Chip Ahoy's 2008 Maine Cruise
“Seafaring” to Chebeague Island, Casco Bay, Maine

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Description

The next morning it was back to rain beneath the pup tent on Chip Ahoy's mooring at Marston's Marina in Saco.  (Aug. 6)

The marina's dock was a short dinghy ride from my mooring, and this was the only place I got to use Chip Mate during the entire trip.  It was nice to do something with it besides just towing it behind, bailing it out, and moving it out of the way when docked.  I just wish the old (1965) Johnson 3-horse was easier to start and more dependable -- I never untied it from Chip Ahoy without oars aboard.

One of the nearby moored boats was "Sea Otter," a pretty Cape Dory 26 out of Lanesborough, MA, apparently left there for summer.  It was for sale, which is why I think I, perhaps a prospective buyer, was put alongside it.  It sure would make a nice cruising boat . . . I'll bet it's more comfortable below . . .

A view from my mooring looking up the Saco River toward the town of Saco, with the marina on the right.

A view from my mooring looking down the river.

Non-stop rain kept the allegedly drying towels soaked, but filled the the coffee pan and washed out the cup and "all-purpose bucket."  The box of free pizza from the dock took a beating, turning to mush, but I'd eaten most of it the night before.

Chip Ahoy on its mooring with Sea Otter behind, taken from the dinghy.

Finally, after all the years, I got a photo of my buddy Randy Randall.  He'd come out in his canoe for a visit.

I attempted to depart the next morning, but confronted foot seas and stormy weather upon reaching the ocean, did a quick about face and retreated back up the river to the mooring I'd just left.  Randy soon arrived in the marina work boat announcing "Mail delivery" when he pulled alongside with a few Points East magazines.  He thinks I should submit an article.  He's had a few stories published in it and thinks my style and experiences are what it's looking for.  (Aug. 7)

The rain fell relentlessly all day; by the next morning it was time to bail out Chip Mate.  I didn't dare lower myself into it, instead used the "all-purpose bucket" from over the cockpit coaming to bucket out most of the rainwater before finishing up with its scoop.  Talk about shoveling s**t against the tide!  (Aug. 8)

Finally, the next morning I awoke to clear sky and sunshine!  In my journal I wrote:  "What’s wrong?!? The world in not right this morning at sunrise, it actually looks nice."  With a good weather forecast for the day and maybe tomorrow too, I packed up and was on my way at 8:00 am heading to Portsmouth again.  (Aug. 9)

The trip started out well with a light SE breeze, but after a while I furled the flogging genoa as I headed more into the wind to reach Portsmouth, 36 nm miles ahead.

I was motor-sailed with just the main sail working most of the day.  The idea was, after all, to reach home via Portsmouth.

I saw a lot of different cloud formations over this cruise, but this one was one of a kind.  I was hoping it meant there was a drive-thru Dunkin' Donuts in the neighborhood!