Sailing Vacations
A Maine Windjammer

Good morning everyone. Sun rise this morning in Fort Point Cove is quite peaceful. The sky last night was clear as a bell and the sun dancing on the calm waters is blinding. Grab the sun block folks, looks like another beautiful day in Maine. We are working on our photography and learning about the natural history of the Maine coat this week. Last week was our 7th leadership academy with the fraternity Delta Tau Delta and once again they have done it with style. We ask them to push themselves through unfamiliar territory as we challenge them to learn enough skills to get the schooner from A to Z on the final sailing day. Standing bow watch, learning safe line handling and knots, steering, helping with the domestic chores, and navigation... all in a days work for these guys. And a little soul searching about lifestyle choices and leadership to top it all off at the end of each day. Then up again the next morning for a run ashore and an invigorating dip. I know it was a challenge. Than...

Good morning everyone. We are dockside this morning in Castine. We spent a very peaceful evening here getting a chance to walk ashore and see this very beautiful and very historic town. Castine has a very rare combination of natural wonders, revolutionary war history and a marvelous rubble stone light atop Dice Head just a mile walk from the docks. We are so lucky. We spent Monday night at Isle Au Haut... one of my favorites and did sail out to Seal Island to see pelagic birds like puffins and auks. I am having a bit of trouble with my camera but managed to catch a few images. Auks set a wonderful example for us all, holding their chin high no matter what the weather. I know I am anthropomorphising (that can't be a word!) but I admire them just the same. The sunset at Isle Au Haut was just... well just... well, see for your self. Just like a watercolor painting created in just a few moments and then gone in a flash as the canvas roll away with the sun. The stars and planets popp...

Good morning everyone. What a day we had yesterday. The sun was shining, the wind was perfect and the temperatures, although cool, were just right for a sweater and shorts. We left Castine's docks yesterday after a wonderful visit to Dice Head Light. All was calm so we pushed with the yawl boat up through my favorite eagle watching spot in Holbrook Harbor. We were not disappointed. The bay seems to be teeming with wildlife this spring. We sighted two razor billed auks and a storm petrel the day before. And late yesterday afternoon we sighted a whale breeching, at least a half dozen leaps clear of the water. We are debating wether it was a very young humpback or an adult minke. The spout was not distinct enough for us to truly identify it. Some folks have told me that minkes do not spout although I have read that their spout is indistinct because they begin their exhale before reaching the surface. I found a photo of the spray from a minke spout but the mystery of yesterday's m...

Good morning everyone. We have had a very high energy cruise these last 5 days. Aboard for a sail training experience have been the 8th grade classes from the White Mt. Waldorf School and the Hartsbrook Waldorf School. Heads, hands and hearts have been put to work in the culminating experience for each of these classes that have been together with the same teachers for the past 8 years. The close knit tenor of these groups was displayed in their remarkable ability to tack sails, navigate, and tackle all the chores associated with running a large sailing vessel. As these photos by Hartsbrook educator Jeff Kalman will tell you. These folks were busy! Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Good morning everyone. If time flies when you are having fun we must be having the time of our lives. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. The schooner has looked much like the last blog about swarming bees, a hive of activity that has spilled over into the wee hours of dawn and dusk. When will we ever learn to let a few things go instead of trying to get everything perfect at the last minute? The crew has done a magnificent job all reflected in the wonderful time we had Memorial Day weekend. The weather was perfect and the NW wind on Sunday had us passing many miles under the fresh paint on the keel.We spent most of Sunday bowling along at 7 or 8 knots with few peeks at 1O knots with just the four lower sails set. What a thrill! As many of you guessed the secret project was a new main topmast. She is all shiny bright and standing proudly over the harbor. Here are a few photos by Jim Dugan of the topmast arriving in Camden and being carried aboard. We got more than ...