Sailing Vacations
A Maine Windjammer

Good morning everyone. Well as if Monday wasn't enough we did tack offshore yesterday towards Mt Desert Rock. With full sail set we left Frenchman Bay with our eyes peeled sharply on the horizon. Getting through our watch rotations was nigh on impossible. Late afternoon brought the cry from the bow watch "she blows!" Far in the distance we could see a humpback whale breeching so we eased sheets to get a closer look. She was a wary creature keeping at least a half mile off at all times. To see her spout was magic enough for me. If you look closely at the right side of this picture you will noticed the spray still in the air from where she first spouted. Please forgive my pictures. They are not that good but they might convey a little of the excitement we all felt. The show close aboard was no less amazing as shearwaters, a lone puffin, petrels and a blue fin tuna chasing fish and leaping clear of the water did not go unnoticed. Who says you can't have your cake and

Good morning everyone. Fullnesss.... that just about describes our live these days. We are pretty darned lucky to be out here sailing among the islands, enjoying lots of warm sunshine with occasional rain to keep things from getting too parched. This week is our annual Wooden Boat School course where participants get to play deckhand, learning some new skills and practicing the art of life as a crew member aboard a sailing vessel. I kinda like that image of "practicing the art of life". The full moon rose over the tree tops last night. And just at sunrise she was dipping along the western tree line. Sunrise was elegant and warm. As Jim Dugan says don't just look at the actual event but notice how things are reacting. Even a blackened charley noble seems to glow with the help of a wooden deck keg. Yesterday the wind came strong northwest as it tends to do this time of year as cool air begins to filter down from Canada. We sailed over 50 miles averaging 6.3 knots the whole

Good morning everyone. I hope you folks are staying cool today. It is wicked hot here and we are quite glad we are sailing this week. The winds have been quite light these last few days. Swimming has been the order of the day. The annual Great Schooner Race was held yesterday in Blue Hill Bay and Mary Day did what she does best in very light air. She waltzed her way through the fleet and was at the finish line pretty much unaccompanied. But that is not much of a story really. We just happened to get many lucky breaks and held the breeze while many of the other boats were held back by fluky winds. I can tell you I never stopped looking over my shoulder as schooner upon schooner took great advantage of some of the lucky breaks. The schooners Stephen Taber and Timberwind were like Americas Cup boats match racing to within a few boat lengths at the finish. Congratulations to the Taber of the Coaster class. Heritage took a long tack away from the fleet that payed off big as she took honors

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Good morning everyone. We enjoyed a noon time picnic yesterday with big blue skies overhead. I had never been to this particular beach before. You can see why it might get a little crowded in mid-summer. We sailed off shore yesterday out around Isle Au Haut looking for pelagic birds. Gannets were everywhere diving from great heights into the water. Ouch! Made my head ache just to look at them. We could see showers passing off in the distance and big clouds made up over the land. The rainbow was just the icing on the cake. And the clouds billowing up over Robinson Pt Light reminded me that it is all about the light. Have a great day. Be well. Do good

Does your Mother know where you work?? Any guesses out there? Have a great day. Be well. Do good.