We need a bit of an update since Bar Harbor. No matter where we are, sometimes it's impossible to get connected to the internet. What planet are they on? Hopefully I will get the pictures posted this time.
Anyone out there that can help with some computer training with pictures please forward on our e-mail svxanaduiv@gmail.com. I am retired don't want to have to think toooooooo hard. Cheryl how do you get the photos to send on e-mails so I don't have to do one at a time.
Donato and Jimmy how are you guys doing. Donato you helped us with this site, now it's time for some more hints of how I an make it better. Please!
Well back to Southwest Harbor. On our way into Southwest Harbor ME we came across a couple of thousand lobster pots. They were everywhere, even amongst the mooring field ten feet from mooring balls. Unbelievable! no wonder they are depleting the lobster stocks and only getting $3.50 a lb. on the docks right out of the boat.
We must be the luckiest sailors in town, as we came into SW Harbor at high tide. They have a very large mooring field and we needed fuel and we were not sure where the fuel dock was at the marina that we were going to get fuel at. We went of course to the wrong side of the marina docks and when Jack said there were no sail boats in this area, we turned into the few remaining boats in the mooring field and went to the other side of the marina. As we went there there was a large pole with a red and white checker sign with an ospreys nest on top. They have all kinds of then down here but they are usually on buoys. We get our fuel and get a mooring ball and all is good. At the fuel dock the harbor master says on the radio to a boat that wants fuel, that there is a small sailboat (Xanadu) at the fuel dock and they will be leaving soon. It's started, they say that the farther south you go, the smaller your boat gets is true.
This is the same area as below at low tide
No rocks at high tide scary
A little later we get in the dinghy and go ashore at low tide. We couldn't believe what we saw in the area that we had just taken our boat through, the massive under water rocks that were covered by high tide and not marked on the other side of the docks and around the red and white checker sign. The pictures will show what we mean and we are very lucky that we didn't go aground.
A seal pup stranded on the rocks at low tide.
SW Harbor is home to the Hinkley Boat Building Co. There is a very large collection of Hinkley's in the mooring field. Beautiful boats. We spent two days in SW Harbor and decided to move on. We didn't want to be constantly on the lookout for lobster pots, so we decided to to make the jump from SW Harbor to Boston, about 165 NM. We had to get 30 NM off shore to get rid if the lobster pots, even then there was still the odd one or two in as much as 330 feet of water. The wind didn't co-operate with us and we had to motor sail most of the way. Our ETA for Boston would have brought us in at 2230, not good to enter any unknown harbour at that time let alone a harbour such as Boston. On the way to Boston, at 0100 we had over heating problems again. We got it sorted out and during the day made the decision to activate Plan B, go to Provincetown MA. Things were going well for a landfall at Provincetown at 1830 and we again had over heating problems. We nursed our way in to Provincetown in the dark and secured to a mooring ball at 2200. We ended up staying in Provincetown for 4 days as one of the hoses on the heat exchanger split and we had to have one shipped in from Washington state.
Advertising in Province Town
Afternoon at the bar with the guys
Even though we were stuck there it was a great time. Lots of bars, great food and entertainment and lots to see and do. Once again a large mooring area and they pick you up at your boat with a launch. We met up with a couple that we had met in Port Hawkesbury NS., John and Judy from S/V Castellina. Small world. We had breakfast together and talked about where we have both been since we last crossed courses and met up for drinks ashore later that evening.
One night we went to a local bar for a couple of drinks after coming back from Boston on the high speed ferry. It's Kareoke night and the host was dressed in drag and putting on a femme voice until the contestants needed a baritone back-up singer. What a laff. Half the crowd was gay and the other half, I'm not sure, except for Jack and Linda of course. Did I mention that Provincetown is the gay capital of the USA? None the less, it's a great place to visit and lots of fun.
We decided instead of sailing to Boston, we would take the high speed ferry to Boston. Wouldn't you know that morning one of the high speed ferry captains puts the ferry up on a sandbar just outside Boston Harbor. We heard about it about five minutes after it happened over the VHF radio and were lucky enough to get tickets on the competitions ferry before the rush. A lot of people missed flights that day.
Passenger ferry carries about 300 passengers ran aground on a sand bar. think someone is looking for a new job
While in Boston we thought that we would catch a Red Sox game. Not to be. They had a night game that day, but we did watch batting practice from the Bleacher Bar, great place. While there, we met a couple from Toronto and a true Bostonian by the name of Phil. We are everywhere. The next day we left for Sandwich MA to go through the Cape Cod Canal.
Boston Red Sox Stadium. The Green Monster
Time for some pictures don't forget to give us an e-mail once in a while or try us on Skype. Xanaduiv
See everyone later.
Jack and Linda
