Tenants Harbour - Penobscot Bay, Maine

AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Sun 11 Jul 2010 23:29
43:57.82N, 69:12.45W
 
Well the wind was favourable all the way from Cape Cod Canal to Penobscot Bay blowing from the southeast at 15-20 knots. Just like a trade wind sail but...... at 1700 when we we were half way along the passage the fog rolled in and stayed with us all night all the way to the mooring ball in Tenants Harbour. We saw none of the surrounding islands, buoys or boats around us, spending the whole night in visability of 200 yards or less with eyes out like organ stops. At one point Nikki went below to make a drink and could see mist swirling around the saloon so shut the doors wishing she could stay on the inside! Outside everything was dripping wet and a four hour watch left you feeling like a wet dog after a walk in the rain. Fortunately with the excellent electronics we have the situation was more of an inconvenience than a real danger which enable us to 'see' a 40 ft fishing boat some six miles away heading our way. When Phil called him he had stopped to haul nets in the 20 knot winds - rather him than us we thought. He later called Nikki on her watch to say he could see us and was passing astern of us. That was the only traffic we couldn't actually see but knew of in our vacinity! Arriving off Penobscot we couldn't see any coastline until we entered Tenants Harbour where the fog magically reduced and we were confronted by thousands of lobster pots in the entrance. We had arrived in Maine.
 
Having successfully avoided running over and tangling with any of the lobster pot buoys we picked up a mooring ball belonging to the Cod Head company feeling pretty tired. We have now reached our summer cruising grounds and look forward to seeing the beautiful bays and harbours so reverred by east coast cruisers. A look at the water temperature gave an indication of why fog is so prevelant here. It was 10 degrees C or 50F if that sounds warmer. Falling overboard is no longer an inconvenience to be lightly taken.
 
    
This was a 'not so bad' stretch near the entrance                                                            Picturesque Tenants Harbour is a working lobstering port..........
 
 
  
......with just the odd metal crab to grab you as you pass by                                                Lots of traditional boats come here
 
 
 
    
Cod End seafood shack (Cod End is the last part of a fishing net that holds the fish)     Granite ridges exposed at low water require a yachtsman's deepest respect
 
 
    
Pretending to be interested in lobster pots                                                                Customers are warned - they are waiting to pounce on your lobsters!