day twenty - hard sailing at Devil Island

Awake at 5:00, watch seals swimming back and forth off SPARTINA's stern in the predawn darkness.  Under power to the town dock in Manset on the south side of Southwest Harbor, need to drop off some trash.  Cast off at 6:00 with the sun cresting the horizon.

In the cut between Great Cranberry Island and Mount Desert Island 6:10, can feel the start of the flood tide.  6:40 leaving the cut and can feel a very strong flood time.  Glad I left when I did.  6:50 hints of wind, surf breaking on Long Ledge to starboard.  7:10 can feel the rolling three foot waves coming in from Erin at green marker "1".  7:15 sails up, 2.8 to the west.  7:50 choppy at Bass Strait.  8:00 across the shoal, better wind and making 4.2.   Off to the north see a small interesting vessel in the distance.  A scow-like yellow hull, tanbark sails on a junk rig.  There has got to be a story there, but won't get close enough to find out.

9:00 making 2.1 dodging lobster trap floats, then 4.5 when the wind returns.  9:10 begin a series of 10 minute tacks to round below Black Island.  Getting rougher and put on foul weather bibs and boots, things might get wet.  10:10 making 4.7 past Black Island.  

11:15 choppy water, 2.7 and tide approaching slack.  Crossing Jericho Bay with Green Ledge to starboard, Deer Isle Thorofare ahead.  

11:30 tacking west, the wind picks up.  Round up to tuck in a reef.  12:20 tack at Sheep Island.  1:00 less wind and shake out the reef.  1:40 look at anchoring at Camp Island, wind building quickly and the anchorage is blown out.  Matt with friend Rossco on the Pathfinder TRIM are not too far away, I text them to see if we can connect.  

Take the narrow cut to Hell's Half Acre, too windy there, see a large sloop that had just anchored pull their anchor and leave.  

I hear from Matt, they are at Webb Cove.  I am determined to anchor out in the islands so begin working around Devil Island.  The anchorage in the rocks on the northeast corner of the island, that's blown out too.  Wind seems to be howling between the islands.  Decide to try for McGlathery Island, tacking between Devil Island and Spruce Island.  Having a hard time keeping track of the islands, four or five in sight but with full attention on the boat have a hard time looking at the Navionics chart.  Wind is getting stronger and really ought to reef, but with islands, rocks and ledges all around there is not enough room to safely round up and tuck in the reef.  

Get battered by the wind on the south side of Devil Island.  Turn back downwind, round up behind Spruce Island and drop the main.  Making 5.0 under mizzen and jib.  Sail behind Devil Island, through Hells Half Acre and back to Camp Island.  

I tuck up as close as I can to Camp Island, can still feel the wind wrapping around into the anchorage.  It will have to do.  Wind forcast to gust into the 40s overnight.

Get a text from Matt telling me he is in Webb Cove with and handful of friends from Chesapeake Bay.  He even sends a map.  I reply that I am worn out.  Rough afternoon.  Maybe see him tomorrow.

22.3 NM