a Welsford Pathfinder raft-up

Had the great joy of a Welsford Pathfinder raft-up yesterday at Perry Creek on Vinalhaven.   Spartina had the good company of Bobby’s Lagniappe and Matto’s Trim.  Just a wonderful time with good friends.   Credit to Matto for the nice photo of the line-up below.

 

change in plans

Arrived in Belfast this afternoon.   Will sta here two nights. Time for resupply, laundry, etc. Good trip with some good weather and interesting sailing   Also some storms and fog that have cost me some time.   Delayed enough that I can’t sail to Portland and explore the rivers on the way back.  Instead I will explore Penobscot Bay and Merchants Row.   That sounds pretty good to me.  I hear there are a couple other Pathfinders around, hope to cross paths with them   

 

fog, friends and waiting out the weather

 

In Stonington for an iced tea (and WiFi)    Wind filling in and heading west.

the first few days

Excellent sailing so far. Launched Monday evening (after finding a trailer tire flat at 4 am leaving a hotel outside of Boston) and spent the night at a mooring at the boatyard.  Sailed Mt. Desert Narrows the next day, then over to Swans Island.  A weather day there, wind rain and fog, in tiny Toothachers Cove.  Yesterday sailed to Southwest Harbor (tacking along the way at Sunken Money Ledge…the story of my life).   Having iced tea and a bagel this morning before heading to Frenchmen Bay. 

 

Maine tracking URL

 I believe I have a decent weather window for the drive to Maine.  I don't like trailering and rigging in the rain, so will head up a day or two earlier than expected.  Here is the link for the SPOT track, or copy and paste the link below.

https://maps.findmespot.com/s/9RWG/3B#history/assets

a cheat sheet

 I made up this little cheat sheet this morning to tuck into my logbook for Maine cruise.  I've done the same in the past, particularly with the sounds South Carolina and Georgia, sjust o that I can wrap my head around the local geography.

These are the larger rivers between Casco Bay to the west and Penobscot Bay to the east.  On last year's cruise I did sail on the Sheepscot River.  I anchored one night just around the corner from the Kennebec River, and I also spent a night just below the mouth of the New Meadows River.  On this trip I hope to spend a little more time exploring the rivers.  It will be interesting to see what the tides are like.  The scenery, I suspect, will be beautiful.

packing

Very hot and humid here these days so spent yesterday inside packing for the Maine cruise.  Above, the sleeping gear.

Those are breakfast and lunches.  In the grey tubs are 16 gallon bags, each with breakfast/lunches for one day.  Below that are two one gallons bags, each with canned tuna, RxBars, meat sticks and bags to build six daily breakfast/lunch kits.  So all together, 28 days worth of breakfast and lunch.

 Above are 30 freeze dried dinners.  I won't take all of those, will leave a few behind.  I'll end of with breakfast, lunch and dinners for 28 days.  I won't consume all of those as there will be some meals on shore along the way.