Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Kittery Maine

Photo: Notice the rocks, 7 foot tides, this is only 1/2 way down...

We sailing/motored from Marblehead to Kittery Point, Maine, in flat calm glassy smooth waters. What a difference one day makes out on the ocean. This was a beautifully clear sunny day, one of the few we have had since departing Maryland 14 days ago! So this is what the SUN looks like?

CAVU led the way, arriving for the first time at her hailing port of Portsmouth. Ron shared fascinating information about the history of Portsmouth area. We arrived as a fleet and connected with the harbor master who led us to mooring balls at a great price of $15.00. Pepperrell Cove is the spot to go off Kittery and you can easily walk up to Fort McCleary and overlook the harbor. To run over to Portsmouth, NH, you need a cab or, if you are lucky, you could get a yacht club tender to pick you up and run you across the river. The current is enitrely too strong to run with our 4 hp dinghy.

We spent the remainder of the day taking in the beautiful sun, the blue sky, and walking the quaint little town. Frisbee's, the oldest general store in North America has been owned by the same family since 1823. In the evening, the entire armada met for dinner at Captain Simeon's and generously paid for our meals in thanks for our efforts for the group. Thanks everyone!

On Tuesday, the sky dawned grey and showery. Undeterred, we got a ride from CAVU and toured Portsmouth's Strawberry Banke historic section, which is like a small, nautical Williamsburg. We were lucky to have a great tour guide, Polly, who was friendly and knowledgeable. The barrelmaker was especially interesting. Nearly everyone gathered for a late hot lunch at the Portsmouth Brewery. The evening was spent aboard in a rolling anchorage, trying to make an educated, weather-based, decision on when to leave for Portland.

Fort McCleary looking back down to our harbor

Flat Calm Sea, motoring. Notice the sea grasses

No comments: