day fourteen - Castine

Bright sunny morning.  Everything a little damp from the storm.  Windless.  Under power at 6:00.  Slip out the channel between Holbrook and Nautilus Islands.  Checking Navionics trying to figure out the location of the municipal pier on the waterfront.  It is easy enough to find.  Docked 6:30.  Low tide so a steep walk up the ramp to the fixed dock at parking lot level.

There's a group of guys gathered on the dock, old friends that gather in the morning.  They all welcome me, ask about the boat.  I ask about fuel and groceries.  Easy enough, one of them tells me.  Just a block away is a variety store with gas pumps.  How convenient.

I clean up SPARTINA, spread some gear out to dry in the sun.

No a block from the waterfront is The Breeze & Castine Variety with a breakfast menu out front.  I am the only customer and that is fine with me.  Iced tea, eggs, bacon and an English muffin.

Back to the dock where I find the dock master looking at the boat.  I ask about the time limit at the dock, he says he doesn't know when I got there and is not going to worry about it.  

I make a quick run to the variety store to pick up some supplies.  When I get back a boat called L'IL TOOT is tied up behind me.  It's a boat used for harbor tours and transportation for hikers to the local islands.  Zander, the owner, is getting her cleaned up for the day's business.   Zander mentions he saw me coming in with the storm yesterday.  

We get to talking and it turns out we have tall ship friends in common.  How nice.  I ask him about the town, telling him I was hoping to find a laundromat.  He tells me the nearest laundromat is iacross the water in Belfast, but at the same time tells me that he lives a block away and I am welcome to use his washing machine.  Again, how nice.  He walks me up to his house, introduces me to some friends staying there and shows me the laundry room.

I check with the dock master about space on his dock, he tells me I'm not taking up much space, I'm fine.  So, laundry, get some gas, take a walk through the pretty little town.  Try to buy a book at the local book shop/cafe but so many people in line ordering their custom frappe's and latte's - for each customer it is not so much placing an order but rather going through a negotiation of sweeteners, flavors and froths for each drink - that I give up on the book.  

Lunch is at a the trendy and popular Dennett's Wharf.  It is already booked with reservations so I set at the bar and order a lobster roll. Excellent.

Zander is out on his boat so I drop a six pack of beer at his house to thank him for the laundry.  I tell the dock master I appreciate his hospitality.  Cast off 12:40.  Lots of small boats with summer campers out on the water.  I sail along behind the schooner ALAMAR.  A couple of adults on board and several teenagers, they drop anchor and go for a swim.

I tack my way up into Smith Cove and drop anchor at Indian Bar at 2:35.  Set up the boom tent and relax in the afternoon.

5.47 NM