Position           43:19.27N 069:30.81W

Date                2359 – Wednesday 29 June 2011 (UTC -4)

In an endeavour to time our arrival with a decent amount of daylight in hand we had a somewhat leisurely start and took advantage of the convenient, if expensive for the USA, fuel dock at Brown’s Yacht Yard to fill with diesel and petrol for the outboard.

Departure from Gloucester involves passing this wonderful remnant from Gloucester’s past.  There is something very familiar about it; I suspect that it is much painted and photographed.

With little wind and hazy sunshine we motored until we were past the lights marking the outer end of Cape Anne.

We were then able to switch off the engine and gently make our way along the rhumb line for the 150nm overnight trip to Mount Desert Island.

The real joy of the afternoon came with our first sighting of whales, at about ½ nm.  Two whales, species not identified but hey were 20-30 foot with a dorsal fin and a large fluked tail.  We were treated to a number of blows that came with a real explosive noise.  Definitely worth 9,600 miles travelling.  Regrettably there were not any photographs this time.

Progress was not dramatic as the wind was very much from astern but as the forecast predicted it gradually veered into the west giving us wing on wing on a starboard tack and then a gybe for the same on a port tack which took us to midnight.

Catering note  – the freezer still manages to produce bricks of curry and the Mate can still magic pappadums from the depths of her lockers.