day thirteen - Swan's Island and Merchant Row

Wake to a surprisingly warm and gusty northeast wind.  Sail off anchor 6:30, single reef in the main.

Wonder if it might be a little rough on open water, put on foul weather pants and boots in case things get wet.  4.4 towards Southwest Harbor.  7:10 less wind off the harbor, think about shaking out the reef but decide to wait a bit.  7:25 shake out the reef.  8:20 making 3.2 with Long Ledge to starboard.

8:45 4.6 with wind just forward of starboard beam.  Great Goff Island off starboard bow, Black Island just beyond that.  

9:30 just east of Black Island, a feeding frenzy as seals chase baitfish from below and seagulls chase them from above.  

9:50 lighter wind and overpowered by an opposing tide, motorsailing against the current.  10:15 approaching Sisters Island.  Don't understand the tide but switches around and is now now in our favor, sailing in gusty winds.

10:55 main and jib down approaching the cut between Baker Island and Swan's Island, under power I I see the sails of a tall ship emerge from the trees ahead.  Coming out of Burnt Coast harbor they are running downwind, greetings and waves from crew and passengers.  

11:40 tie up at Kent Wharf on Burnt Coat Harbor.  It is a working harbor geared toward the lobster boats, would love to walk around but can't find a town dock.  Top off the fuel can, ask the woman about a grocery store.  She says there is a convenience store about a mile away, but that doesn't strike me as convenient.  

Cast off and motor out of Burnt Coat Harbor through the cut between Swan's Island and Harbor Island, an old lighthouse perched on the rocks.  

Choppy, overcast and a solid west wind, make a couple tacks to pass north of Marshall Island.  Past Marshall Island get a nice southwest run across open water towards Merchant Row, a couple dark porpoises swimming along the way.  

2:15 approaching Merchant Row with less wind, 2.5 in a grey haze.  Two short tacks past Southern Mark Island, then clearing skies as we work our way northwest through the islands at 3.4 to 4.0.  

On the final tack, cut between the west end of Devil Island and the east end of Camp Island.  A cluster of big cruising boats anchored nearby it what is marked on a chart as Hell's Half Acre.  Anchor down inside a couple of moored boats in about ten feet of water at 4:30.

 31.22 NM