6 Oct 15

Much warmer this morning; we did not even have to start the generator and heater to get out of bed. After a leisurely breakfast, we let go the mooring ball about 09:30 and motored around the south end of Devil Island, past Camp Island, back up into the Deer Island Thorofare, past Stonington (which looks like it would be worth a stop next year), across East Penobscot Bay, around the north end of North Haven Island and down to Pulpit Harbor. Just to the SE of Eagle Island, I motored between two lobster pot floats (the set up where they are tethered together), although the one tied directly to the lobster trap was apparently submerged, as I never saw it. As we motored through the (non-apparent) gap between the two floats, the visible one came rocketing toward us as the keel hit the line. I instantly threw the throttle control into neutral and both floats popped out behind the boat a long 10 seconds later. I don’t know if they just worked their way under the keel and rudder or if the rope-cutter on the prop-shaft cut the line, and I don’t much care, as long as we did not get tangled up with the mess. No harm, no foul. As we rounded the north end of North Haven, the wind was fair, so we cut the engine and sailed the rest of the way. About half way down the west coast of North Haven, we met the “J&E Riggin” and the “Lewis & French” (a couple of restored schooners on the cruising circuit) headed the opposite direction, probably toward Eggemoggin Reach and Brooklin. We saw them both last year at the tall ships gathering in Brooklin. We sailed into Pulpit Harbor and dropped the anchor at the southern edge of the mooring field in 22 ft of water at dead low tide, with 120 ft of chain out, at about 12:30. After lunch, we rowed to the town dock and went for a long walk on North Haven Island. Along the way, we passed numerous apple trees heavily laden with ripe apples. One of them was right on the roadside and I just had to pick one and try it; it was a small, well-shaped apple of indeterminate variety, but it was the best tasting apple I have ever bitten into - the Sancerre of apples - it was just sublime. So, on the way back, I picked a couple more. We finally found our way to the North Haven General Store and stopped in for a look and to say hello. On the walk back to the boat, a friendly islander - Fletcher - offered us a ride back to the town dock. Back home in time for our last happy hour and dinner aboard on the hook this year. Early tomorrow, we will trek the last 10 miles to Rockland to begin final preparations for the winter haul-out.

https://youtu.be/v8Fcb1cGjVk

44-09.204’N, 068-52.967’W