Floating

 9/8- Rockland ME

   The forecast called for the wind to be decent between 7 and 9 this morning. We got up early to try and at least get the sails dried out. It turns out those forecasters lied. The wind was 10 knots out of the west that lasted from 7 until noon. Those bastards made me sail all the way from Holbrook on a beam reach sometimes getting up to 6.5 knots. The nerve of these people!!

    Of course by noon we were not in Rockland but were about 5 miles away. We were at this point drifting faster than we were sailing. The decision was whether to continue to wait for the wind which was coming eventually from the south or to give Mr Perkins a nice workout. We figured Mr P deserved to end the season on a high note so we fired him up and burned off some carbon. 

   There was a huge cruise ship in the harbor today which was constantly ferrying people back and forth into town. There was close to 3000 passengers on the ship being brought into a town of 7200 residents. The shopkeepers must have been drooling. 

   Once we got settled on the mooring I went to shore and arranged for a spot on the dock in preparation for hauling out. We tied up on the dock and took our sails down and folded them up for the winter. We may be hauled tomorrow if the guys have time. This may be the last time we are floating this year. 

    It was a great season. We got to sail in the Chesapeake for several weeks. Then we cruised up the Jersey shore with an overnight sail and through NYC again. We sailed around Long Island Sound and spent time at Block Island.  We explored some of Buzzards Bay and the Cape Cod canal as well as the eastern shore of Massachusetts. Finally we got into Maine and after a lengthy stay in Falmouth made back to Penobscot Bay. Of all the places we have sailed right here is still our favorite.  

    We traveled 1200 nautical miles this summer through mostly very nice weather. We went to a Cape Dory rally in Maryland and made it back to Maine in time to join the CD cruise up here. It will be a summer to remember for sure. 

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