Sunday-Tuesday June 19-21: Three Long Days to Maine

     Sunday morning we left Nantucket early to ride the tide up to Woods Hole.  We were hoping to get across Buzzard’s Bay to Onset Harbor, and we knew it would be an all day event.  Our bail-out plan was to stay in Woods Hole if we were tired or if the weather wasn’t cooperative, but it would be better to get right up to the Cape Cod Canal if we could.  We would only have a short window of time to make it through the Canal with the tide on Monday morning.  It’s possible to go against the tide, but the wind would also be against it, which would make a pretty choppy ride.  

     We had debated going around the East side of Cape Cod instead of up through the cut at Woods Hole and the Canal.  It would make for a long day’s travel to go up and around to Provincetown but it might cut a day off our travel in the long run.  However, tides that way were not in the same time frame as we were.  We would have to leave at three in the morning, and the weather forecast was vaguer than we liked.  So we opted for the longer route.

Nobska Lighthouse, Woods Hole

     We had a fairly pleasant run to Woods Hole and we did make it to Onset Harbor, but with a heavy following sea most of the way.  Our autopilot does not like those conditions and we ended up steering.  Wrestling with the helm as we surf the waves gets old pretty fast.  At least we had the tide with us most of the way. 

Cleveland Light, Buzzard's Bay

Western entrance to the Cape Cod Canal

     We dropped the hook around five pm, both of us tired and a little stiff.  Onset Harbor is a shallow little harbor in Wareham MA right around the corner from the Cape Cod Canal.  We stayed there a year ago, the first time we came down this way.  It has a narrow, tricky entrance which we had navigated in thick fog in 2015.  Piece of cake tonight!

     Monday morning we were up and into the Canal by seven am.  Winds were forecast to pick up from the W as the day progressed, with gusts up to 25 and the tide in the canal would turn against us by ten am, so we wanted an early start.  Good thing the sun gets up so early these days!  We were both up and about before six.  

     Dan stopped at the marina in the harbor of refuge at the Eastern end of the canal for fuel.  We hadn’t fueled up since Rock Hall, MD - not bad fuel consumption for a motor-sailor!  We topped off the water too and then got ready to leave.  Except when Dan turned the key to start the engine we got nothing.  Not even a click.  

     Dan went out to inform the fuel attendant of our plight.  He had already untied most of our lines.  He kindly just started tying things down again, saying we could use the dock until someone came along for fuel.  Dan quickly rolled up his sleeves and yanked up the engine cover to start going over the wiring.  Afraid he would need more time, he asked if we could move into one of the nearby marina slips temporarily.  “For $10 an hour, sure.”  The fuel attendant replied.  Dan debated a half second then asked the man to call him if someone else needed this dock and went back to work.

     Wonder of wonders, he immediately found the detached wire that was the problem.  Within ten minutes he had it fixed and the engine running.  I’ve said it before but it bears saying again - there is nothing that man can’t do.

     A half hour later we were out of the Canal and into Cape Cod Bay.

     The winds and seas were already starting to pick up as predicted and by noon our autopilot gave it up.  We spent the rest of the afternoon taking thirty-forty minute shifts at the helm.  We were hoping to see whales, but even the whale watch boats had to go over the horizon, and we didn’t hear if they saw anything.  About mid-afternoon we did see a schooner and Dan speculated as to which vessel she was.  He’s pretty familiar with most of the schooners in New England, but this one had him stumped.  “I’m not sure who it is, but it looks a lot like the American Eagle.”  The schooner American Eagle is one of the Maine Windjammers from Rockland, and is owned by Dan’s brother-in-law Capt. John Foss.  Finally Dan picked up the binoculars to give the boat a good look and he laughed.  “It is the American Eagle!”  He picked up the radio to give them a shout.  They were on an eight day trip, and were heading for Salem for the night.  Fun to see and talk to people from home.

Schooner American Eagle

     We pulled into Gloucester around five pm, tired but pleased with our mileage today.  We found a small spot to anchor between a fishing boat and a large trawler - it’s a big harbor, but the anchorage was popular tonight.  As the sun moved into that golden light before sunset we had supper (chicken Alfredo with extra garlic & onions if you are interested) and watched the Gloucester rowing gigs circle around us.

Gloucester Breakwater

Gloucester rowing gig Gannett

     Tuesday we were up with thunder and a small rain shower.  We had another long day ahead of us, and we wanted an early start, this time to make it to Portland, Maine.  We didn’t have to get all the way to Portland today, but there are few places between Gloucester and Portland that aren’t a hassle or several miles up a river.  So we weighed anchor and ate breakfast as we entered the Blynman Canal - our last canal and our last opening bridges - to cut through Cape Ann to the Bay.  

Blynman Bridge, Gloucester Harbor

     Today the sea was still following but not as pushy as the last two days, and the wind was fairly light onshore.  Ziggy the autopilot kept course all day!  All we had to do was take turns at the helm to make sure we didn’t run over any lobster pot buoys.  Ziggy has a terrible tendency to home in on them.  The overcast morning gave way to partly cloudy skies and we had a pleasant, if long, run up the coast.  As we crossed over into Maine waters, a seal popped up his head and stared at us, as if welcoming us home.  We haven’t seen a seal since we left Maine in the fall.

     Just as we got to Cape Elizabeth, the seas gathered faster and higher and a gusty wind started to blow.  It was the most weather we’d had all day, and we were mighty glad it waited until late afternoon to pick up.  Dan took over the helm and piloted us into Portland Harbor, to Dimillo’s Restaurant and Marina where we had a slip waiting for us.  We tied up around six pm and met our son Will for dinner at the restaurant.  So good to be back in Maine, and even better to be back in Maine with family.

Crazy surf in South Portland!

Portland Head Light