Yarmouth to Westport

      We spent two nights in Yarmouth, the first on a mooring so we could take advantage of the showers and laundry, and the second at anchor because someone else wanted the mooring.  (The marina has three moorings available.)  The dockmaster offered us a dock space for the same price as a mooring, but we declined because we don’t have to worry about the cat jumping ship if we’re not tied up.  We were pretty sure we’d be tied alongside fishboats in Westport and in Grand Manan, our next to potential destinations, which means she’ll have to be shut inside the cabin.

Yarmouth: "on the edge of everything"

We took several long walks during our two days in Yarmouth, and met several new friends, including a couple from Harrington, Maine.  During our sojourns we discovered a well-stocked grocery store! only a little over half mile away, and in the other direction was a small lake with a swim club.  The day we were there it was too windy for us to feel like swimming, but what a great thing to know should we be there on a hot day.  

Mama and baby deer out grazing in someone's front yard in Yarmouth.

We left on Monday and traveled through the fog to Grand Passage and Brier Island, where the small town of Westport resides.  We tied up to a fish boat - fifth in a line of boats tied to the wharf - and set off to get a lay of the land.  Westport is an adorable little town, two streets wide and surrounded by a lot of undeveloped land.  The major industry is fishing - the shore is lined with lobster houses and private fishing sheds - but the summer industry is whale watching.  There are two major companies that offer whale watching and several of the fishermen have their boats set up to take people out as well.  Lots of tourists come for the day on the free ferry from Long Island just to go out whale watching.  The town has several rental cottages, a lodge, and a small B & B to accommodate overnight visitors.  We were the only cruisers.  By the end of our first day, several locals we met while walking about already knew we were “the people from the cruise boat.”  

Westport, Brier Island

Willie Dawes in Westport -5th from the dock.

        

        We walked from one point of the island where the light house is, to the other end where the plaque honoring Joshua Slocum is.  Joshua Slocum, if you aren’t aware, wrote the book Sailing Alone Around the World, which is Dan’s favorite book.  Joshua lived in Westport as a boy.  Brier Island also offers many trails, and we’ve been on several of them, exploring rocky cliffs, small coves, and even a nature walk through a bog where Westport is working very hard to restore the natural setting in order to help preserve the Yellow Avens, an endangered flower that up until recently was known only to grow in New Hampshire.  

Joshua Slocum Plaque

Bog Walk, Westport

         We will spend at least one more day here, as we wait out the nor’easter that is bringing rain and lots of wind to both Maine and the Canadian Maritimes.  (Our next cruise will involve crossing the Bay of Fundy to Grand Manan, and the wind and tide have to be working together and with us to make for a good passage.)  Who knows what else we will discover on this small slice of Canadian heaven?  I’m almost ready to start looking at the houses for sale here in Westport.  

Dan's cairn on the lighthouse point.

On the way to the lighthouse.