From Wentworth-By-the sea to Kennebunkport
click on
map to see map
It was a beautiful day for cruising up the coast. Early this morning, about 6:00 AM to be exact, the older couple in the boat next to us, started engines, getting ready to leave for their short trip to Marblehead today. They were in their 70s and running this beautiful, immaculate power boat or rather yacht. It was an unfamiliar brand to us, built in Norway. It’s funny how you can be docked next to someone for days and just as they are leaving, everyone becomes talkative and you learn all sorts of interesting things about them. The boat, about 70 feet, was custom for them. Everything was shining, perfectly stowed and coiled. They said they picked it up in Norway, cruised Norway and the surrounding areas for several months and then Europe. When they finished cruising Europe they put her on a freighter and brought her to the US.
The woman, a captain, acquired her Captain’s license and runs the boat and her husband is the engineer and handles the lines and fenders and they are perfectly happy with that arrangement. They said the boat is now for sale as they are getting older and can’t do the cruising they used to do. They said the boat originally came without a manual and they have meticulously documented a complete and detailed manual for the boat. I’m sure it would be a great boat to buy as they take such good care of it so I’m sure it has to be in perfect condition. We helped them with their lines as they left and watched as she slowly took her out of the slip and headed out the channel.
We too were leaving
Wentworth-By-The-Sea today, but a little later, about 10:00 AM so we will reach
Kennebunkport on a rising tide. Now as we head to more northern water, the
tides are becoming an important factor as we consider the times we reach harbors
or ports. A current either flooding or ebbing can create an easy or difficult
situation when docking. It is also helpful to arrive at an anchorage at near
low tide to see the rocky ledges that are becoming so abundant in Maine. It
gives you a heads up to where the dangers are lurking if you leave on a rising
tide when many of the ledges won’t be visible. It’s a whole new kind of boating
again. It’s a whole new ball game as we are heading into Maine waters today. 
Larry is giving me plenty of practice taking the boat off the docks now. Today I have a pretty easy shot, straight out, as he backed the stern into the slip when we arrived. I just have to remember to turn to keep away from the submerged ledge just in front of us. We all hated to leave Wentworth but the idea of a new port and unknown territory always is the stronger urge. So I take her out and Bud and Larry take in the lines and fenders. As we leave the comfort of the breakwater and enter the lobster pot mine zone, Larry takes over. He weaves his way around the unbelievably numerous lobster pots. Off to our starboard side we can see a clear view of the Isles of Shoals.
ISLES OF SHOALS
It’s an interesting group of islands shrouded with lots of mystery. We were unable to go there as the holding for an anchorage is not good for a boat our size we’ve been told. Boaters have been going to these wind swept islands for over 400 years. We’ve read and heard there are moorings there for the taking, first come first serve, but no guarantee on its holding capabilities. The winds weren’t blowing in our favor either, so we’ll just have to view the islands from a distance and imagine what it would be like to meet up with some of its ghosts that reside in the strange and lonely hotel, that is eerily visible for miles around. There are plenty of strange stories about the islands, stories of murder, and frozen fishermen. Tales of pirate treasure lurking there have been passed from boater to boater for many years. We stare at them and wonder as we see them fade into the salty horizon.
COAST OF MAINE
We change our attention to the mainland with its picturesque lighthouses, mansions, quaint cottages, rocky ledges and beautiful beaches. We also pass, many fishing boats now, busy hauling in their catches surrounded and followed by flapping screaming sea gulls. Ziggy is suddenly become wild on the boat, yelping and sniffing through the strong closed metal doors. He hasn’t done that since cruising Central America when dolphin or whales were about. We scan the horizon for a blow of a whale or dolphin but none to be scene. We’ll have to be left with the mystery of not knowing what Ziggy knows.
ENTERING KENNEBUNKPORT
We have a nice lunch on the boat as we are cruising along. The sun is out and seas are calm. It couldn’t be better. It’s a short trip today as soon we are approaching the entrance channel to Kennebunkport. We have two greens to follow in and a red on the breakwater. The sighting is deceptive as you don’t see the opening to the breakwater on the approach. It’s as if we are heading straight into the beach. We see a large yacht anchored just off the beach precariously close to the shore and just off from the entrance at the breakwater. Little fishing boats are going in and out of the hidden breakwater opening and give us a clue as to visually where it is and now we see where to go.
Off to our starboard is a lovely old sailboat heading in under full sail so we slowed down giving him right away. It’s an unusual looking boat with dark maroon colored sails. It makes a great backdrop to the rocky shores and stone church just behind.
Once inside the breakwater the channel is narrow. People and kids are on the rocky breakwater fishing and playing. Bud and I are getting the lines ready and I can hear people on the breakwater yelling “hello Knotty Dog”. I’m amazed and confused because they can’t possibly see our name on the back of the boat.
Once inside, the channel, we head down the narrow but beautifully picturesque Kennebunkport River. It’s small and quaint and though we’ve been here several times before by car, it’s a spectacular experience coming by boat. By boat you see the natural beauty of the river and marsh grasses totally missed when on land. It’s a very picturesque place, with lovely quaint boats on mooring balls to each side of the river.
We hail Chick’s Marina and they are expecting us. They give us instructions where to dock. They said to pull up on the outside dock just past the fuel dock. They are ready standing on the docks and with their help, we tie up easily. A very efficient and friendly staff greets us. The marina is small but is full of beautiful boats, very traditional wooden boats. There was one old wooden round a bout covered in perfectly varnished and polished teak, a blue hauled East Bay, another blue hauled Hinckley and so on. You get the picture. All are meticulously maintained. Lines are perfectly coiled on the docks. Need I say more about the place?
GEORGE & BARBARA
photo galleries
We settle in and discuss the agenda for dinner and sightseeing. We all decide we’ll take a walk to town, check it out and stop at the Arundel Café and make reservations for dinner. Larry and Bud head down the dock. Susie and I are just getting ready to go when we see an ominous jet black zodiac go by next to the boat. Across the side it says “SECRET SERVICE”. Two young serious guys are on the boat. We were so interested in seeing the words “SECRET SERVICE” on it that we completely missed for a brief moment that the boat they were following was President Bush’s boat!
We were so excited and at the same time disappointed because we had missed seeing the Bush’s. Just as we were getting ready to catch up with Bud and Larry, they came back down the river and President Bush pulled his boat alongside and docked right behind us! We just couldn’t believe it was President Bush Sr. and Barbara Bush with friends and family aboard. We were so excited, just like school girls and didn’t quite know what to do. The Bush’s were looking at our boat and we went out on the back deck and said “hello”! They waved and smiled back.
By now people on the dock were realizing it was the president. Bud and Larry must have seen them as they went up to their boat and said hello to the president and shook his hand! Susie and I came out and Barbara said “that is a very, very cute dog!” (About Ziggy). They all very friendly and looking over the boat and said “Knotty Dog, nice boat!” We thanked them and said how much we admired them. Now a few people were gathering and starting to hover but they were still very friendly to everyone. They didn’t stay long, just enough to chat a little with everyone and soon they left as the Secret Service followed them. They waved goodbye to us. WOW-------------THAT WAS GREAT!!!! To hear the president and Barbara actually say the name of our boat and how nice it was and what a cute dog Zig was, will be a very, very special day for us. We think the world of them and it was just such a thrill. Thanks to you George and Barbara Bush!!!
KENNEBUNKPORT,
THE TOWN
photo galleries
We just had a great time in this town. It’s so beautiful and friendly, and there’s so much to do, great shops, café’s, artist galleries. We got the dinghy down and took a cruise up the Kennebunkport River as far as we could go, just going slow, and enjoying the scenery. Bud and I took the kayaks out one morning and headed up to the mouth of the river and got a ride back with Larry and Susie pulling us with the dinghy. They dropped us off in the center of town so we could ride with the current back to the boat. It was a lot of fun. As we were paddling back we saw a small sailboat come in with a few people on board. They were kind of hanging out but looking at us. I finally waved and said “hello” and then one of the guys asked if we brought the boat all the way around from Washington. Then I knew that these were secret service people in plain clothes because we were far from our boat and they knew who we were. It was interesting and good to know that there is lots of protection for the Bush’s here. We told them we brought it from Santa Barbara and they said they thought that was great.
We explored the shops and bought some shirts as mementoes. Larry got his haircut and it turns out he’s the same barber that cuts George Bush’s hair so that was fun. Susie and I visited several of the galleries and the town is full of art galleries. Susie had fun talking with some of the artists. We had a great dinner at Arundel one night and discovered the young waiter grew up in Pasadena where Susie and Bud were from and knew their boys. Turns out they were childhood friends. Small world isn’t it?
Kennebunkport, picturesque and
laid back, is just a great place. We really hated to leave but decided to keep
up with our plans to head north. We wanted to experience some anchorages in
Maine before we finally wound up in South Freeport Susie and Bud will get a
rental car and drive back to Boston to fly home.
photos marina
LAST MORNING IN
KENNEBUNKPORT
photo galleries
I got up early before everyone
was up and walked with Ziggy out to Walker’s Point to get a glimpse of the
Bush’s house out on the rocky point. It was a great walk, past beautiful
beaches, lovely homes and the wonderful Old Colony Hotel. When Zig and I
arrived back at the dock, the secret service had brought back Bush’s Boston
Whaler to fill her up with fuel. I stopped and talked with them a little and
took pictures of the boat, getting a shot of his pilot seat with the
Presidential seal and his life jackets with the same emblem. Bud came out and
chatted with them too. We asked many questions about the boat and asked what
it’s like to be with the President. They said he loves to go fishing and the
boat can go up to 80 mph, and that’s faster than the Secret Service! They said
it runs smooth as glass. They said the Bush’s are wonderful people and always
make time for people and especially those in the service or police, fire
fighters, etc. The dock guy said that George Bush invited him to fish off their
rocky shore anytime and one time invited him over to the house see a flight
show. He said they are very generous nice people and the town loves them.
It was time to go. We started engines. I was taking her off the dock again, getting lots of good practice. The current was flooding pretty strong so this would be good experience for me to see how the boat handles with a current. It handled just fine and did the 360 degree turn against the current heading out the river to the ocean with no problem. Once out, Larry took the helm so the rest of us could see Bush’s house. We passed right by it. We noticed on the chart that there are restricted buoys keeping people off at a distance from the house. The United States flag was flying prominently over the estate. We were wondering if perhaps they were having their morning coffee and would be glancing out at us as we passed by. Maybe they said, “There goes Knotty Dog”.