Monday, July 31, 2017

The Penobscot River, A Place We Have Viewed from Land for Years!


Cruising has changed  for us for the past several days because we have headed further up the Penobscot Bay into the River making our first stop on a State Park mooring next to Warren Island near Islesboro on Wednesday 7/26.  Before leaving Rockland we made a special trip into town to eat at The Home Cafe, rated as the "Best Place for Breakfast in Maine" per Trip Advisor and we were not dissapoiinted.  My steel cut oats brûlée with tiny local Maine blueberries was wonderful and Al gobbled up a fresh omelet and fancy hash browns.  Then we were on to cruise the scenic bay to river.
We took the dingy to the Warren State Park dock and walked the trails on this small island with the treat of finding wild raspberry bushes.  The crop was sparse so we ate as we picked.  

Another protected area so the night was very peaceful and cool creating perfect sleeping conditions! 

On Thursday, we chose to wait for a tide to rise so we could approach the dock at our next stop in Bucksport with slack water as tide changes added to river current can make for very fast moving water. So we had time to kill in the morning and despite scattered rain, we took the dingy over to Islesboro where a ferry comes in and out so I could take my hour long walk.  This island is accessible only by ferry and is a summer home for many well off folks so the island is chock full of huge homes with wrap around porches.  After walking we left the mooring and moved on to Bucksport to visit Jimmy Rowley a friend of Al's since childhood and a friend of mine since college days.  

Jimmy lives way up on this hill on Verona Island overlooking the Penobscot River in an antique barn brought up from New Hampshire which he reassembled and turned into part home and part barn with a spectacular water view.  We had a great visit over his home made dinner up there on the hill.   

We have driven over the Verona Island Bridge that we are cruising under in this picture many times over the past 20 years.  Al's parents moved to Maine from Long Island just after he graduated from high school and eventually ended up living in Winterport, Maine. When we visited them, we also frequently visited Jimmy so crossed the bridge and crossing this bridge was also necessary when we would take road trips "down east" with his parents.   

We tied up at Bucksport Marina with Fort Knox to our starboard.  

On Friday we cruised a whopping 8 miles up the river to stop at Mid-Coast Marina in Winterport.  Al's sister and brother-in-law live a short car ride up Rt 1 in Hampden.  We haven't been to Maine for 2 years since we have been on the boat so it was great to be back with family for the weekend.  
Al took this shot to show how fast the current can run when the tidal current is running in the direction of the river flow.  

Joanie, Al's sister toured the boat to see where we have lived for the past 22 months.  Her husband TR has had a medical problem so walking down to the boat and getting on board was not a possibility for him despite his love of sailing and boats in general.  Since TR was born and raised in Maine, he provided lots of suggestions for places to visit by water and we thoroughly enjoyed sharing boating stories.  
Yesterday, Al did some boat chores and then went to visit his parent's graves and drove past the property in Winterport that they left to him as their legacy. 

Our last night together required a lobster feast of picked lobster tails and claws, warm butter, fresh salad and some rice.  It doesn't get much better than this!  But it did get better because a friend of Joanie's made 2 special pies so we could continue the birthday month celebration, one chocolate and one strawberry!  
This is what Joanie and I worked on yesterday late afternoon and evening but alas, I had to leave it unfinished for Joanie to complete today.  It was fun though to puzzle with Joanie which is something we always do when together. 

And this is what Captain Al does when I work on the blog!  A well deserved nap! 

We are anchored (first time to drop anchor in Maine) near Castine in Smith Cove.  
And look at what we were treated to as a quick rain shower descended and left a lovely double rainbow while we enjoyed drinks on the fly bridge this evening!  Maine does not cease to give us pleasurable moments!!   
 Now look at the amazing sky after the rain moved on! Maine in the summer is truly delightful!
            



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