Position           44:06.30N 069:05.77W

Date                Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 August 2012

There are two main routes from Southwest Harbor to Rockland, through the passages or south and outside all of the islands.  We chose the more direct but navigationally interesting passage route.  That took us through the Bass Harbor Bar Gap, the Casco Passage, the Deer Island Thoroughfare, the Fox Island Thoroughfare and finally across Penobscot Bay to Rockland.  This is 47 miles of fascinating sailing through beautiful scenery.

A seal on a rising tide in the Deer Island Thoroughfare

Steve Dashew’s Wind Horse spotted in the Fox Island Thoroughfare – last seen in Las Palmas before the ARC 2010

Rockland Harbor Light and breakwater beautifully set off by a passing small schooner

We took a mooring in Rockland Harbor as anchoring s not recommended.  The harbour is huge and busy so the boat was a little more lively at the mooring than other places.  We also had some very heavy rain which made staying on board until it was time to go ashore to catch the bus to the party an easy choice.

The Lyman Morse yard is in Thomason 5 miles by land from Rockland.  We were treated with the experience of travelling in a yellow school bus; a first for us but not for the majprity of the other passengers – oh the nostalgia.

The party was partly for the Penobscot Bay Rendevous which was taking place and attracting a great number of boats large and small and alsop to celebrate their building of a new boat for Stanley Parris, an OCC member who at the age of 76 intends to race around the world non-stop in 2014 in an attempt to set a new record.  A fascinating “eco” designed boat by Bruce Farr and being built by Lyman Morse in aluminium and finished to a high cruising quality.

Kiwi Spirit – 4 weeks to launching

Fortunately the party was held in the vast boat sheds which as just as well as the weather outside was positively “British”.  The hanger doors were opened so that we could stand inside and watch the fire works being set off outside in the rain in honour of the occasion.