43:32.9N 70:14.0W

Wed, Thurs & Fri -  11^th, 12^th & 13^th Sept

Wednesday was a nothing sort of day as we knew that bad weather was coming our way on Thursday and so there was no point trying to make ground southwards as the very few anchorages down the next part of the east coast are pretty exposed to both the winds and swell expected. In the evening we entertained Amanda and Mark on board for supper and had a good time until the first distant cracks of thunder signalled that it was time for them to beat a hasty retreat, which they did in time to beat both the first bolts of lightning and the first drops of rain.

By midnight the bay was illuminated almost constantly by back to back bolts of lightning, and the crashing roar and endless rumble of the thunder directly overhead rendered any attempts at conversation pointless. We took all the usual precautions storing all electronic devices etc. in either the oven or the microwave to protect them as best possible from the devastating effects of a direct or close lightning strike. That was all we could do really and so we headed off to bed to get as much sleep as possible.  The peak of the storm was quite simply awesome (yes I know this is a vastly overused word in this country, but believe me the term ‘Shock and Awe’ was coined to describe this very event!)  Electrical storms are very definitely something that the Americans do very well indeed.

Thursday was expected to be horrid and in fairness it pretty much lived up to the forecast. It was not too windy, but there again we were well tucked into a very well protected spot in a good anchorage, but all day the thunderstorms rolled around the area and so every time we thought that it was OK and got out the computers to do some work, the flashes would recommence and the deafening cracks of thunder would force us to abandon such ideas and return the computers etc. to the oven. But there was a near fatal catch to all of this as Sarah had also decided that she wanted to bake a couple of home-made loaves in the morning and so of course just as she needed to light the oven to bake her freshly risen dough – the thunder rolled and lightning flashed and we had to choose between bread or technology. Technology won but this part of the storm passed over quickly and we still got the bread into the oven, although it was not quite as it should have been – but it turned out flat and wrinkly on top but very tasty in the end.

Friday was the day when Balvenie and ourselves were all set to make a run for the next safe spot some 20 miles south west. The forecast was favourable for an afternoon start so we had a leisurely morning. Probably just as well as we woke up to see – well, nothing at all as it was dense fog again. The fog thinned and then closed in again several times but by 1400 hours we felt that it was OK for us to take a chance and head out and see what it was like further out to sea.  Amanda on Balvenie was not keen on this option and they usually do not venture out much in fog (very sensible really, but quite limiting here in Maine.)

The visibility was very variable between 40 yards and a mile but as we got further offshore this improved a lot. Sadly the fog was then replaced by torrential rain and a very unpleasant big swell which was coming from the east and was the result of Tropical Storm Gabriella which had just passed to the north of us. So we bashed our way along under engine and finally arrived in the protected bay behind Richmond Island. I say protected, but this is a loose term rather based on what direction the wind and waves are coming from! In our case the swell romped into the big bay and the wind and topography of the bay meant that we were forced to anchor on a lee shore with a roll coming in on our beam. (read; bloody unpleasant!)

Balvenie followed us in about an hour later and we chatted on the VHF and called it a day as it was still pouring with rain and was very cold and unpleasant outside and neither team wanted to launch a dinghy. We agreed that this was just going to be a crap night, but since we had over 60 miles to cover the next day, we might as well get an early night as a 0600 hours start was our best option for the morning.