Day 7 Seal Bay to Northeast Harbor

The night was clear with temperatures in the upper 50s. The day was beautiful and sunny all day.  High sixties with NW winds of about 15 knots. Temperatures in upper 60s. Nice day but still feels more like late spring than the middle of the summer.

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The sun made a full recovery today and managed to shine brightly all day. The air was clear and cool with a good NW breeze. This was actually nice as the breeze was from behind us and the breeze was from the mainland which meant that there were mild seas as the wind had no fetch to roil the sea.

We left Seal Bay about 0800 and motored leisurely through Merchants Row passing Stonington and then on to Mount Desert Island and Northeast Harbor.

This is our anchorage at Seal Bay this morning - really a special place!

And on the somewhat circuitous way out.

Here we are crossing East Penobscot bay and looking toward Merchant Row.

A few seals enjoying the day.

Crossing Blue Hill Bay with Mount Desert and its mountains in the background. This sight always makes me wonder what the first explorers' and settlers' thoughts were when they saw this - excitement like I do or fear and trepidation - or some combination of both.

The much photographed Bass Harbor Lighthouse

We have entered the passage between the outer islands known as the Western Way. Northeast Harbor is straight ahead - carved nicely out of the foothills

Northeast Harbor.

And a stop at the Colonel's Bakery in town for some cream rolls and chocolate glazed donuts - the best donuts ever made - and priced accordingly.

Tonight we had one of each for dessert - a sugar high of grand proportions that is making me sleepy and indicating that it is time to retire and thus say .................

Good Night and May God Bless

Day 6 Pulpit Harbor to Seal Bay

The night was rainy and windy with temperatures in the upper 50s. The day started cloudy and turned  sunny with a passing rain shower late afternoon. High sixties with calm winds in the morning turned to 15 knots of breeze from the west in the afternoon.

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Yes it was a blustery night. The harbor provided great protection from any waves, but the wind got real strong at about 0200 with heavy rain. And the captain, on the bow, of this schooner next to us looks like he was up most of the night keeping an eye on things - I was.

 

The morning started with clouds and fog.

Then about 0900 the sun managed to gain control of the day over the clouds - but the battle lasted through the day. 

This small dory provided a great addition to the photo of Pulpit Rock.

We headed south along North Haven island. This amazing home has always impressed me every time I see it - today was no different.

Soon we were rounding the southern end of North Haven and heading east through the Fox Islands Thoroughfare.

And soon pass the Sugar Loaves

With Brown's Head Light on the opposite shore

There are a number of summer ''cottages" here as well

This is the town of North Haven

This is the east end of the Fox Islands Thoroughfare.

 

 

Looking back at the Fox Islands Thoroughfare.

 

A short distance south along Vinalhaven Island we reached the entrance to Winter Harbor - straight in - and Seal Harbor that is a turn to the left after the second island.

Here we have turned in the entrance of Seal Bay

We found our favorite spot just west of Hay Island. The clouds provided a great enhancement to the sun's departure for the day.

 

So you can see it is time to say .......................

Good Night and May God Bless

Day 5 Holbrook to Pulpit Harbor

The night was calm and the air clear - but this brought cool temperatures in the lower 50s - glad we put the fleece blanket back on the bed. The day was sunny to start then clouds and rain in the evening. High sixties with calm winds in the morning turned to 15 knots of breeze in the afternoon.

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The day was again an easy ride. There are so many great spots within short distances of each other that day travel can really be minimized if you are in no real hurry to be somewhere in particular. Today's trip was traveling down the east side of Isleboro to Pulpit Harbor in North Haven Island. This photo is looking west over Isleboro to the mainland as evidenced by the Camden Hills. The long distance shots do not do the grandeur of the scene justice - but I trust you "get the picture."

 

And you can see there is ship traffic that moves on Penobscot Bay. This tanker is coming from Searsport and headed to sea.

 

This is looking nearly 180 degrees from the above view. Looking at the north end of North Haven on the right and other islands to the left.

Here we are approaching Pulpit Harbor.

Some amazing summer places guard the entrance.

And this is Pulpit Rock - the sentry of the harbor.

We are anchored and this is the view out the harbor that looks west.

Time for a walk. We dinghy to the town dock.

A bridge crosses the back water of the cove - it is call Mill Pond.

And looking the opposite direction.

Just several hundred feet beyond the bridge we decide to check out where these steps would take us. It does indeed take us along Mill Pond for a most pleasant hike. We have never taken this trail as we are most often headed to the island store. Another find in Maine!!

 

 

Another tree that is finding it hard to keep its roots underground - shallow soil in the rocky areas of the coast.

Rain from this summer has certainly brought us very green forest moss.

Friends Bob and Paula from Honeydew are here. We join them for dinner and have a great time catching up. We were able come and go from their boat between rain showers.

As we are back on our warm and dry boat and night has fallen it must be time to say ...........

Good Night and May God Bless