find them just as they are raising the anchor. Friend Doug, is nearby on his Cornish Crabber. Doug is ready to go and heads out of the anchorage, Matt and Joe hang around a bit to talk about boats and Maine.
8:45 under power and leaving Seal Cove. I'm not paying attention and take a wrong turn. D'oh! Back on track I raise sails in light wind near Bluff Head. Matt and Joe are headed west, I'm heading east towards Isle au Haut with hope to sail south of the island.
10:30 making 1.5, I see a fog bank sliding in from the open water. The south end of Isle au Haut, disappears, then Robinson Point and then Kimball Island. 11:00, making 2.5, plan B was to sail through the Thorofare. But that is completely obscured in fog.
I don't want to get too close to the rocky shores of Kimball Island so fall off towards Merchants Island, and find myself surrounded by the fog. I can hear lobster boats nearby so give a couple of blasts on the fog horn.
12:45 see dark shapes in the fog to starboard, Kimball Island. Making 3.6 with good wind. Wind improves and fog begins to lift approaching Burnt Island Thorofare between Mouse Island and the north end of Isle au Haut.
1:45 out of the Thorofare with blue skies and great wind, headed towards Fog Island.
Pass Fog Island 2:25, making 3.4 across a strong flood tide. It's a chilly wind blowing off the ocean, but just great sailing on open water.
3:55 rounding Lower Head on Marshall Island, and I see the fog moving back in. I first look at dropping anchor in Popplestone Cove but find the water a bit too rolly. As more fog comes in I move north and find a better anchorage at Ringtown Island.
I quickly set up the boom tent and put out my gear for the night. A quick dinner, I figure, then into the sleeping bag. But I hear someone calling, the gentleman from the other boat in the anchorage. He asks if I would like to join him for beer. I say yes, but I don't have a dinghy. "I'll come get you," he says.
His name is Brian and he and his wife Vicki are sailing their 4700 Tartan SOUTHERN YANKEE along with Mike and Jo. They welcome me on board with beer and chips, cheese and crackers. Then tell me I'm staying for dinner too. It is a great, fun evening and I have a hard time believing that I'm on this very nice boat with great and interesting people.
Just as the sun is going down, I thank them for a great evening and tell them I need two favors. One, a group photo to help remember my good fortune. Vicki asks about the second favor. I tell them I need a ride back to SPARTINA. Brian runs me back over, and I thank him again for their hospitality.
26.58 NM
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