There are many reasons I enjoy time in Maine. Primarily, it’s the natural beauty of the coast, especially as seen from the water which is my happy place.
Penobscot Bay is our cruising ground, and it is one of the most perfect boating places on either coast. I like nothing better than setting out in the early morning when the sea is calm and the sky a brilliant blue.
Except for an occasional lobster boat that left its mooring long before us, it is not surprising for there to be no other boats around early in the day.
Out in the bay, there are islands, hundreds of them created thousands of years ago by volcanic action.
Most are uninhabited, covered with spruce. Looking at them, I am reminded of the Tlingit stories having to do with regrowth that were heard recently in Alaska. How is it that nature can recreate without help from man?
Here and there a building is spotted, giving indication of life there now or in an earlier time.
Many of the islands have lighthouses, some still active but most not. I always try to imagine the life of the lighthouse keeper whose job it was to keep boaters safe.
Some islands are connected to the mainland by a bridge. This recently constructed one goes to Deer Isle where the much visited Acadia National Park is located.
Heading north from Rockport Harbor, islands are not all we see. High above Camden are the rolling hills which is why Camden is described as Where the Mountains Meet the Sea. What a wonderful combination!
As we go along, I study the charts which identify the islands and make notes about islands that may hold possibility for picnics and new discoveries.
Yes, Penobscot Bay is a beautiful, beautiful bay, Spruce covered headlands jut boldly from its shores, jewel like islands float on its surface and the gentle, glacier rounded contours of the Camden Hills look down on its broad reaches.
Louise Dickinson Rich, Coast of Maine.
I so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
Early October means putting Pipe Dreams into winter storage and that symbolizes the loss of something I love about being in Maine.
Among my happiest moments are those when we leave Rockport Harbor behind and go exploring. Sadly, this is the last outing and the memory will have to last through the winter.
As we venture out, I see sights that are so familiar yet manage to look different every time. In the distance overlooking Penobscot Bay is Beech Hill, today shrouded by mist.
Heading out to the bay we pass Indian Island with its now inoperable lighthouse. Changing light and shifting tides always make me think I’m seeing it for the first time.
Our plan is to spend the night on the boat so we go to Perry Creek, a favorite spot. It’s a popular boating destination, but tonight the summer crowd is gone and all is quiet except for a soft breeze blowing through the trees and the sound of water gently lapping against the hull.
That makes it very easy to relax while the hubby and I enjoy predinner snacks and a game or two of backgammon. Yes, life is good.
We called it a day beneath a star filled sky, but we woke to a world blanketed in fog and with its own kind of beauty.
Close by a heron lingered patiently as if waiting for it to clear.
After a while a gull left its perch to check things out.
We sat munching a simple breakfast and watching the tranquil morning unfold around us.
Times like this are such special gifts, but nothing lasts forever so when the fog cleared we headed back to Rockport Harbor, and I savored every glimpse of places that I love.
After scanning the cruising guide and choosing an island to explore, it is not hard to imagine that magic moments are ahead.
It is always magical to head out on a calm sea beneath a sky so blue and clear it almost seems unreal.
With children on board, it is a magic moment seeing the excitement over “driving” the boat ably assisted, of course, by Otto the auto pilot.
Once arriving at the chosen island and securely anchoring, 
it is a magic moment watching a child making his first effort at rowing the dinghy ashore.
A magic moment is hearing shrieks of laughter as cold water washes over bare feet
and sharing a child’s excitement at finding a walking stick and pretending to be an explorer.
It is magic to find an abundance of sun warmed and sweet raspberries and eating them as fast as they are picked.
A magic moment is the sun shining on a child’s face as he dozes and dreams of the just finished adventure.
After that unexpected stop in Portsmouth, we proceeded next day to the last of our scheduled destinations, Dolphin Marina on the Harpswell Peninsula in Maine.
After a peaceful night, the morning was greeted with super, both in size and taste, blueberry muffins that disappeared so quickly I almost didn’t get a shot!
On a perfect day to be asea, we decided on a leisurely cruise that would allow taking in all the beauty that defines Maine’s midcoast. What I see along the shore and on the islands that dot the bay never ceases to enchant me. There are few places where I feel more at peace or more grateful for the privilege that is my life
and, of course Indian Island at the entrance to Rockport Harbor.
As we enjoyed clam rolls, we chatted about our five day adventure, and the good news is we four are still friends after sharing close quarters and some harrowing moments. These are the kind of people you like to have in your corner! I’m glad to have had you along, too.
Thanks to those gusting winds, we were late leaving Gloucester which meant there was no way we were going to make it to our scheduled Maine destination. That realization necessitated an alternate plan. Lucky for us Portsmouth, New Hampshire was about 3 hours away and the marina at 
We were relieved to be in place, and before doing any exploring of this very attractive resort we brought out goodies for tini time. It was great to just sit back, relax and forget about the challenge of getting here!
What made the location really special was its proximity to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of my favorite New England towns. Luckily, the resort has loaner cars which made it possible to make a quick trip into town.
Portsmouth is a place where on sunny summer days, folks enjoy sitting at a sidewalk cafe
and musicians like this fella playing a unique Swedish instrument enjoy playing for passersby.
For a small town, Portsmouth is full of shops and restaurants. In a short period of time, I made as many of the shops as possible and came away with some new duds and an addition to my birdhouse collection. You’ll likely see it later, perhaps as part of a tablescape.
Most of the downtown area is on the Piscataqua River which separates New Hampshire from Maine. The state line is right in the middle of the river, and every time I cross the bridge separating the two states, I wonder how that boundary was determined.
Though this facility is called the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, it is actually in Kittery, Maine,
as is this one time prison for recalcitrant naval and marine personnel. According to Wikipedia, it was abandoned in the 1970’s and remains standing because it is too costly to tear down.
With its storied history and early New England architecture, Portsmouth is well worth a visit if you are ever up this way. And, if you want to stay in a really super place, the Wentworth Resort is it. You can bet we are planning on returning to the marina for a longer stay!
and along both sides of the river there was plenty of activity in and on the water.
Birds were nonplussed by all the human goings on and found the rocks a good place to take them all in.
Arriving at the Cape Ann Marina, it didn’t take more than a glance to see that Gloucester is about fishing as we were surrounded by commercial boats.
I’ve never seen so much paraphernalia nor reels so big. I couldn’t wait to ask questions to learn what giant sized fish required such big gear.
The answer: tuna, and the guy who owned this boat shows off a trophy for having caught one weighing more than 500 pounds. He said that gives him bragging rights for a year!
Following a peaceful night at the marina, our plan was to head back to Maine waters, however, the weather gods had other plans. Small craft warnings were out so we stayed in place until mid afternoon the second day when the hubby deemed it time to move on.
I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say I’ve never been so uncomfortable on the water. The Annisquam River is very shallow and in the face of gusting winds, our boat was tossed about as if it were a bathtub vessel. I would gladly have given up my on board place to be on the commuter train passing overhead. Getting out of the river into deeper water was more than a welcome relief to say the least.
Viewed from the boat, Newburyport has the look of an old New England town.
Though prosperous today, I learned from one shopkeeper that by 1970 the central area had fallen into such disrepair that it came close to being demolished. At the last minute, a decision was made to rebuild rather than tear down, and rehabilitation began in the early 1970’s. 
Thus it was that the historic architecture and heritage of the town was preserved. 
and provide opportunity for creative display.
One day may not have been long enough to experience all Newburyport has to offer, but that was time enough to be left with a sweet memory. In case you are wondering, this is a s’mores pizza. If you ever have occasion to try one, I suggest having friends share it so you don’t get sugar overdose!
Now it’s back to the boat to ready for the next phase of this boating adventure.
In the blink of an eye we are beyond Penobscot Bay into the Atlantic Ocean which, thankfully, is quite calm this early morn. The only other vessels we see are lobster boats
and fishing boats likely looking for tuna. I would love to be close enough to this one to learn the reason for flying a confederate flag, not something you see in New England.
As we draw close to New Hampshire, I spy Smuttynose, part of the Isles of Shoals, off in the distance. Quite a history this little island has. I’ll spare you all of it, but know that pirates such as Captain Kidd and Quench are thought to have visited there. Blackbeard came in 1720 with his 15th wife. He left the island when the British fleet arrived, promising to return for his wife. She waited in vain until her death some 15 years later. It is said her ghost still roams the island optimistically thinking Blackbeard will return.
Later in the morning we were very surprised to see in the distance a tall ship with all sails unfurled. It is always a thrill to see one of these beauties on the water. If my eyes were correct, I think this one hails from Newport, Rhode Island.
Some 5 hours after leaving Rockport, we near our first destination, Newburyport, where a huge stone breakwater reaches far out into the sea. Both birds
and humans were nestled on the rocks enjoying the sun
and looking out to sea, perhaps dreaming their own adventures.
Penobscot Bay is chock full of islands, many of which have little protected harbors and coves which make for a very peaceful escape.
I especially like finding a place where we are all alone and the only sounds are the wind whistling through the trees and water lapping gently against the hull.
Once settled, it is time for a little refreshment 
and games of backgammon. Already, whatever we left behind is forgotten and it’s easy to enjoy nothing more than being.
As day slowly fades away, thoughts turn to dinner. I have no problem working in the compact galley where there is space for everything. 
Since this adventure was very last minute, I brought whatever I could find in the refrigerator. There were a few slices of salami, mozzarella, a tomato and some salad greens which when combined on a pizza crust made a very tasty dinner.
Before calling it a day, I wandered out on the deck to take in the beauty of the night. Surrounded by nothing but darkness, the light on the water couldn’t have been more beautiful. The sky was filled with twinkling stars, some seeming so close it would be possible to grab a handful of starlight. Such are the moments that remind me why I love being in Maine.
