Tag Archives: Boston

Boston Again!

Posted on September 11, 2021 | Comments Off

Tuesday (8/31) – Boston, MA

Tuesday (8/31) – Boston, MA

Denise was up very early this morning, craving a cup of coffee, but with the generator not working, she was not going to get one. She would have to tough it out, even though she was sleepy; she had a restless night as she was anxious about the open water passage of today, hoping not to get seasick and concerned about encountering big waves.

The Snow Island anchorage area was as still as it could be and was breathtakingly beautiful. There was no wind and the water was so peaceful. At 5:30 am the large yacht (“Sattori”) at the north end Snow’s Island pulled up its anchor and soon thereafter headed out of Quahog Bay. About 5 minutes later its wake met our boat and created the only ripple on the water.

Mark was up early too, and at 7:00 am we disconnected from the mooring, and headed out into Quahog Bay. We made our way down the bay and into the Gulf of Maine. We had plotted a direct course that would take us right by the Twin Lighthouses of Thatcher Island, just off the coast of Gloucester, before turning towards Boston harbor. This meant we would be running up to 15+ miles offshore in some places, just like when we headed north a short 7 weeks ago.

It was an overcast morning with some salt spray in the air, but no fog, rain or high winds. Thankfully, we had flat seas and it was smooth going. Our course had us bypassing some places we have already been (Portland & Kittery) and missing places we have wanted to go to, but once again cannot make it into our itinerary (York, Isle of Shoals, Gloucester). There were many boats out on the water today, but most of them were sport or commercial fishing vessels. However, about 2 hours into our trip we passed “Satori”, who was cruising along at 13 knots heading south.

Just before 11:00 am we could see the windmills on the shoreline of Rockport, MA, and then we bypassed the Twin Lighthouses of Thatcher Island.

We then changed our course heading more west-southwest and picked up the channel to enter Boston Harbor. It was here that we faced the roughest water all day, and most of it was caused by the traffic in the harbor. We passed a large ship at anchor, but the wakes from the barges in tow, the dredge boat, the high-speed tour boat, and other watercraft had us bouncing around a bit.

Finally, we approached the Charles River and the Constitution Marina, where once again we were able to secure transient dockage for the next week, hoping to leave right after Labor Day. It was just before 1:00 pm and we had traveled 106 miles without issue; for this we were very grateful.

Unlike in past visits where we were tucked further into the marina, this time our slip assignment was on the outer dock facing downtown. At first we were not too happy with the assignment as it meant we would take the brunt of all the passing boats (mostly recreational) all day long. We would also have the new (Washington Street) Bridge construction right off the bow of the boat. We were told, however, that after the weekend we would be able to move to another slip.

After settling the boat and checking into the marina, we went back to the boat to get some work done. We had emails and calls to make, and we made contact with our Back Cove cruising friends Chuck & Victoria (“Argento”), hoping to be able to see them while here. We spent the entire afternoon cocooned to the boat, only leaving for brief breaks to talk with some of the locals, as well as a cruising couple from Pensacola. We also watched the motor yacht “Sattori” whom we had passed earlier in the day, pull into the marina on the long dock.

We were tired, and as much as we wanted to venture to the North-end for dinner, we decided to stay in the Charlestown neighborhood where the marina is located. We walked the half mile to Monument Tavern, a place where Victoria & Chuck took us in 2019 and had a terrific meal there (again). On the way home, we went for a walk through the marina, checking out “Sattori” and the Fleming boat that was docked by them. Come to find out it was “End Game”, whom we met here in July, and saw again in Southwest Harbor Maine. However, the owners were not on the boat and it looks like they were away for the weekend.

Once back on the boat we attempted to stream a movie (“Suicide Squad”), but we didn’t get very far into it before Denise was falling asleep. It had been a long day after a short night’s sleep and so we went to bed to get a good night’s rest.

Wednesday (9/1) – Boston, MA

Fully refreshed from a good night’s rest, Denise went for a run this morning, only she took a different route than usual when here. This time she went north along the Harborwalk Boston path, running past the USS Constitution, up and down the piers around Charlestown Marina, and up to the Spaulding Rehab Center that overlooks the Mystic River. She then turned around and came the same way, happy to finally have some flat land to run on. Unfortunately, the hills around Boothbay Harbor last weekend wreaked havoc on her left leg and now she is nursing a possible injury. Here are some pictures from her run:

After breakfast and getting our day organized, Mark worked on the generator impeller issue and was able to get everything fixed. He was also able to schedule a diver to install a new zinc on the shaft, reducing the opportunity for electrolysis to eat away at the metal. Our previous protection (prop shaft brush) had deteriorated and needed to be replaced, but is no longer made so a substitute was required. Mark had done the research for the alternatives, ordered it, and had it delivered to the marina.

In the meantime, Mark had previously reserved a rental car, which we will use for the next 2 days. We have a lot to get accomplished, including driving 1.25 hours to visit Denise’s Aunt Judy who lives in New Hampshire on Thursday. Right after lunch we got picked up by Enterprise and we were able to then spend the afternoon running our errands.

Our first task was to ship our starboard-side window blind in for repair. It broke late last week and Mark had been working with the Ocean Air people to determine what the best course of action would be: repair or replace. These are very expensive and customized to fit the angle of the Back Cove windows, so repair was the most likely choice. Of consideration is that they are manufactured for Back Cove as a complete set and to make a single new one would have had color-match and other issues to deal with. Therefore, we had to ship our current one to the repair facility, and sought out to find a Fed-Ex location to do this.

As you can probably imagine, the blind is a unique length and finding an appropriate container was a challenge. We worked with the people at the Fed-Ex not far from the marina, but their largest tube was too short so we had to find a longer shipping tube, or come up with a different solution. We investigated office supply places, Walmart, Target, etc. all in the nearby shopping center, but most of these don’t stock the product; it has to be ordered from their website with a 2-3 day delivery. However, it was at Home Depot that we found our solution: the inner core from rugs or carpet sections that people buy pieces of. We had 2 of the most helpful guys assist us with cutting it to length and then suggesting how to cap the ends for protection during shipment, which is just exactly what we did. The one guy told us they have people come in all the time that have to ship their custom blinds back to the factory and this is exactly why he saves the tubes. What a find and what great customer service! Once we got that resolved, we drove back to Fed-Ex to ship the blind.

Nearby the Home Depot and not far from the Fed-Ex place was the Costco we were planning to visit as well. So we stopped there on our way back to Fed-Ex and picked up a few things, including alcohol (yes, this Costco does sell it and wine in their store). Once we were done with shipping the package, we went to the Whole Foods near our marina for a few items, and picked up ‘to-go’ dinners as we were not in the mood to go out or cook. Mark got fried chicken and Denise a teriyaki salmon dish that was really delicious. From there we went back to the boat with all our purchases and settled in for the night.

During the afternoon it had begun to rain a bit, first a little bit of drizzle and by 9:00 it was a torrential downpour. This was the remnants of hurricane Ida that we were anticipating and for which we came to Boston for safe harborage. It was supposed to rain all night and it did. It poured and was so loud on the boat’s roof, that at one point it woke us up. But it eventually calmed down and by the time we got up in the morning it had stopped and the storm was no more.

Thursday (9/2) – Boston, MA

Today our adventure took us north to visit Denise’s Aunt Judy in New Hampshire, via the rental car. We left after 9:30 am to let the Boston traffic die down before heading out, and this worked well. We had no issues and made it there as scheduled. After visiting for a while at her house, with the assistance of her home-health-aid, we took her to Newick’s for a late lunch. This is a local restaurant that is almost tradition for family to go to when visiting Judy, and it is always good. It turned out to be a nice sunny day and we enjoyed our window view overlooking the water; the top of the Piscataqua River.

After we had lunch, we went back to Judy’s house and visited with her for the rest of the afternoon. It was great to get caught up on what is happening in each of our lives, discuss politics, religion and our hobbies. But most importantly it was great to see her. We have been fortunate to get up to NH and see her every year or two, and we really wanted to make this visit happen. We stayed until we could see she was getting tired, so around 7:00 pm we said good-bye and headed back to Boston.

Taking advantage of the rental car, we stopped at a Walmart for a few things, and then Panera for a late dinner before going back to the marina. We arrived at the boat just after 9:30 and were so tired we went to bed almost immediately. It had been a long but fun-filled day and we were glad that our plans all worked out.

Friday (9/3) – Boston, MA

Although the sun was out in the morning it was quite windy and not a good day to travel or be on the Massachusetts Bay. We were here for at least 2 more days until the seas settled and allowed for a comfortable passage south. But the time in port was welcomed as it enabled us to get a few things done, and allowed us to have a little down time which we needed.

In the morning, Denise went to the 7:00 am First Friday mass in the chapel at St. Mary’s. It is as beautiful as the main church, which we always look forward to visiting when here.

After he handled a few work calls, Mark headed out to return the rental car, making a last-minute grocery stop to get our perishable items for the week. Meanwhile, Denise started the laundry, taking advantage of 3 washers and dryers to get most of it done as expeditiously as possible. However, because our slip this time was so far from the marina facilities, it was a long walk. She averaged over 500 steps with each trip back and forth, not to mention the gangplank to the docks that were a challenge at low tide.

During one of these trips she stopped to talk to the captain of the yacht “Sattori”, who was washing the tender for the yacht that was docked in the corner of the finger pier we had to walk down to get to our boat. They talked about cruising down from Snow Island and he recognized our boat name as he had been tracking our AIS signal as we passed him. The yacht has a South Florida hailing port and they discussed the operations of the yacht, cruising from Florida and how the owners were coming aboard for the long weekend in Boston, then they would be staying on through Tuesday before heading south. She left him to get back to work, then returned to our boat, just in time for lunch.

We spent the afternoon handling some work items, reviewing upcoming weather forecasts and putting together a tentative itinerary for next week. We also talked with a woman who lives aboard her boat in the marina, who informed us that later in the evening there would be fireworks in Boston Harbor. They usually have them on Thursday before Labor Day, but because of the storm they had postponed them to Friday evening. She told us we would have perfect viewing from the bow of our boat.

Our dinner decision for the evening was easy: we headed across the bridge and over to the North End for a delicious pizza at Regina’s Pizzeria. When we were here in July we let someone talk us into trying another place, but it we didn’t like it as much and we were anxious to get back to Regina’s. We went early and timed it perfectly as we got a seat at a table right away. Naturally, it was delicious and we had plenty to take some home for leftovers. When we left and saw the usual long line outside, we were glad we came early. On the way home we were tempted to stop at Bova’s (24 hr.) Bakery and pick up some goodies, but we resisted the temptation and headed back over the bridge and back to the boat.

At 8:00 pm, the fireworks started in the harbor, but they were high enough we could see them over the buildings across the river; they were directly in front of our boat. We didn’t even need to go out on the bow as we had a terrific view just sitting in our helm chairs. It only lasted about 20 minutes, and it reminded us that on Labor Day weekend 2015 we were also treated to Fireworks in Chicago when we were on the Great Loop; you can read about that here.

Saturday (9/4) – Boston, MA

The morning started for Denise with a run down the Charles River near MIT; a route she has now taken many times. However, unlike in July, this time there was no “Nancy” to run with. But, she was happy for a flat and familiar route that required no thinking about where to turn. Although it did not bother her during the run, her left leg was very sore the rest of the day and now she is concerned with a possible injury. This is not good as she is supposed to run a Half Marathon in October and this could impact her future training long runs.

We spent the entire day hanging around the boat, talking with some locals, and spending time on the phone with friends and family. It was a good day to reconnect with folks who were afar, but unfortunately, we were not going to be able to meet up with our Boston friends Victoria & Chuck on this visit. We will have to try and schedule a meeting with them when they are back in Delray Beach, FL for the winter.

In the afternoon we walked to church for the 4:00 pm mass at St. Mary’s. This is really a beautiful church and we enjoy visiting it when here. Sadly, we have yet to attend a mass when it is even half full.

For dinner we decided to venture to the North End and eat at an Italian Restaurant (Giacomo’s) that we had been to in 2017. We thought we were sufficiently early to not have to wait (they are FCFS only), but by the time we walked over the bridge and got to the restaurant, the line was at least a 45-minute wait. We checked out another place we had heard was good, but their first available table for non-reservations was seating for 8:30 pm. That was just too late for us, and the lines at all the nearby places were getting long too. Plus, by now we were hungry. We figured we could not go wrong anywhere on Hanover St., so we walked up a few blocks, checked out the Google reviews and settled on “Bencotto”. There we had to wait only 15 minutes before a table opened up for us, and then we were seated inside. It was a delicious meal that was reasonably priced, and we were happy with our choice.

On our way back to the boat we had decided to stop at Bova’s Bakery and pick up some cookies to take with us for our journey south. But once we saw the line here, we decided it was not worth the wait, and we really didn’t need the calories. Just like the Charleston Bells by the locks (closed to pedestrian traffic due to the bridge construction), this too would be missed on this stop in Boston. We made our way back to the boat and prepared for an early departure in the morning. We had our sights set on a long day on the water, and hopeful to make it further south.

During our time in Boston on this visit, the “indoor” mask mandate was put in place, but only if you are in the city limits. It has become a huge joke here as many of the surrounding towns are not requiring it and many people come into the city from those communities. The Whole Foods near us required it, but the Costco we were in earlier in the same day did not because they are outside city limits (but only 3 miles apart). On Hanover St, some of the restaurants are enforcing it, and some are not; they are very vocal about having the government tell them how to run their establishments.

Here are a few more pictures from our stay in Boston this time:

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Posted in Maine 2021

Tagged Boston, Charlestown, Snow Island

Déjà vu Boston!

Posted on July 12, 2021 | Comments Off

Thursday (7/8) – Boston, MA

We had a weather window today to get up to Boston before the winds picked up, and trying to take advantage of the current through the Cape Cod Canal. We left around 7:30 am and headed out onto Buzzards Bay. It was a little windy compared to yesterday, and Denise was very nervous about the conditions we would face once on the other side of the canal. The seas were forecasted at 1’ – 3’ and a northeast wind. Every other time we have come through this way we have had near perfect weather and her anxiety for this passage was high. Although our cruise north should only take about 2.5 to 3 hours, it can seem like an eternity when conditions bring on seasickness, or rough seas.

As expected, cruising the Cape Cod Canal was uneventful, even with the swirls of swift currents wanting to take our boat in different directions. But with many pictures already of this area, Denise was light on the camera and only took a few shots of some uniquely spotted items along the way.

We exited the Canal and headed out onto the Cape Cod Bay on a course that would take us near the channel entrance to Plymouth, one of several bail-out locations we had identified should things get too rough. It was quite bumpy and uncomfortable, but not so rough we couldn’t handle it. There were periodic swells that came from the northeast, and about every 6^th or 7^th would be a 2-4 footer. But the seas were a bit confused from the shifting wind direction of the prior days and in between the swells there would be a bump or two. As we rounded the point around Plymouth Channel and the Plymouth Bay, things stayed about the same and we felt that if it didn’t get any worse we would press on with Situate as our next potential stopping point. One thing we had going for us was that there was little true wind, so there were no whitecaps or tops of waves rolling into us. Had this been the case it would have been miserable.

We entered the Massachusetts Bay and our course shifted slightly more northwest, making it slightly more comfortable. It also helped that what little wind we did have up until now had calmed down even more. By the time we reached Situate we only had 10 more miles to go before turning into the south channel for Boston Harbor, and we knew we could make it all the way into Constitution Marina on the Charles River. But it was still too rough to try and take any kind of decent pictures.

As we entered the south channel, the small barrier islands created a swirl of currents and chop and we were back to bumpy waters. But they were short-lived and before long we were in the main shipping channel into Boston Harbor. Captain Mark negotiated us around an anchored ship and dodged several sailing schools who were taking advantage of the wind to teach their students. And of course under the landing planes at Logan Airport.

Most unnerving during this time we also heard on the VHF a call to the USCG for a pleasure craft taking on water, who was located just south of where we had just passed by. The USCG launched two vessels to assist, along with a TowBoatUS vessel. As we entered downtown Boston area, the solo-captain radioed that he was able to get his bilge pumps to keep up with the inflow of water and eventually got a tow into Boston Harbor. Our hearts went out that boat owner and we kept thinking how lucky we are that there are two of us to work together should something like this ever happen to us. And then we arrived at Constitution Marina.

Our slip assignment was on one of the inner side-tie slips by the pool and marina office, requiring a tight right, then another right, then a left turn to get to it. Captain Mark did an awesome job of navigating the tight turns and docking our Island Office without touching the boats in front and behind us. Denise worked to secure the boat with the help of the dockmaster (Sebastien) who remembered us and welcomed us back. And then as she turned to see the boat behind ours (stern to stern), and read the name she couldn’t believe it. The boat “Travail” was there, as it had been behind us in 2017 when we first came to this marina. You can read about that story from our blog here. The owner Bob was not on the boat, but was expected back to take it home to NH in a few days. We were excited that we might be able to see him again after all this time.

Once the boat was settled, we ate lunch and mapped out our plan for the stay. We had work to do, a blog to update and plans to make. But more importantly, we had to check on the weather. The forecast called for rain to begin in the evening and Tropical Storm Elsa to hit the area on Friday. This meant we would be here for 2 nights at least. We spent the afternoon doing work for clients, and began planning our next destinations once we leave. We had already decided we would not be stopping in Gloucester, even though we received a partial refund from on our cancellation.

Meanwhile, the threatening rain had not yet showed up and we decided to walk to the North End for dinner. We were going to go to Regina’s Pizza, but a local suggested we got to Ernesto’s instead and we agreed to try something new. Denise was disappointed that the usual walk over the locks for the Charles River was closed to pedestrian traffic, so no “playing” of the “Charlestown Bells” along the route. Instead we were forced back up on the North Washington Street Bridge, which was undergoing a major construction and rebuilding project. Once at Ernesto’s we discovered a small pizzeria with limited seating, but award plaques on the wall with great reviews. We thought the pizza was good, but the atmosphere at Regina’s is so much better and decided we prefer the pizza there too.

On the way back to the boat, we had to walk past Bova’s the bakery that is open 24 hours a day. Naturally, we had to stop and get a box of various Italian cookies; our favorite thing they sell. And as we made our way back across the North Washington Street Bridge it started to lightly sprinkle, but didn’t last long.

That night we began watching the second season of “Lupin” on Netflix; a great robbery crime-drama that has English dubbed over French, but is very well done. We were so happy to finally have a good Wi-Fi system and that we could again stream a show in the evening without burning up our hotspot hours.

Friday (7/9) – Boston, MA

We woke up to the constant pitter-patter of rain and looked out on a gloomy looking day. It had started to rain during the night and continued throughout the morning, and the wind picked up, although neither were quite as strong as forecasted. Meanwhile, the area around Cape Cod was getting pummeled by Elsa and we were so glad we were no longer there. Again, we made the right call!

Off and on throughout the day it was so foggy you could barely see the buildings downtown across the Charles River, let alone the tops of the taller ones. We spent the entire day holed up on the boat, working and getting the last blog update done and pictures downloaded and cataloged. We also spoke to family and friends, many who were concerned for our well-being (thank you!). Additionally, the every-direction-changing wind pushed water into places that funneled into the boat. We knew there were leaks, we just have not been able to find out where they originate. So far all we can do is use towels and catch basins to collect the water. It is a rare occurrence, but irritating nonetheless.

In the afternoon, the rains finally stopped and we had a chance to connect with Bob (“Travail”) who arrived on his boat mid-morning during the rain. We chatted for a while and made plans to get together for drinks and dinner, which we did. Again we walked over to the North End, only this time we went to an Italian restaurant he knew of called “Limoncello”. It was located right near Paul Revere’s house and was delicious, and yes, Mark got his usual (chicken parmigiana) and during dinner, the sun finally came out.

Afterwards we went to “Caffe Vittoria” for a cappuccino (Denise) and spumoni (Bob), as per Bob’s tradition introduced to us in 2017. During the time together, we got caught up on each other’s lives and Bob suggested places in Maine, but most of them we had already been to, or are planning on going to this trip.

We ended the evening watching more of season 2 of the “Lupin” series and deciding that we would spend Saturday night in Boston as well. This would allow us to be able to attend church here on Saturday evening, and allow for us to go all the way to Portland or the surrounding area on Sunday morning as the weather looked to be favorable for that.

Saturday (7/10) – Boston, MA

This morning Denise was so happy! She was heading out for a run along her now-familiar route along the Charles River when she met up with another woman also heading out for a run. “Nancy” did not know the area and so Denise took her down the Charles River to MIT. During the run she learned they were on a sailboat in the marina and also heading to Maine. They talked about all things running and places to go in Maine and learned a little bit about each other. Denise was elated to finally have someone to run with!

After the run, showers and breakfast, we both got down to doing some boat chores. We had a chance to meet some of the other transients in nearby boats, including Lon and Pat (“End Game”) from Ponte Vedra, FL. They were on a Fleming 55, hull #200 and we discussed all things boating. They were planning to do the Down East Loop and because of Canada not reopening, they too are now headed directly to Maine. We hope to see them in the future.

In the afternoon we walked the quarter mile up to St. Mary’s Catholic Church for 4:00 pm mass. It is a beautiful church and the closeness to this church is another reason we love Constitution Marina. From there we walked another quarter mile to Whole Foods to pick up a few things for our trip. This is our last true provisioning before Maine and we wanted to make sure we had enough fruits and veggies for a week.

We returned to the boat and talked briefly to Bob (“Travail”) and Lon & Pat (“End Game”), as we all were heading out in the morning to our respective destinations. We then ate dinner on the boat and finished watching season 2 of “Lupin”. Then we went to be early as we planned for an early departure (6:30 am) so we could be at Harbor Fuels when they opened at 7:00 to top off our fuel tank. Off we will be to Maine, finally!

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Posted in Maine 2021

Tagged Boston, Cape Cod Canal, North End

Boston – still!

Posted on October 8, 2019 | Comments Off

Boston, MA – Friday 9/27
After a busy week of family fun and moving the boat quite a bit, we settled into a quiet workday. We had work to do and many pictures to download, catalog and begin thinking about updating the blog. The high winds over the next few days meant we were not going to go anywhere and that was ok by us. Boston is a fun city and we look forward to spending some time here.

We stayed close to the boat all day. The rain was gone and our boat needed a bath, so Mark took care of cleaning the outside. In the meantime Denise took care of some inside cleaning.

With nice weather we decided to walk to the North End for dinner and get that pizza that we wanted last night. We took the path from the marina that goes under the North Washington Street Bridge and over the locks entering the Charles River. Along the way are the Charlestown Bells that Denise always has to play when she walks by. These are tubular bells that hang on the railing along the pedestrian path that use levers to invoke a chime. You can learn more about them here.

Charlestown Bells

The route leads past the Converse store and the Lovejoy Wharf condos on one side, and the TD Garden on the other side.

Converse & Lovejoy Wharf Condos

TD Garden

From there we headed north, crossing Washington Street and into the Italian section of the North End.

North End signage

It is only a few blocks to Regina Pizzeria where you queue up in line and wait for a host to tell you when you can come in and sit down. There was already a line when we arrived, but we only had to wait about 15 minutes. As was the case last time we were here, we agreed to sit at the small bar and that got us seated faster. Once inside we ordered our individual pizzas and a couple of beers. Denise’s first pizza arrived almost totally burned and the bartender suggested she have it remade, which she did. It didn’t take long and another one was presented that was much better.

At Regina Pizzeria

Regina Pizzeria menu

At Regina Pizzeria

After dinner we walked to Bova’s, the Italian bakery that is open 24 hours and is always crowded, especially on a Friday night. Here we purchased a few goodies to take back to the boat.

Bova’s 24 hour bakery

At Bova’s 24 hour bakery

It was a great way to end a fun-filled week, and a quiet day.

Boston, MA – Saturday 9/28
It was a nice sunny morning and it seemed like it could actually be a good day to leave Boston. However, the winds were forecasted to pick up substantially during the morning, and really blow hard in Buzzards Bay near where we are headed next. Denise had been in touch with Claire who was enticing us to leave Boston and take the boat to Falmouth on Cape Cod where they were. We could leave in the morning, but only if we had a long enough weather window to get there and across the very exposed Vineyard Sound. The concern was not just today, but what was the forecast for the coming days as we didn’t want to get stuck in Falmouth for a long time. It is expensive to stay there and without a car we would be limited in what we could do.

We agreed to discuss it when Denise came back from her morning run, in the meantime Mark would look at the options and future weather forecast. Denise left for a run along the Charles River; a familiar and fun route. However, once she made her way down the path near MIT, the wind was whipping across the river and she knew the answer was a no-go for Falmouth. She didn’t even wait for the end of the run before texting Mark back and telling him there was no way we were going out in the ocean (Massachusetts Bay) if the wind was blowing in such protected waters already. Here are a few pictures from her run:

Charles River looking South

Museum of Science

Dinosaur in front of Omni

Once back at the boat we agreed and let Claire know we would be staying put in town. Besides, we had laundry to do and Constitution Marina offered the most affordable place (and convenient) so we made that our Saturday morning task. In the afternoon we walked the half mile up to Whole Foods and bought some steaks to grill out for dinner this evening. We also went to the ACE Hardware (located in the same shopping center) so Mark could do reconnaissance on a shop vac for the boat. He still has not yet found one and will probably order one off of Amazon.

The afternoon was spent hanging around the boat and talking to other boaters including Chuck and Victoria. We continue to share ideas about what we have each have added to our boats, as well as software tools to assist us in our cruising lifestyles.

Later in the day Denise talked with Claire and found out that the wind had picked up early and was really blowing in Falmouth. We knew we had made the right decision as exiting the Cape Cod Canal would have been horrible and we are not about getting beat up just to get somewhere. This is supposed to be enjoyable and rough seas would not make the Admiral happy.

That night there was some type of a surprise party on the porch of the marina. They rent out the facility to the general public and since our boat is right by the marina facilities we were entertained by the music and loud conversations. It was just getting under way when Mark went upstairs to use the grill, but by the time we settled in to watching Game of Thrones we found it to be a bit of a distraction. Fortunately, it didn’t last very long and by the time we were ready for sleep they had wrapped up for the night.

Boston, MA – Sunday 9/29
One of the best parts about staying in the Constitution Marina is that we can leave for church 5 minutes before mass starts and still make it with 2 minutes to spare. St. Mary’s is literally .25 mile from our marina and this makes it very convenient.

We attended the 8:00 am mass and sadly found it to be sparsely attended. The church is magnificently beautiful and the Cantor had the most wonderful voice. But the best part was right after communion when the organist/pianist gave us a wonderful rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Peace in the Valley”. He had a great voice and sounded exactly like Elvis. If you have not heard this song you can find it here on YouTube.

St Mary’s Catholic Church

Inside St Mary’s

St Mary’s pipe organ

After church we walked up to Whole Foods; a daily thing since it is so close. Here Denise purchased some produce for the week while Mark went to CVS (next door in the same shopping center) to buy some Diet Coke. We then carried our packages back to the boat.

In the afternoon Denise worked on the last blog posting and then did some food prep for the week ahead. Meanwhile, Mark did some client work that required a large chunk of uninterrupted time.

We also had been in communication with Claire and John who were headed back to Boston, but staying in a hotel near the airport; they have a very early flight out in the morning and wanted to stay as close as possible. They wanted a pizza dinner, so we made arrangements to meet at Regina’s Pizzeria in the North End. Once again we walked under the bridge and over the locks to the North End where we met them already in line. The timing couldn’t have been better; as soon as we arrived the host came and got us and we were seated in a booth. Again it was delicious and again we had a fun time with them. Unfortunately, we did have to say goodbye as this really was the last time we will see them until we return back home in November.

John & Claire at Regina’s Pizzeria

We walked back to the marina, across the locks and under the bridge, and settled in for the rest of the night.

Boston, MA – Monday 9/30
Today was a working day and a prep day for leaving, including getting a load of laundry done. We had been looking at the possibility of leaving Boston tomorrow with a small weather window to get to New Bedford (80+ miles away). We had been in touch with Victoria & Chuck (“Argento”) who were planning to leave as well, but they wanted an earlier start than us as they planned to go all the way to Newport, RI in one day.

In the evening Victoria & Chuck came over to our boat for drinks, and then we went to Dinner at the Monument Restaurant & Tavern. It is located just past the Whole Foods in the Charlestown neighborhood. We had a good time talking and discussing our cruising plans for the next few weeks, if we can ever get out of Boston. We walked back to our respective boats and agreed to keep in touch tomorrow.

With Victoria & Chuck (“Argento”) at Monument

Monument Restaurant & Tavern

at Monument Restaurant & Tavern

Boston, MA – Tuesday 10/1
We were up early and at 6:30 am received a text from Chuck that they (“Argento”) had left at 6:00 am. We were not quite ready to leave, so we asked them to keep us posted on their progress. We then prepared the boat and left Constitution Marina an hour behind them. Denise had some trepidation as we saw the wind was already picking up and it was more obvious once we got away from the marina. We got half way out into Boston Harbor and received the text from “Argento” that they were near Plymouth and experiencing 4’ seas. Based on this, we decided to turn around and go back to the marina because we knew it was only going to be worse by the time we got there.

We pulled back into our slip, only turned the boat to face the opposite way so we would be buffered by the oncoming wind. And then 30 minutes later “Argento” reported that the seas had settled a bit and they were continuing on; we were now rethinking our decision to turn around. But it was too late to leave as the wind would just build more and we would not have the same conditions as they had by the time we got down to the Cape Cod Canal. This was a wise move as they later reported that Buzzards Bay ended up being a nightmare with 4 -6 foot seas as they pressed on to Newport, RI.

Once we checked back into the marina and resigned ourselves to being here at least 3 more days (due to weather forecasts) we contemplated what to do to take advantage of the time in Boston. We discovered Hugh Jackman’s show was going to be at the TD Garden this evening and contemplated getting tickets. We also looked at other options, including going to the movies.

But we both had work to do first. Denise was able to make a conference call with a client and was also able to get a blog updated published as we were quite behind. Once this was done, we felt accomplished and decided to go get a quick early dinner at the Blackmoor Tavern (restaurant/bar near the marina) and then go to see if we can still get tickets to the show. (We had checked on StubHub but the service fees were half the cost of the tickets and we wanted to avoid that if we could).

We walked over the locks and to the TD Garden ticket office to see what they had to offer. As luck would have it, we were able to get decent seats for a fair price, but a bit far from stage. We ended up sitting next to a handful of actors from the road show “The Lion King” that had just arrived in town and whose show opens at the Opera House on Thursday. It was fine for us, and we were treated to a terrific show. He performed songs from and from “The Greatest Show on Earth”, “Les Miserable”, and a terrific medley of songs about NYC, where he got his big break in theater. He also did an amazing tribute to his wife of 23 years, as well as to other Australian performers who have impacted his life. There was a surprise guest appearance by Keala Settle (from “The Greatest Show on Earth”) who sang “This is Me” from the show and was phenomenal. It was an awesome show and we were glad we went. By the time we walked back the boat it was way past our bedtime.

At the Hugh Jackman Show

Keala Settle – “This is Me”

Hugh Jackman

Boston, MA – Wednesday 10/2
We knew today rain and wind was forecasted, but when we got up there was no hint of it. It was much warmer than it has been recently, but rain was forecasted from mid-morning until late in the day. Seeing this, Mark suggested we go see the movie “Downton Abbey”. The Regal movie theater was too far for us to walk, and it would have taken us an hour to get there by train due to all the stops. So we took an uber and made it to the opening show at 11:30 am. There were only 3 other people in the theater, and by the time we got there the rain was threatening. We liked the movie a lot and we came out of it wishing the tv show was still being broadcast.

Regal Theater for “Downton Abbey”

Fog and terrible weather

We also came out of the theater to a drizzly cold rain and very windy conditions. Of course we had left the umbrella back at the boat. Across the street from the theater was a “Supercuts” and we saw that there was no one in line, so Mark decided to get his hair cut while Denise waited patiently in the warmth of the store. Afterwards we saw a big Target store around the corner, walked to it and browsed around to see if there was anything we couldn’t live without; it had been months since either of us had been in a Target. Finally, it was time to make our way back to the boat. Not wanting to get wet walking to a train station, and from the station back to the boat, and knowing we needed to find something to eat for dinner, we decided to take an Uber back to the Whole Foods near the marina and picked up something for dinner. We then walked back to the boat in the rain, but by this time it was a light drizzle but we were already a bit wet anyway so it didn’t matter.

Boston, MA – Thursday 10/3
This morning was a pretty cold morning on the water with temperatures in the low 50’s. Denise was going to go for a run, but wanted to wait until the weather warmed up. But she got busy and it never happened. She spent the entire day downloading and cataloging pictures and preparing the next blog update. Meanwhile, Mark worked on our ice maker, which has been producing smaller ice cubes and less amounts. He has been on the phone with the manufacturer’s customer support center and has tried several things they suggested. However, each takes a few hours of running to test in order to see if it works. So far we are seeing some improvements, but it is still not making the kind of ice it was 3 weeks ago. He will continue to pursue this in the coming days.

That evening Mark wanted to try a new restaurant located in the North End, called the “The Daily Catch”. It is a seafood restaurant with an Italian flare. So we left for an early dinner and walked to what we discovered was a very small restaurant on Hanover Street (the heart of the Italian District). When we arrived, there was already a line of about 10 people ahead of us. The benefits of being a party of 2 is that you get seated easier, and we didn’t have to wait long at all before we got a table. This restaurant is by far the smallest one we have eaten at during the entire trip. It only seats about 20 people and they have a very limited menu; most of which is fresh seafood. Our waiter was the son of the founders, who have 2 other restaurants and have turned them over to their children for management. In addition to our waiter/owner, there are only 2 others working there; the dishwasher and the chef. The chef has been there 2.5 years and we had a ringside seat to watch his cooking. It was fun to see how each dish is prepared, and at any restaurant in Winter Park we would have had to pay more just to sit at the “chef’s table”; here it was part of the experience. The food was delicious and filling and we hope to come back someday and try their Lobster Fra Diavlo (most famous dish for 2 or more people) or their black pasta.

The Daily Catch

At The Daily Catch

On the way back to the boat we bypassed our favorite 24-hour bakery as we were too full to put anything else in our stomach. We settled into the boat and watched the final episode of Game of Thrones, as well as the special on the Making of Game of Thrones.

Boston, MA – Friday 10/4
The day started off cloudy and overcast once again, with high winds. In the morning we worked on finishing and publishing the last blog update and doing work for clients. We also did updates to software on our devices, and applications as we had a good strong wifi connection and wanted to do this before moving to other locations where the wifi strength was unknown.

In the afternoon the skies cleared and cooler weather started to come in. We reviewed the weather forecast and made plans to leave Boston early on Sunday morning, and updated our reservations for New Bedford; our intended next stop where we had a package waiting for us. We have a small window but have bailout options if we don’t make it all the way in Scituate, Plymouth, Sandwich or Onset. Of course we would like to get as far south as possible as we know the weather forecast in coming days does not look great. We may have us sit for a while

In late afternoon we noticed a helicopter hovering over the North End area of downtown, and it seemed to stay there for an inordinate amount of time; at least 1.5 hours. Mark discovered that it was the start of Oktoberfest activities and not some police activity or traffic issue. If we would have known about these activities, we probably would have made plans to attend, but it was too late in the day and we still had things we wanted to get done on the boat.

Helicopter stationary for hours

In the evening we had a light dinner on the boat, watched the Clint Eastwood movie “The Mule”, and then an episode of The Great British Bake Show before turning in for the night. It was a low key day, but that was quite alright with us as we are sure there will be more days ahead full of adventure on our Island Office.

Here are some other pictures of the area around the marina:

Marina office & facilities

Fountain in square near Whole Foods

Winthrop St – Charlestown

Little Free Library in Charlestown

Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge

Stay tuned for more of our adventures on Island Office

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Posted in Down East Loop

Tagged Boston, North End

Family Fun Time!

Posted on October 4, 2019 | Comments Off

Belfast, ME – Friday 9/20 – Bar Harbor Side Trip
Today was the start of a weekend long adventure with Denise’s sister (Claire), her husband (John) and their son (Johnny) and his wife (Scarlett). Our plans included an overnight in Bar Harbor, and then moving the boat south to Rockland. Because of our change to stay in Belfast and not go to Bucksport, we now would meet up with everyone in Bangor. We knew the route well by now, and it was on the way (sort of) to Bar Harbor.

But first we had our own little mini-adventure. Since returning from his business trip on Saturday, Mark has been trying to locate a dry cleaners that would be able to get his “work clothes” cleaned in case he had to go on another client visit. The service in Belfast would not be fast enough to get it done before we were leaving and we didn’t want to wait until we got to Boston as that might be too late. We were successful in finding one in Rockland (where we intend to be on Monday & Tuesday) and they could have it all ready for us by Monday afternoon if we could get it to them by noon on Friday.

So, after picking up the rental car from Enterprise, we first drove the 40 minutes to Rockland to drop off clothes for the cleaners. We then turned around and drove right back through Belfast and on to Bangor to meet with Claire and John (driving) and Johnny & Scarlett (who had flown into Bangor that morning). Here we met at the Bangor Police Department (BPD) to (once again for us) visit the Duck of Justice. For those of you who don’t know, the BPD has a famous Facebook page with nearly 300,000 followers. Office Tim Cotton is the man behind the postings that offer a glimpse into life of the BPD, and the communities around Maine, often with a humorous twist. His posts are legendary and with the Duck of Justice (DOJ) – retrieved from a garbage can a few years ago, he has become a mascot of goodwill and all things positive. The DOJ is now a featured celebrity in the police museum and many stop here daily to have their picture taken with him.

Bangor PD – Duck of Justice

We were lucky in that Officer Cotton was in the office and we had the opportunity to meet him in person. He told us about his upcoming book, his podcasts, and spent some time talking with us about Maine in general. Claire was able to present him with a photo album of her wearing the famous DOJ T-shirt (with the now-famous saying “Keep your hands to yourself, leave other people’s things alone, and be kind to one another”) in all of the half marathons she has walked/run over the last 4 years. It was a terrific time and we had a lot of fun. Thanks TC and BPD!

at Bangor PD with TC

After this excitement, we took the gang to McLaughlin’s Seafood for their first lobster meal in Maine. But this time we went to the McLaughlin’s at the Marina – their nicer restaurant in Hamden overlooking the water. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the view and of course the food.

McLaughlins Marina Restaurant

At McLaughlins Marina Restaurant

From there we drove to Bar Harbor where we checked into our hotel (Quality Inn) and then Denise & Claire went to pick up their race packets for tomorrow’s Bar Harbor Half Marathon. It was sponsored by the YMCA which is also where the race packet pickup was, as well as where the start and end of the race will be. It was a short walk and after a little window shopping around the Village Green area, they returned to pick up the rest of the clan. Once we were all together, we went to the main shopping area in town and walked down to the harbor where we watched the sun slowly set. It was a beautiful and warm day and there were a lot of people enjoying the view.

Quality Inn Bar Harbor

At Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor

From there we went to the Bar Harbor Lobster Company for a delicious dinner on outdoor picnic tables, enjoying the low humidity and delightful weather. It was a great way to end the first day of our adventure.

Bar Harbor Lobster Company

At Bar Harbor Lobster Company

Belfast, ME – Saturday 9/21 – Bar Harbor Side Trip
For Denise and Claire, the day started with the Bar Harbor Half Marathon. It was a beautiful course through downtown Bar Harbor and then around Eagle Lake and along the carriage trails of Acadia National Park. There were a few small hills and a long climb between miles 6 & 7, but overall it was a terrific race. The best part was ice cream during the after party, especially since it was unseasonably warm. During this time the rest of the clan went to breakfast and then joined the girls for the after party.

Before Bar Harbor Half Marathon

Start of Bar Harbor Half Marathon

Bar Harbor Half Marathon – carriage trail

Eagle Lake – Bar Harbor Half Marathon

At Bar Harbor Half Marathon

At Eagle Lake – Bar Harbor Half Marathon

Water Stop – Bar Harbor Half Marathon

Eagle Lake – Bar Harbor Half Marathon

Ice Cream after party – Bar Harbor Half Marathon

Denise & Claire went back to the hotel while Johnny, Scarlett and John went to walk across the shoal to Bar Island, only doable during low tide. They were so impressed they made us all go back there for Claire to see it before leaving Mount Desert Island. Since we had already seen it in 2017 we agreed to stay with the illegally parked cars as there was no parking available near the bar.

We left Mount Desert Island and headed back towards Belfast, stopping in Bucksport for lunch. We discovered the Friars Brewhouse Taproom; a local microbrewery that was run by Franciscan Friars and also known for their bread. Although seating was available, the small kitchen and single cook (Friar) was unable to handle the lunch rush so we were asked to wait in “purgatory” for about 10 minutes. We had no issues with the wait and took in all the sights of the restaurant. It was worth the wait as the food was delicious and filling, and the beer was awesome. Not to mention we all had a wonderful time laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

Friar’s Brewhouse Taproom

at Friar’s Brewhouse Taproom

Claire & John in “Purgatory”

At Friar’s Brewhouse Taproom

Sample filight at Friar’s Brewhouse Taproom

At Friar’s Brewhouse Taproom

After lunch we drove our cars back to Belfast by way of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, and then got Claire, Scarlett & Johnny settled into our boat. The girls and Johnny went to do a little shopping in the stores of downtown Belfast, while John went to look for a hotel room for the night. This was pre planned as we knew there was no way we all would sleep comfortably on our Island Office. (Note: John and Johnny are both over 6’ so they need more than the average space for sleeping). Eventually John found one at a local hotel across the river and came back to retrieve us all just in time for dinner.

We really wanted our guests to experience the quintessential Maine Lobster Pound experience and there is none better than Young’s Lobster Pound in Belfast. It is about 1.5 miles from the marina on the other side of the river. We were able to bring in our own alcoholic beverages and knew enough to bring a (disposable) table cloth as well. Everyone agreed that the food was the best and most affordable meal, and we were treated to an awesome sunset over Belfast Harbor. It was lots of fun and a great way to end a perfect day.

At Young’s Lobster Pound

Young’s Lobster Pound

Sunset over Belfast from Young’s Lobster Pound

Rockland, ME – Sunday 9/22

Belfast to Rockland

For the first time in 3 weeks, today we would be moving the boat; this time to Rockland. But first we all went (once again) to mass at St Francis of Assisi church. Afterwards, John and Mark returned our rental car to Enterprise while the rest of us got the boat ready for departure. Then before leaving Belfast we needed to get a pump-out, which seemed to take forever. Finally, we (Mark, Denise, Claire, Scarlett & Johnny) were on our way on Island Office, while John drove their rental car to meet us.

It was a nice day to be on the water and our 1+ hour trip was fun. We were able to sit back and relax while Mark drove the boat south to Rockland. On our left was Islesboro Island and on the right we passed the coastal towns of Lincolnville, Camden, and Rockport. Before long we were passing the Samoset Resort on the point at Rockland, and the Rockland Breakwater and Lighthouse.

Getting a pumpout before leaving

Johnny & Scarlett while under way

Claire while under way

Samoset Resort

Breakwater Lighthouse

As we approached the Journey’s End Marina where we had a preassigned slip, we noticed there was a boat in the spot where we were supposed to dock. The marina office is closed on Sundays (after Labor Day) and there was no one around to ask where to go. Since there were several open slips nearby, we took one that was vacant and was a side-tie on the side we had already set up the boat for docking.

Shortly after we settled the boat John arrived with news he found a possible hotel for him to stay in for the night. So he and Claire left to go finalize their stay at the nearby Rockland Harbor Hotel, leaving us some time to chat with Scarlett and Johnny. It was fun to just hang out with these young people and learn of their plans for the future, starting a new job (Johnny) and their desire to buy a sailboat.

When Claire and John returned, we all went to Breakwater Park to walk out to the lighthouse. The entrance is located near the Samoset Resort, but the walk on the breakwater was more treacherous than we anticipated. With the wind and now setting sun, we only made it about a third of the way to the lighthouse before turning back, stopping to take a few pictures along the way.

At Rockland Breakwater Park

Plaque at Breakwater Park

At Rockland Breakwater Park

At Rockland Breakwater

Johnny on washed up raft

From there we went to “Claws” for dinner. Of course lobster and lobster rolls are their specialty and we believe they have some of the best in Maine. We sat in their screened porch area and enjoyed a view overlooking Rockland Harbor.

LEAD Technologies Inc. V1.01

Order numbers at Claws

After taking us back to the boat, Claire and John headed to their hotel. This allowed Johnny and Scarlett ample space to spread out their sleeping arrangements, resulting in a good night’s rest by all.

Rockland, ME – Monday 9/23
For Claire and Denise, the morning started with a sunrise run around Rockland Harbor and the houses near downtown.

Sunrise in Rockland Harbor

Harbor shoreline in morning

Houses near Rockland Harbor

House overlooking Rockland Harbor

Halloween decorations – Rockland home

It also took us past the Sail, Power & Steam Museum, and the Rockland Yacht Club.

Sail Power & Steam Museum

Rockland Yacht Club

Afterwards the sisters went to the Atlantic Bakery Co for a healthy breakfast and coffee.

Atlantic Baking Co

Runners breakfast

They then walked to the hotel to pick up the rental car. John had noticed a nail in the tire and rather than deal with the rental car company to repair it, they took it to a local tire company and had it fixed in 30 minutes. Then Claire took Denise back to the boat so both could get showers and get the gang moving on the day’s adventure.

Once back at the marina, Denise noticed the boat had been moved to another slip. Apparently when we came in yesterday, the slip we tied to was a seasonal renter who just happened to be gone. When the marina office opened they wanted us moved, so Mark, Johnny & Scarlett made it happen. It was good experience for these future cruisers.

IO at Journey’s End Marina

Eventually everyone was ready to go and we headed out on the days adventure. First was to go to Owls Head Lighthouse. This is the easternmost point on the mainland that overlooks the western Penobscot Bay. It offers a terrific view, even on a slightly hazy day. We walked up the steps to the top, took some pictures and then went back to the museum and museum shop. On our way back to the car we encountered a group of artists who were getting an instruction by another artist. Johnny provided some humor to the artists when he offered to be their model for the day. It was hilarious!

Path to Owls Head Lighthouse

USCG Station Owl’s Head

John at Owl’s Head Lighthouse

At Owls Head Lighthouse

Johnny agreeing to be a volunteer

We had wanted to get a hamburger at the Owls Head Market, where two years ago we enjoyed their super delicious hamburgers. Sadly, we had learned they had closed and the market itself was up for sale. It all worked out ok as none of us were hungry anyway. After we did a quick tour around Owl’s Head Bay we decided to drive up to Camden and show this very touristy, but cute waterfront town to our guests. It was about a 30-minute drive and we arrived to find a parking lot right on the street; something you can never do in the summer months. We walked the short distance to the harbor and walked along the water taking in the scenes including watching the boats queue up at Lyman Morris to be put up for winter storage. Eventually, everyone was hungry and so we went to grab some lunch at Sea Dog Brewing Company.

At Camden Harbor

at Sea Dog Brewing Co

After some good food, a few beers and lots of laughter, we had to get back on the road. Johnny & Scarlett were flying out of Bangor later in the day and Claire & John would be taking them to the airport. However we first had to return to the boat in Rockland to drop off Denise & Mark, and so the young Rooks could pick up their luggage and goodies they acquired while visiting Maine.

When Claire & John left, Denise & Mark got busy with a few boat chores and business items. When they returned we went to the grocery store and picked up some chicken and other items for a relaxing and delicious dinner on the boat.

We didn’t stay up late as we were all tired and we wanted to get a fairly early start in the morning. We got John and Claire settled into their sleeping arrangements for the night and called it a (very fun) day.

Portland, ME – Tuesday 9/24

Rockland to Portland

Today would be our last day in Maine and we wanted to enjoy the water and coastline as much as possible with Claire. However, it was going to be a bit windy and we wanted to get underway sooner in case things got worse than forecasted. While most of the way we would be in protected waters behind islands, there were several areas where we would be exposed to the wind and waves, and it could make for an uncomfortable ride. With this in mind we left the dock at 8:00 am.

Our plan was to cruise to the Dolphin Marina at Potts Harbor near Harpswell and John would drive the rental car and meet us there. We have stayed here twice before and love the place, especially the restaurant that sits out on the point. This family owned enterprise also houses a lobster pound and a walk up lobster “refresher” that has terrific lobster rolls. But the best thing about the place is the very large blueberry muffins and fresh coffee that is hand delivered to all the boats in the marina every morning.

Once outside the Rockland Harbor we cruised around Owls Head and took the inside route through Owls Head Bay. Here we passed the lobster pounds and houses that we had driven by during our adventure the day before.

Leaving Rockland Harbor

Owls Head Lighthouse

Owls Head Bay

We then turned in a more southwestern direction and things got a little bumpy. As we crossed the very open Muscongus Bay and around Pemaquid Point, we rolled with the 2+ foot swells that crashed on our nose. It was just enough to make Claire and Denise a little queasy and not happy. Fortunately, it only lasted about 45 minutes and soon we made our way back behind some of the barrier islands near Boothbay Harbor. We passed along Rams Head Island and its interesting lighthouse.

Ram Island Lighthouse

Houses on Linekin Is near Boothbay Hbr

But we still had to get around Small Point, another area where we would be very exposed. As luck would have it, the swells were less and came from a little bit off our port side (not right on the bow) so the ride was a bit more comfortable. About this time John called to give us a report on the Dolphin marina. Because it was late in the season, the restaurant was only open on weekends now. He loved the marina and surrounding areas (and ate a great lobster roll for lunch at the Lobster Shack), and thought it was a cool place. However, with no restaurant (and our planned dinner for the night) it meant no blueberry muffins in the morning.

With this information, we decided to press on another hour and go all the way to Portland. This would give us a chance to see the city (John & Claire have never been), have more dining choices, and set us up for another run down the Maine coast to New Hampshire while the weather was still good. A phone call later and we had reservations at DiMillo’s Marina, right in the heart of downtown Portland’s “Old Port” neighborhood. Denise plotted a course that took us behind several islands in Casco Bay, and afford Claire an opportunity to see another part of coastal Maine. Mark steered us past Eagle Island, and then through a channel that runs along Peak’s Island and past Fort Gorges, before entering Portland Harbor. Here there were several boats enjoying the harbor and the Norwegian ship “Escape” was docked at the cruise terminal.

Houses on Peaks Island

Fort Gorges

Norwegian “Escape”

Approaching DiMillo’s Marina

Captain Mark negotiated a narrow entry into the marina and docked the boat without issue, despite the narrow fairway. DiMillo’s has a boat brokerage that is a Sabre/Back Cove dealer, and to say we were surrounded by the family of boats is an understatement. However, it is also a well-liked marina by many delivery captains so it was full of larger yachts as well. As we checked into the marina office Claire located John who was trying to find a parking place, which was available right in front of the marina offices.

We then started our adventure walking around the downtown shops near the marina, including on Fore Street. We began contemplating dinner and started asking the locals in some of the shops we went into for recommendations. We were also interested in any rooftop bars where we could get a view of the city from up high. Captain Mark was able to locate a place in the Westin hotel, but it meant walking about a mile to get there. We were all ok to get some exercise, so we made our way along the downtown streets, taking in all the sights along the way. Here are few pictures of what we saw:

Fore St. – Old Port section

Children’s Museum of Maine

Portland Museum of Art

Congress Square Park

Building at Congress & Free St.

Longfellow Statue

Eventually we arrived at the Westin and took the elevator to the top floor. While not a rooftop bar, the indoor bar on the 18^th floor afforded us a birds-eye view of downtown Portland. We had a few drinks and an appetizer and enjoyed the terrific views, including watching the “Escape” leave port.

Portland Harbor from Westin

South view from Westin

Congress Sq from Westin

We spent some time discussing where to go to dinner and after receiving a second recommendation for Roma Café, we made a reservation for it on Open Table. We finished our drinks, mapped the route that would take us further away from the boat (but not far), and headed out walking towards the restaurant. Soon we realized we were headed to a local’s joint, and not the touristy places along the waterfront. The buildings were mostly brownstones and the place had a neighborhood feel to it. We arrived at Roma Café and found a delightful relaxed restaurant in an old converted house with very friendly service. The food was delicious and we were so glad we made a reservation, as the place filled up fast with a long wait to get in. If you are in Portland you should try to eat here.

We had also been told of the speakeasy-like bar (Bramhall Pub) that is connected to the restaurant, but the entrance is located at the stairs outside and runs under the restaurant. After dinner we ventured into the place just to have a look around. It is very rustic with the original bricks and beams exposed and is dimly lit (so hard to see in pictures). It had such an old world feel to it that we found intriguing. On another night we may have stayed and had a drink, but we were tired and ready to head back to the boat.

Roma Cafe – Dinner spot

John & Claire at Roma Cafe

Inside Bramhall Pub

We had considered getting an Uber to take us back to the marina, but decided to walk off our dinner instead. It really wasn’t that far and taking a different path back to the boat we were able to see some pretty cool sites along the way. Most intriguing was the large statue of movie director John Ford; a native from Portland and winner of several Academy Awards – most notably for “Stagecoach”, “Grapes of Wrath” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence”.

John Ford Statue

Once back at the boat we made plans for tomorrow. Again Claire would ride in the boat with us and John would drive in the car. Tonight was our very last night in Maine and we were sad that it was time to leave this wonderful state.

Wentworth by the Sea (WBTS) – New Castle, NH – Wednesday 9/25

Portland to WBTS side trip: Somersworth & Lone Oak

Knowing it would be the last day to have a running partner for a while, Denise and Claire got up for an early morning run before leaving Portland. They headed north from the marina past the cruise ship terminal and saw a new cruise ship approaching into port. They continued along the “rail-trail”; an old rail line converted into a bike and pedestrian path along the water. Here they also passed the Fore Points Marina; a new marina that just opened and was considered but rejected because it does not yet have all its facilities operational. After turning and heading back, they took the path up the hill that ran by neighborhood homes, a condominium complex, and a park. On the way down the hill they encountered a group of young people who were just getting started on their fitness routine for the morning; running up and down the stairs that would lead them down the hill and back to the boat.

Dawn over Portland Harbor

Fore Points Marina

Homes overlooking east end beach

Incoming cruise ship at dawn

Here are some other pictures we took of items in and around Portland:

Art Sculpture on Commercial St.

PIece of Berlin Wall at DiMillo’s

Wind generator at DiMillos dock

Locks art sculpture at DiMillos

After returning to the boat and getting some breakfast, we untied the dock lines and headed out of Portland Harbor. Even though it was less than 50 miles to Wentworth by the Sea, we wanted to leave early because we had a full day of activities planned once we arrived. Once again John followed by car as Claire joined us for the cruise south.

It was a nice sunny day with calm seas and few clouds, allowing for some great pictures. We left Portland passing by the Spring Point Ledge Light, Fort Scammel, Ram Island Ledge Light and finally Portland Head Light.

Spring Point Ledge Light

Fort Scammel

Ram Island Ledge Light

Portland Head Light

We passed the twin lighthouses at Cape Elizabeth, the Nubble Lighthouse, and eventually the Whaleback Lighthouse at Kittery Point before approaching the entrance into the channel towards Wentworth by the Sea (WBTS) – a Marriott resort.

Twin Lighthouses at Cape Elizabeth

Nubble Lighthouse

Whaleback Lighthouse – Kittery Point

Approaching WBTS

Breakwater wall – Ft Stark

We chose this location because it was close to Somersworth, NH where our Aunt Judy lives, and who we would be visiting later in the day. Nearly 15 years ago we were here by car and claimed how cool it would be to bring our own boat and stay at this very posh resort. It is quite expensive, but the opportunity presented itself and for a single overnight we decided to splurge a little. After all, our 30^th wedding anniversary celebration was uneventful and we figured this was a good substitute.

We arrived at the marina and settled the boat, then we went to the marina office to check in. Here we learned that everything at this resort is extra (pool, gym use, etc.) and since the marina is independently operated, we would get no Marriott points; which we had already expected but felt it didn’t hurt to ask. John was able to find parking near the docks and met us at the boat.

IO at WBTS

Our adventure for the four of us began with a 30 minute drive to Somersworth. We were so happy that Aunt Judy was available as she has been traveling, has more company coming next week, and just completed a major house project that took a lot of time to manage. We visited for a little while getting caught up on life in general and helping her with a few mini projects (Mark & John). We then went on an outing to a local U-Pick farm and market about 20 minutes from her house. Here we purchased some very fresh produce (apples, etc.) and had a great time acting like children and taking pictures of all our fun.

McKenzie’s Farm

Denise & Aunt Judy

Judy, Claire & John at McKenzie’s Farm

Denise, Claire, John & Mark at McKenzie’s Farm

Denise & Claire at McKenzie’s Farm

At McKenzie’s Farm

From there we drove to Lone Oak for our dinner and dessert. This is a “refresher” type restaurant that is well-known for its delicious homemade ice cream with outrageously huge serving sizes. However, on Wednesdays they have half priced lobster rolls, which means dinner and dessert could be combined into one stop. Our family has been coming here for years and it never disappoints.

Lone Oak

At Lone Oak

We drove back to Somersworth, said goodbye to Aunt Judy, and then headed back to WBTS for the night. We really enjoyed our time with this wonderful woman and we are so grateful she could spend time with us. It was a perfect day and we had a lot of fun.

Boston, MA – Thursday 9/26

WBTS to Boston

As the sun was coming up, Claire went for a run and Denise went for a walk around the WBTS property. Here are some pictures of this really pretty place:

Sunrise over WBTS

Wentworth by the Sea Inn

WBTS – entrance

Wentworth by the Sea marina

LATITUDES Restaurant at WBTS

Homes across cove from WBTS

WBTS Country Club

Today Claire and John would be leaving us; while we move the boat to Boston, they will drive there and see some of the historic sites in town. Afterwards they will head to Cape Cod to spend time with John’s cousins and for Claire to run another Half Marathon on Saturday. So we wished them safe travels and then left for Boston; it was shortly after 8:00 am.

Leaving WBTS

It was a cool sunny and clear day with little wind, so the cruise south was pretty comfortable. However, Denise was worried that after we passed Gloucester the wind was forecasted to pick up and we would be very exposed, resulting in a bumpy ride for the last hour or so of our trip. We did have bailout options, but really wanted to make it all the way into Boston. Our route took us down the coast of Massachusetts to the Annisquam River; an inside route instead of going around Cape Ann and the towns of Rockport (MA) and Gloucester. We had taken this route north on July 4^th weekend in 2017 and it was a madhouse, so we were a little weary about taking this very narrow and winding river. However, it was mid-week and way past Labor Day when most recreational boaters are no longer on the water, so Captain Mark felt comfortable with the plan.

Just after passing the Annisquam light, we passed by our friend Liz’s family house where we had a lobster feast in 2017.

Annisquam Harbor Light

Liz’s family home

We entered Annisquam River to almost no boat traffic and were able to make very good and fast progress. We went under the Route 128 Bridge and passed the Cape Ann Marina (home of tv series “Wicked Tuna”).

Annisquam Yacht Club

Annisquam River – fog ahead

Route 128 bridge

Cape Ann Marina – Home of “Wicked Tuna”

Then we entered the Blynman Canal and contacted the Blynman Bridge operator for an opening. This is treacherous area as the current and incoming tide can cause a lot of turbulence, all the while trying to drive between the narrow bridge span. We were grateful there were no other boats coming or going as it gave us maximum maneuverability.

Blynman Bridge

We entered Gloucester Harbor just as the fog was blowing away, which gave Denise some relief. However, the wind was now going to be a factor to kick up the waves for the next segment of our voyage. We left Gloucester Harbor and entered back into the Atlantic Ocean, but skirting the coastline as much as possible. It was a little bumpy as we passed Marblehead, but soon the coastline beyond Boston curved to our left and blocked the wind settling down the seas. Soon we could see the Boston skyline and then entered the North Channel into Boston Harbor. Here there was a dredge operation working and we had to negotiate our way around moving barges and tugs, but Captain Mark did a stellar job doing so.

Boston skyline

Dredging operation – north channel Boston

Boston skyline

Finally, we made our way through the harbor and into Constitution Marina; our home for the next few days. We settled the boat and checked in with the marina, picking up our gate keys and getting the internet security codes.

IO at Constitution

Meanwhile, John and Claire (whom we had been in contact with all morning) had been playing tourist in town, and were just finishing walking the Freedom Trail. In the afternoon we caught back up with them and they were able to take us to Costco where we were able to provision the boat. This was our first Costco visit since June and we were so happy to finally be able to buy favorite items that we had missed having on board. They returned us back to the boat and said our final good-bye. We have really enjoyed our time together and we will miss having them around.

Also during the day, we had been in touch with Victoria & Chuck (“Argento”), friends with a BC 37 that we had met in 2017 when we were here. They were making plans to head south to Delray Beach for the winter and were busy readying their boat for their trip. In the afternoon, we finally caught up with Chuck at their boat on “D” dock and discussed our joint plans to leave Boston on Tuesday. The weather until then was forecasted to be sunny, but high winds on Buzzard Bay were going to keep us in port through the weekend. We agreed to keep in touch over the weekend and to cruise together if at all possible.

Meanwhile, the nice morning weather had dissipated and rain was threatening for most of the afternoon. We returned back to our boat just about the time that it did come, and it changed our evening dinner plans. Instead of walking the half mile to the North End, we ate on the boat and stayed in to watch more episodes of Game of Thrones. It was a quiet evening to an otherwise very busy and fun-filled week with family. Unfortunately, it means a long blog post. Hopefully, in the next week we will be able to get caught up and make these smaller and more frequent.

Until then, stay tuned for more of our adventures on Island Office

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Posted in Down East Loop

Tagged Belfast, Boston, Portland, Rockland, WBTS