The bicycle ride was not the Skipper's idea but 'The 39 Steps' was

Caduceus
Martin and Elizabeth Bevan
Fri 22 Jul 2011 22:59

Position           44:12.40N 069:03.06W

Date                2359 – Friday 22 July 2011 (UTC -4)

 

I should explain that Maine is having its hottest July on record with daytime temperatures getting on towards 100°F (38°C).  One might therefore question the Mate’s decision that a bicycle ride to Rockport was a good idea.  We cycled through a golf course.  Now this is a green with a view, also an excellent opportunity for golfers to lose their balls.

 

 

We did get to Rockport about 6 miles with some good ups and downs and a couple of miles of unmade road around a headland so that we could admire the views.

 

 

Elizabeth finds the heat somewhat taxing and was rescued by a lady who was watering window boxes outside the house up the slope in the picture and who disappeared and returned with two bottles of chilled mineral water; a saviour.

 

The same lady gave me directions to the nearest shop so that I could get some more supplies to boost flagging energy reserves.  “Just over the bridge, turn right at the wine store and it is stone’s throw up the road” translated into a half mile over the bridge and a further half mile after turning.  Definitely a case of spatial awareness.  Supplies being duly obtained we returned by a rather more direct route and once again made use of the Club launch to get the bicycles back to the boat.

 

 

Returning to the boat and looking across the harbour I saw a red ensign, then recognised it as an Oyster and finally saw the obvious and striking coloured Bimini – it as Sulana and Alan and Sue Brook.

 

 

We last saw Alan and Sue in Bermuda when Alan was preparing to sail direct to Halifax and then on to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.  I had heard from Sue yesterday for the first time in a month that they were by happenchance in Rockland, 6nm south and about to sail to Boothbay.  Getting our email reply that we were in Camden they decided to change plans and come up to see us.  A wonderful surprise.

 

We had already booked tickets to see a repertory company performing ‘The 39 Steps’ so we made up party with dinner in the Waterfront Restaurant before going onto the show.  It was great to be able to catch up as we had both had very different cruising areas for the last 8 weeks.

 

’The 39 Steps’ was described as Alfred Hitchcock meets Monty Python.  It was well put together and actually followed the John Buchan Story very well with some clever use of a small cast and minimal scenery.  The lead was an Englishman but the other three members of the cast were American so there were some interesting accent changes from Chicago hood to Scottish crofter!  The humour was to my taste, if not everyone in our party.  The actual theatre building and auditorium is great.  Rep in Camden; cannot be bad.