Glassy calm night, diesels rumbling well before dawn. Up at 5:30 to the sound of screeching terns flying about the harbor. At Upper Town Dock at 6:45 for a walk up to the coffee shop for a bagel, iced tea and wi-fi to catch up on emails.
Cast off 8:40, 2.6 tacking through the mooring field of Southwest Harbor. Making 1.8 at red "8". Tack of Greening Island as a boat approaches.
It is Luke, who I met last year at the Upper Town Dock. A great guy, he gave me a ride to the grocery last summer. He is headed out to Swans Island, wanted to say hello.
The wind falls off, so I drop back into the harbor to look at the boats moored there, some classic boats and some cruising boats. Always interesting boats at Southwest Harbor.
Wind fills in 9:40, sailing east at 1.7 past Greening Island. Slow, pleasant sailing. 11:00 approaching Bear Island, 1.1 and and I wonder if I see the fog moving in, not sure. 11:30 struggling, light wind and an opposing tide. Motorsailing. 12:15 off Seal Harbor, still struggling. 1:00 wind and sailing off Otter Point, 1.4. 1:45 making 3.3. Pleased to see the fog bank holding off shore.
1:55 turn northeast towards the east end of Iron Bound Island, 3.3 with the wind over the starboard quarter. 2:10 Hard Iron Ledge and Egg Rock to the starboard, 4.6 in the afternoon breeze. 2:45 booming surf off the cliffs of Iron Bound Island, choppy water with the mix of wind and tide, 3.0.
Follow the eastern shore of Iron Bound Island north to Jordan Island. I had heard about some good anchorages there. There's a bar that runs from Jordan Island east to the the mainland and I am wondering if I can cross it. Well ahead of me I see a local tour boat crossing the bar, I take note that it clings to Jordan Island for the crossing. I do the same.
I pass by two possible anchorages, one on the eastern side just above the bar and the other at the north end. Not impressed with either in the current wind conditions, so continue north along Stave Island, making 4.2. Follow the path past the Calf Island Point buoy and then south into southern Flanders Bay. Still not the right spot to anchor.
Turn back north, sailing downwind with Halftide Ledge to port, then turning northwest at Sunken Ledge into the north end of Flanders Bay. Pass Asli Island and tuck into the shallows behind Sheldrake Island. Perfect spot. Anchor down 4:55.
I check my phone to see a message from Matto, who has been out sailing on his Pathfinder TRIM for 10 days or so. Weather headed our way, rain and gusts over 50 coming the day after tomorrow. We exchange several messages talking about maybe rafting up in a sheltered spot, looking at Frenchman Bay or Southwest Harbor. The southwest corner of Southwest Harbor looking like a good spot.
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