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As we head out today with Bud
and Susie, we’re entering the area most commonly known as Southern Maine. It
comprises the area from the New Hampshire border to just north of Portland.
It’s the most densely populated area of all Maine. The shoreline is open to the
sea with not much protection from the elements and has stretches of sandy
beaches, similar to the Massachusetts coastline but more and more of it will
become glacial carved rocky shores and ledges. Our tidal ranges increase each
time we edge our way northward and the anticipation of the notorious fog banks
are always in the back of our minds. We’re becoming used to seeing waters
unbelievably littered with lobster pots, a constant navigational hazard or
should we say an additional strain on your cruising abilities and attention
span. The most notorious change that we notice is that the prevailing winds are
coming from the southwest now. Although the wind factor for us is not a major
component for power cruising as it is for sailors who depend on the wind. The
winds off the coast of Maine in the summer reliably blow from the SW so sailors
find themselves sailing downwind. Downwind here is in an easterly direction
though when looking at your course on the chart it shows “up” on the charts.
This is the explanation given for the term you so frequently in this neck of the
woods as “Down East” .
We are now entering waters where there will be fewer and fewer multi slip marinas with unlimited power. Rental moorings will be less, and provisioning opportunities more remote. Things will be a little more difficult. The major cruising obstacles are well marked but when it comes to entering smaller anchorages, there are many unmarked shoals and ledges that only the locals know. Fog is know to be a constant companion many these long summer days and the mine fields of lobster pots become more in number as everything thing else seems to become less.
THE MAINERS
We’ve read that some consider this leg of Maine (Southern Maine) “not really Maine but more an appendage of the corrupted, foolish societies to the south”. That philosophy is just a taste of what’s to come in our travels to the upper reaches of Maine. This stretch is said to be the wealthiest and the longest mass of land that has had continuously inhabited towns since the beginnings of colonial settlement. Many of the early inhabitants are those that escaped the bloody English-Indian wars. We will meet, in the next few weeks, more and more Mainers who amazingly have claim to family ties linking them and their ancestors to this land continuously since the earliest settlers. We’re also going to learn the difficulty many of the long time residents are having, holding on to their heritage and land ownership, as they fiercely fight to exist and survive the increasing flux of wealth and thirst for vacation homes from outsiders. It’s an interesting story and very different from any other place in the United States. These are independent people and the more north we go the more we like and admire them.
As we head north today our destination is Jewell Island. It’s a deserted island nestled on the outer reaches of the fingers of glacially carved islands and mainland extensions. It’s located just past Portland, Maine in Casco Bay. It’s not far from the city so we didn’t know what to expect as far as crowds. This is said to be a popular anchorage and sometimes a challenge to find space to anchor. The weather had taken a turn for the worse and maybe it would distract boaters to another location. We were pleasantly surprised to find only a few boats at anchor when we made our way around the northern point of the island and headed into the protected cove. We found a spot not too near a large sailboat that was getting ready to pull up anchor and leave.
We dropped anchor and backed her down and sat for awhile to make sure she was hitched. As we watched and waited to make sure we were secure and not drifting we noticed the large yacht had pulled up a lobster pot with their anchor. They struggled trying to free it for a good half hour. We were a little worried about the pots near our anchorage too and hoped that our anchor line also wouldn’t become entangled with a lobster pot. The yacht finally managed to free their anchor line from the lobster pot by cutting the lobster pot line. Guess that’s one trap lost. I don’t know what the lobstermen expect as they must know that this is a frequented spot for cruisers, so then why would they drop the pots right in the anchorage? I know this is their land, and they were before us and they need to make a living but maybe they could leave just one small free space for the troublesome cruiser?
EXPLORING JEWELL ISLAND
We got the dinghy down and headed to shore. Considering this was
a popular anchorage the shore was very pristine. We took a little hike through
the woods but decided we enjoyed the shore more than the mosquitoes as they were
out in full force. There was supposed to be an old WW II army bunker on the
mountainous knoll on the other side of the island. People like to hike to it,
explore the ruins and gaze out to an amazing view towards Portland. We spent
our time though walking the shore, exploring the marine life, picking up a few
shells and climbing the rocky ledges. Ziggy had a ball.
We took a dinghy ride to the next island over that was inhabited by a few families mostly lobster fisherman. It was quaint and isolated. We read that years ago a movie was filmed there with Bette Davis. It was filmed on location in the old wooden house overlooking the channel to our anchorage. It was a lonely looking place. We couldn’t imagine what it must be like living out here all year long. The winters must be brutal and lonely. We explored the quaint harbor but there was not a sole to be seen. There were so many lobster pots, even in their harbor, that if you looked up for a moment, you were in danger of getting one wrapped around your prop, which we did. Fortunately we were able to quickly get it untangled. The weather was getting dark and we decided it was best to get back across the channel back to Jewell Island.
It began to rain by the time we got back so we had a nice dinner inside and enjoyed the comforts of Knotty Dog for the rest of the evening. It was a lovely anchorage and throughout the late afternoon, several more boats came in to join us for the night.
In the morning, we pulled up anchor and decided to head on over to Great Chebeaque Island. There was supposed to be an old hotel there with a small golf course and dining room. Nothing much was said about the island in the cruising guides. The weather wasn’t the greatest and we thought a nice dinner in an old Inn tonight might be more cheerful than being out on the hook in bad weather.
GREAT CHEBEAQUE ISLAND
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It was a very short little
island hop to get to Great Chebeaque Island, the only obstacles were those darn
lobster pots. They were everywhere. We all helped Larry spot them and look for
open rows to follow. We could see lobster boats everywhere, probably watching
us to see if we cut any of their lines. We always do everything we can to miss
them although we know and have talked to several boaters who have sharp cutting
blades. They say they travel right through them cutting them if necessary. We
have line cutter also but do not rely on them and hope we do not cut line of
working lobster men.
Once we came around the northern part of the island, we could see a large grassy area and the old Inn on top of the hill. There were several lobster boats on moorings in the protected niche of the island. We could also see a small pier and a very small but cute ferry boat heading to the pier to unload people from Cousins Island just across the channel. There are no roads to Chebeaque, so for landlubbers, that’s the only way to get there, except by boat.
We hailed the hotel and asked if they had a mooring we could pick up and they did. We meandered around the harbor a little while looking for it, being very careful, as the depths were very shallow. We soon spotted it and pulled alongside. Larry and Bud pulled the mooring rope aboard and we were securely hooked for a relaxed stay.
The area is not remote and uninhabited as Jewell Island as we could see several homes and a few cars driving down to the pier. We got the dinghy down and decided to head in to explore the area.
The grassy area leading down to the pier is the small golf course that the inn owns. There were a few people golfing and we saw a small shack that was the golf shop up on the hill. It was suddenly hot and sunny compared to the dark and ominous weather we had at Jewell Island. All I wanted to do was get up the big hill and sit on their veranda and drink a latte.
The Inn was lovely and the porch was filled with overstuffed wicker chairs and just what I needed. I fell into one and didn’t want to leave. We ordered some coffee drinks and just relaxed and enjoyed the breeze, warm weather and wonderful view of the area. This was a charming place and a big surprise because nothing was written up about it in the cruising book. We checked out the menu and decided dinner was a sure thing for this evening. We made reservations and were shuttled back down to the dock in the Inn’s van. They said they could pick us up at the boat with their launch for dinner if needed. This was perfect!
We went back to the boat for an afternoon nap and went back in the evening for a lovely gourmet meal with good friends. It was perfect ending to a lovely day.
SOUTH FREEPORT
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In the morning we headed out to South Freeport, again a short trip inland. South Freeport and nearby Freeport is most known for the famous headquarters of L.L. Bean that is located right in the town of Freeport. The town is also filled with various factory store outlets which drew people from all over.
We had reservations at Brewer’s Marina and planned to stay a couple days so Bud and Susie could see Freeport and it would be an easy commute to Portland to get a flight back home. Also, in a day or so, Frank and Betsy our other good friends, from La Jolla, would be arriving for a short visit and cruise by boat, to Portland where they would also catch a plane back home.
We headed in the channel to South Freeport and past the little Teacup Island that greets everyone that comes and goes in that harbor. Also, on the hill, in the distance, we see the remains of a castle tower. You can’t miss it. It was part of the Casco Castle, a hotel built in 1908 by Amos F. Gerald, a trolley car magnate. The hotel burned to the ground in 1914 and the tower is all that is left.
We hailed the marina and got a slip assignment on the outer docks. The current was running a good clip in here. Larry was going to give me a crack at docking but the current was a little risky so he took over at the last minute.
We just got settled at the dock when a friend of ours happened to show up. Matt dropped by to say “hello”. He had just bought another sailboat a few weeks back. Its prior owner was Washington-Irving’s grandson, famously known for writing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. He goes by the name of “Rip”. Matt and a friend just finished bringing her from New York area to Southport a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, Matt was not here on happy circumstances today. He was having his newly acquired boat hulled to check damage done to her by the strike of lightening in the last big storm they had. (We learned later the damage amounted to about $30,000 but I think was totally covered by his insurance.) One good thing, I guess he will be outfitted with all new electronics. I wonder if the ghost of Sleepy Hollow had anything to do with that?
Matt told us two of his favorite places to eat in the area. One was right at the marina, at the Lobster Pound and the other was a lovely restaurant overlooking Royal River. Matt was heading on home after having his boat examined and had invited us to escape the boat for a couple days at his wife’s summer camp. We thought that was an experience too unique to pass up so we planned to hook up with him when Susie and Bud left to catch their plane.
That night we ordered up a big
batch of food from the Lobster Pound and ate it on the boat. It was the most
delicious fish and chips we’d had in a long time and savored every bite.
FREEPORT
The next day we caught the Brewer’s Marina van and headed to Freeport to see what we could find at the factory stores. It’s quite a town if you can imagine that everything is related and surrounded around the business of factory outlets. We all managed to find a few good buys that we brought back to the boat and that last evening together was spent on the deck of a nice restaurant overlooking the Royal River. Dinner took a little longer than we anticipated taking the bug factor into consideration as we were sitting outside. We were told by the waitress that “you are safe until precisely 8:00 and then look out”. As the evening neared 8:00, we contemplated having them move us inside, but the waitress came to the rescue with bug spray. Only in Maine.
Again, we had a wonderful time with Bud and Susie on our boat. Always lots of laughs and fun. What good sports. Hope they will join us in the Bahamas this winter! So long for now.
Hey, what’s camp got to do with boating? Well, nothing, but our friend Matt thought it would be fun to get us off the boat for an overnight at their summer camp for kids. So, we might as well get the full Maine experience. Ziggy was invited too. We were excited to get out into the woods and just relax for a day or so. Matt said we could stay in their private cabin on the lake with no one to disturb us and just relax. What a generous offer we couldn’t refuse.
So, Matt showed up, that
afternoon. We just had said our “goodbyes” to Bud and Susie and grabbed some
“camp clothes” and kayak. We loaded kayak on top of Matt’s car, piled in and
off we went to the nearby mountains or should I say hills of Maine. It was
about an hours drive away, I think, through beautiful woody countryside before
we arrived at Camp Noshoba. We really didn’t know what to expect because
neither of us had been to camp before. I think the age group of the camp
dwellers is maybe 5 to 15? Somewhere in that range. So we’d fit in just fine.
We passed the entry sign welcoming us to Camp Noshoba with an Indian head as a logo. We kept driving and weaving down the dirt road through woods. It was much bigger than we expected, as we passed horse stables, tennis courts, pottery studios, theatrical buildings including an outdoor stage and rock climbing walls. Wow, what a fun place! We finally arrived at the center of camp. It was an expansive place. The camp village had a dining room building, camp offices, a separate auditorium with a huge rustic two story stone fireplace, and several, well many sleeping cabins, scattered throughout the acres and acres of land and we still hadn’t seen all of it. The buildings dated from the 20’s or 30”s I think. We said “hello” to Matt’s wife Janet who along with her sister Sara, run the place and it’s a year round job even though they are open only in the “summer season”. We can understand that it takes all year to keep the place in good shape, plan and hire for the next year, attend travel shows to advertise and promote. This is a big operation! We’re impressed.
After saying our “hello’s”, Mat drove us down to the lake to our private cabin. Well, we had imagined a rustic little cabin. We’re learning more and more that Matt is a modest guy. The rustic cabin turned out to be a large 5 bedroom two story log style house, with multiple bathrooms, living room, family room, dining room and full kitchen. It was beautifully decorated with antiques, just the type that you’d imagine a cabin in the woods would have. You could tell a lot of time and love went into the pieces they had collected. The “cabin” was situated in a private wooded area, secluded from the camp and right on the lake. There was a huge wooden porch and Adirondack chairs to sit in to gaze out at the beautiful scenery. Matt gave us the tour which included a beautifully stocked kitchen for us with wine, fresh squeezed juice, luscious strawberries, gourmet cheeses, croissants and more. We just couldn’t believe it! Everything was more than perfect. What hospitality!
Matt said if there is anything, and really anything we wanted or wanted to do, just let him know. We could go horse back riding, sailing, water skiing, fishing, canoeing, anything, because they had all those and more to offer at the camp. We actually, were very happy, to just to enjoy the “cabin” and were overwhelmed by their generosity. We just wanted to sit in those big wooden chairs on that big wooden porch and gaze out at the lake. So, Matt left us and said he’d be back with a golf cart to pick us up for dinner. He said “don’t expect much because it’s just camp food”. Well, we’re beginning to discover when Matt says don’t expect much, it really turns out to be something.
We had the most glorious
afternoon, just lazing there on that porch. Zig and I took a brief kayak ride
but cut it short because we liked that porch so much. We opened a good bottle
of wine, that Matt left for us, and snacked on some cheese and were happy as
clams. This was such a wonderful gesture of Matt and his wife and sister to
offer this cabin to us.
Right on time, we heard Matt driving down the dirt road to pick us up. He gave us a little driving tour of the grounds on the way back up the hill. The camp owned quite of bit of frontage on the lake and many acres above. It was a huge place and very secure because I there are some high profile guests here and that doesn’t include us. They have a fleet of new sailboats, a couple power boats for water skiing and fishing. All are new or completely serviced each year so they are in top running performance. The kids at the camp had a load of activities to choose from. They mark their choices at the beginning of the week and it’s all scheduled. I think it would be impossible to get bored here, in fact I wish I was a kid so I could come here. There is a large staff of camp counselors, two in fact, to each sleeping cabin and that means they sleep in the cabin with the kids which deters any kind of mischief. Each night camp counselors rotate watch as they sit outside the cabins reading until midnight before retiring just to make sure all is well. They’ve got teachers for theatre, pottery, art, horse back riding, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, really everything you could imagine. They’ve got soccer fields and tennis and I’m sure I’m missing several things.
That evening in the dining hall we got a little taste of what it was like to be a camp member. The counselors are a fun bunch, full of energy and wit, keeping the kids happy, challenged and definitely not bored. The food by the way was not “camp food” in any manner. They are three healthy, tasty choices for dinner. We had vegetable lasagna that would rival many meals that we’ve had that whole summer. It was really delicious. Matt and Janet said they have a great chef that cooks during the school months at Harvard University. After dinner the counselors left and reappeared in Halloween costumes to everyone’s amusement. This was to get the kids energized for the Halloween party after dinner (though it was anywhere near Halloween). But before dinner was over, while the counselors were making announcements and being just plain comedians, we noticed that the place is a well oiled machine as kids would take turns, cleaning off the tables with no grudge. While this was going on one kid, played the piano for everyone’s entertainment, and he had a few sour notes but no one noticed or teased but just gave him a grand applause. A handful of others were brought up front stage for some fun and teasing as it was their birthdays that day, which came with a full cake and candles to blow out. This place was full of laughter and fun.
We retired back to the cabin after dinner to watch the sunset on the lake and hit the hay as they say. It was a beautiful sunset and a lovely night’s sleep. The air smelled of the woods, not salt air that we’ve smelled for months, nor the smelly lobster bait that we are becoming so familiar with. And instead of hearing the putter of skiffs going by in the night, we heard the lonely wallow of the nearby loons.
Thanks so much to Matt, Janet
and Sara for making this a special memory for us. You all were so generous
sharing that special place with us. We hope that you can join us in the
Caribbean this winter, and warm those cold New England bones for a week!
Well, our day and a half at camp was great but now it was time to get back to the sea. Our good friends Betsy and Frank were on their way to see us for a short visit. They are from La Jolla and happened to be on the East Coast for other business. They didn’t have much time but wanted to join us for two nights and two days. It’s not really enough time to show them a good Maine cruising experience but we were going to do our best. They were driving north from Hingham, Massachusetts and wouldn’t get to south Freeport until late afternoon. That would give us just enough time to spend that night at the dock and then had just enough time to day cruise the next day, ending up in Portland. The following morning they would be close enough to get to the Portland airport without much trouble heading home. Not a very exciting trip for them but it will be good to visit regardless of the cruising adventure.
The drive from Hingham to South
Freeport, Maine that Saturday was a terrible drive, bumper to bumper traffic the
whole way. That’s one thing we don’t experience on the boat. We felt bad for
them but they were in great spirits when they arrived. We were so glad they
made the effort to come see us. It probably was more difficult that they
thought.
We got them settled, a few cocktails in them, and then dinner was discussed and decided. Since they were here such a short time, we really needed to do the Maine experience and that was to hit the lobster pound at the marina for some juicy plumb lobsters and corn on the cob. It was hotter than Haiti’s too so Betsy and I stayed on the boat with Zig while the men went out to bring the dinner back. We got the table set, wine poured and waited for dinner. I wasn’t going to have any problems chalking up a few more lobsters on my list.
LOBSTER OBSESSION
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What is it with this lobster obsession? It’s somewhat like an addiction. It begins once you get into the Maine waters, well, Massachusetts waters and north, but the real addiction starts in Maine. All you want to eat are lobsters and all you think about are when and where can I get the next one. The bigger the better as far as I’m concerned. The 2 pounders are just about perfect. Everybody is eating them. People are lined up at all the lobster pounds and there are a lot of lobster pounds. Even the locals crave the lobsters. Who would ever think that something that required so much work would be so much fun, and so delicious to eat? They are so tasty and juicy and that drawn butter just finishes them off. People a hundred years ago would think we were out of our minds. Lobster back then was food no one from the upper crust would even think of eating as it was the poor working man’s food. My how times have changed.
Some have referred to the
lobster as similar to a Swiss army knife. Hardy, sharp, and indestructible.
They are an important factor to the survival of these Mainers. Among the many
that live here, those Mainers whose families have owned land since colonial
times, lobster fishing is their only means of surviving the influx of what they
call the “rusticators”, the nickname for those with abundant money, who want to
buy up their land and rebuild large summer homes and enjoy the rustic nature of
the place. We’ve heard it many times, the class distinction between the Mainers
and “those from away”. They are threatening their very survival and way of life
here by coming in paying huge prices for land and literally making it impossible
for many of the Mainers to financially live here anymore.
To
some though, it also it is another means of survival, giving many jobs to those,
caretaking for those summer visitors. Lobsterism though is they final hope of
financial survival and independence. And those fat little red crustaceans have
been producing and producing. It a wonderment of nature really as more and more
lobster traps show up, more are consumed and shipped out, and still the
abundance of lobster doesn’t go away. Lobsters have survived the over fishing
of cod and halibut and the list goes on. Cape Cod was named after the abundance
of cod that was caught in these waters and now there is no cod.
The waters of New England and Nova Scotia were probably the most abundant fishing grounds in the world. These waters drew fishermen here way before the pilgrims arrived and you will be reminded of that in most everything you read about Maine. Unfortunately that is not the case today. If you are at all interested in the subject, The Lobster Coast, by Colin Woodward, is an excellent enlightening book on the subject and essentially everything about the way of life of a Mainer. We were shocked to read,
“Between 1980 and 2002, the region’s haddock catch fell by 70 percent, halibut by 86 percent, and cod by 75 percent. Virtually every major commercial fish species-yellowtail flounder, redfish, cusk and hake - is in crisis, its numbers so depleted that state and federal authorities have imposed draconian restrictions on fishing. As traditional species collapsed, fishermen turned to creatures once derided as “trash fish” – dogfish, silver hake, even sea urchins and baby eels-only to see their numbers crash as well. Lobster alone has bucked the trend.”
“The fisheries disaster” has changed life as the Mainers have known it for hundreds of years. A majority of the fishing industry has been replaced by hotels, vacation homes, restaurants, and yacht marinas. “But now only lobster remains and most everybody is in it.” “Now the humble lobster carries an entire culture on the back of its armored shell.”
It’s a sad story about what’s happened to the fish, and we learn more about it as this journey goes north and about the great Maine people. They are an independent lot that we grew to respect and love.
HEADING
TO PORTLAND
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Well, poor Betsy and Frank aren’t really going to get an inkling of what cruising is about in Maine today. They aren’t going to see the beautiful rocky coast lines of Maine or the masses of birds as they raft together out in the ocean like big moving islands. They aren’t going to see the hardy lobstermen, hauling their daily traps, pulling out those that are big enough and throwing back others for another day. They aren’t going to get a feel for the remoteness and the history of these islands. They are just going to see a pinch of the nearby inhabited islands just north of Portland as we head south, for the first time in months, to the busy and bustling harbor of Portland.
It’s a beautiful day today for them and we feel lucky as we’ve had our ups and down with the weather this season. We slowly take Knotty Dog out of South Freeport and take a last glance at Brewer’s Marina and the great staff we met. We enjoyed the few days we had there watching the Swedish looking young blond girl that runs the marina. She was just an amazing person. She managed that marina with an iron fist and would shuffle boats all over the harbor and marina by merely nudging them around with her small skiff. She could move and dock large yachts better than the captain on his own boat with an engine running. It was amazing to watch her. We would get quite a current running through the marina and when ever it was slack water, she’d begin her work. She’d usually get another dock hand and it didn’t matter whether a young guy or girl. She'd have them hop on the boat she was moving and they’d get the boat tied with simple lines to her skiff dinghy and off she’d go. She’d move boats around on the docks so they could be repaired or make room for other boats coming in from sea. She'd pick up boats out on the mooring and bring them in and put them neatly in slips with out a concern. It was worth a trip just to see her in action indeed.
We
glanced back at the remains of the castle tower on the hill and came around the
little island called “Cup of Tea” which had a small cottage propped on the top
which was not much bigger than a cup of tea. It was easy to please Frank and
Betsy because they easily and appreciatively took in all the beauty of the area,
noticing quaint summer cottages and the beauty of the simple rustic lobster
boats on a nearby mooring. They were entranced by our approach and the sight of
the skyline of Portland as we neared the harbor channel.
We were lucky today, as I said, it was clear and sunny, and we got a good crisp view of everything, including the old now defunct fortress that sits alone just off the entrance to the inner harbor. We had, today, that fort as a backdrop to a beautiful schooner in full sail greeting us as we entered the harbor. Off to our port we caught a glimpse of the famous Portland lighthouse which we would be passing in a few days as we headed out to sea again.
We hailed De Millo Marina and got instructions to pull in to a numbered slip down a narrow marina channel where the day boats go in and out. We slowly pulled in the marina channel but as far as we could tell, the slip was filled. We hailed them on the radio and, yes, there was a problem. Someone had taken our slip. They were a little flustered and were having trouble figuring out where to put us now. As we have learned, finding dock space in the New England waters is not as easy as other areas we have cruised. You quickly realize that you must have reservations weeks ahead or you are out of luck. Now we were wondering if they were going to be able to find someplace for us. They told us the owner of the slip they had reserved for us, had come back unexpectedly so they couldn’t very well move them. Finally after we hovered in the marina channel for quite awhile, they found a place for us. They told us to come around to the other side of the marina. They said they had a place for us on the end of B Odd dock (no pun intended).
We took her back out into the harbor and came around to the other side of the marina. We looked at the spot they wanted us and we all thought there was no way we’d be able to get in through the narrow opening to the dock. Betsy, Frank and I looked at each other wide eyed. Larry said “no problem”. To our amazement he got her in there and to the dock with just inches to spare. We all cheered in a good delivery.
DOCK
DOG
Right away, we liked the place and the people. They gave us a hand with lines and recommendations for restaurants where Ziggy would be welcome. The boat across the dock had a dog on the bow. He were immediately introduced to this celebrity of a dog who on the cover of the latest issue of Offshore Magazine. He was a good old dog and his master was a good old guy. Funny how masters and their dogs look alike. Don’t know what happened with Ziggy.
SEND OFF FROM PORTLAND
Well, we had one day with Betsy and Frank in Portland. We arrived just in
time for lunch and headed to J’s Oyster restaurant right on the dock nearby.
The guy with the dog said it was the best seafood anywhere if you can just
ignore the surroundings. So we headed on over and found a table outside
overlooking the Knotty Dog. It wasn’t fancy but the food was fresh and good and
with a couple nice Bloody Mary’s we knocked down several slippery raw oysters.
We were set.
We spent the afternoon exploring the waterfront area of Portland and later sitting on the fly bridge Knotty Dog, watching the activity of the harbor. Fortunately there was a lot to see and we were happy with our new location at the marina. We had a good view of the harbor and boats coming and going. We didn’t need much more than that.
We
enjoyed the location so much we decided to have dinner on the boat that night.
It was a nice ending to a very short visit from Frank and Betsy. In the morning
we said our goodbyes as they headed off in a taxi to the nearby Portland airport
and recommending that they join us again but for a longer visit. Glad they
didn’t have to face driving back to Boston in that terrible traffic to get their
connection in Boston. See, there are advantages to travel by boat.
A LITTLE ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES
We stayed in Portland another
day before we headed north into what they refer to here as Midcoast Maine. I’m
glad we did because, at first, just exploring the waterfront area of Portland
was pretty touristy, you know, with the typical t-shirts shops and stuff. But,
the more we walked and the more we explored, the more we discovered. There was
a whole other life going on in Portland. There are some wonderful upscale
shops, great restaurants, art museums, historical landmarks. 
There’s really a lot to see if you just walk up the hill and get beyond the
tourism of the waterfront to where the real Portlanders work and live.
Portland is a little rough around the edges, like all these large working towns along the coast, but they are slowly being renovated, and the economy is slowly starting to draw people in. We did do one tourist thing though and that was to take a trolley tour. Ziggy was allowed and we spent a couple hours riding around the city of Portland, seeing things we would never have seen in the walking vicinity of the boat. The trolley took us out to the lighthouse and that was fun to see up close and then by sea the following day as we headed north.
Portland has a lot to offer but
it was time to head north.
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