Javelin Cruise 2012

Javelin 2012 Maine Cruise
July 30 - August 17, 2012

Log Summary
You can click on the Date to go to that day's log entry & pictures.
If there is a "Map" link, it will take you to Google Maps for a picture of that anchorage. (Without fog!)
Here is an overall look: Cruise Overview Map.

Day	Date	From	To	Depart	Arrive
1	Mon 7/30	Westbrook	(CCC/Sandwich 1725 -at sea)	0438	-
2	Tue 7/31	(at sea)	Steve I. (Merchant Row) Map	-	1344
3	Wed 8/1	Steve I. (Merchant Row)	Trafton I. Map (Fueled at NE Hbr. 1430)	1020	1800
4	Thu 8/2	Trafton I.	Roque I. (Shorey Cove) Map	1315	1655
5	Fri 8/3	Roque I. (Shorey Cove)	Cross & Mink I. Map	1320	1535
6	Sat 8/4	Mink I.	Mink I. (via Campobello & Grand Manan Map)	0800	1730
7	Sun 8/5	Mink I.	Flanders Bay (In Frenchman Bay) Map	1012	1745
8	Mon 8/6	Flanders Bay	Allen Cove (Bluehill Bay) Map	0943	1645
9	Tue 8/7	Allen Cove (Bluehill Bay)	Allen Cove (Bluehill Bay) Map	1112	1530
10	Wed 8/8	Allen Cove	Northeast Harbor Map	0926	1400
11	Thu 8/9	Northeast Harbor	Northeast Harbor (Day sail; Somes Sound Map)	1215	1645
12	Fri 8/10	Northeast Harbor	Long Cove (Hurricane Sound) Map	0800	1452
13	Sat 8/11	Long Cove	Meadow Cove (Damariscotta River) Map	0948	1645
14	Sun 8/12	Meadow Cove	The Basin Map	1221	1655
15	Mon 8/13	The Basin	Sebasco Map	0900	1646
16	Tue 8/14	Sebasco	Wentworth Marina (Portsmouth, NH) Map	0630	1350
17	Wed 8/15	Wentworth Marina	Newport, NYYC Harbor Court Map	0406	2115
18	Thu 8/16	Newport, NYYC Harbor Court	Newport, NYYC Harbor Court	Various	Various
19	Fri 8/17	Newport, NYYC Harbor Court	Westbrook	0602	1320

Pictures by Mel Converse, Jess Greggory, Paul Wharton, & Hank Jonas.

Monday, July 30th

After loading up the SUV with gear and food on Sunday afternoon, driving to Westbrook, CT and finding nooks and crannies in which to stow it all aboard Javelin, the crew of Mel Converse, Paul Wharton, Jess Gregory and Steve Blecher enjoyed a fish and chips dinner at The Boom restaurant before turning in early for the 0400 wake up call on Monday morning.

We were clear of the dock at 0438, enjoyed sunrise off Old Saybrook, 0900 found us off Watch Hill and Ocean House, 1100 at Point Judith, 1400 entering Buzzards Bay, and 1645 under the railroad bridge in the Cape Cod Canal. We stopped for 10 minutes at Sandwich Marina at the eastern end of the canal to top off 38 gallons of diesel fuel and were out of the canal into Cape Cod Bay by 1730. After dining on Paul's special lasagna and salad as we motored up the bay towards Race Point, we watched the moon rise, which was to provide ample light through the night. We cleared Race Point at 2000 and settled onto our course of 047 degrees for 121 miles. The watches rotated throughout the night, the moon crossed the heavens and as it set at 0345, Venus was rising on the bow to illuminate the pathway to Maine.

Lashing the dinghy

Dawn off Old Saybrook ...

then sunrise 7/30

Healthy breakfast

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Tuesday, July 31st

Sunrise found us still many miles at sea, with a following breeze giving us a push as we slid down the wave faces. We made landfall at 1053 as we passed southeast of Matinicus Island and started up the west side of Isle Au Haut making our anchorage at 1345 off of Steve's Island, which is located a few miles south of Stonington, ME. 34 hours from departure to anchorage. Following boat chores, it was shower and nap time for the balance of the afternoon, while Paul's meatloaf slow cooked in the oven.

Paul's on watch

Mel shoots ...

nice Steve I. sunset.

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Wednesday, August 1st

A steady overnight rain encouraged the crew to enjoy a sleep-in morning. The old adage of "rain before seven, clear by eleven" held true and, following an eggs and bacon breakfast, we were underway from Steve's Island at 1030 and sailed slowly under overcast skies through the Casco Passage and past Bass Harbor Light for Northeast Harbor to top off fuel and water and empty the holding tanks. We motored out of NE Harbor at 1430 under clear skies and dying breeze and headed east for Trafton Island, setting our anchor there at 1800 to enjoy a steak dinner.

Paul makes lunch 8/1	Jordan's Delight 8/1	Nice house!	At Trafton Island ...
Panorama	Yawl company at Trafton

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Thursday, August 2nd

Thursday The fog came in on little cat's feet and stole the breeze while we slept. Thus, Thursday morning was devoted to reading and updating our web maestro (Rick Van Mell) awaiting sunshine and wind. After a soup and biscuits lunch, hope overcame experience, and we hauled anchor and ventured forth. No luck - so we watched the radar while we motored east to Roque Island and anchored in Shorey Cove on the North Side followed by a grilled pork chops and "mac and cheese" dinner. Not much got seen of the Maine coast, so no pictures at sea today.

Dinner by Paul!

Magnifique!

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Friday, August 3rd

The cat returned to deposit a foggy morning on us, so we opted for a hearty breakfast of eggs, sausage, and muffins followed by "library hour." With no sunshine by noon, we were treated to a lunch of lasagna and pan fried potatoes.

After lunch, the shoreline of Shorey Cove came into view and we prepared to get underway. With the anchor halfway up, the windlass gave up the ghost and strong backs were brought into play to man the "chain gang" and secure the anchor before we drifted all the way across Englishman Bay. As we motored towards the open sea to charge the batteries, the fog returned and the wind disappeared. So we rounded the seaward side of Libby Island and made our way into Machias Bay to the northeast corner of Cross Island and our favorite anchorage in the shelter of Mink Island.

As we enjoyed the colors of the setting sun, we also enjoyed a dinner of grilled chicken, Spanish rice and mixed veggies. We will tackle the windlass in the morning!

Approaching Cross I.	Mel & Cross I. fog	Old Coast Guard Station	Lobster Pot companion
Paul e-reads	Grillmaster Steve	Jess clicks a pic	Old Glory & Mink Island

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Saturday, August 4th

The golden beams of the rising sun at 0545 stirred the Javelin crew and gave forth the message "NO FOG this morning." No wind either, but we jumped at the chance to get going. Fixing the windlass was postponed to another day. The chain gang was pressed into service to literally weigh anchor - all 100 pounds of anchor and chain at 0800.

We stood out to sea and motored eastward with the current in the Grand Manan Channel past Cutler/Little River, Bailey's Mistake (the name speaks for itself), West Quoddy Head (where we crossed the line into Canada), the east side of Campobello Island, around East Quoddy Head (at 1110) into Head Harbor Passage down the west side of Campobello arriving at Roosevelt's summer home by Friar's Head just before noon. We studied the scene, took some photos, admired the new pier for visiting yachts and started the 40 mile trip back to Mink Island.

Paul made lunch underway, we rounded East Quoddy again at 1300 (but no whales were there) and headed for the North Head of Grand Manan. We arrived under Grand Manan's towering cliffs about 1415 and cruised along the shore. At 1500, a mild 10 knot southwesterly breeze appeared, and we made main and jib and bore away across the Grand Manan Channel for a fine sail making landfall at 1630 off Long Point where we tacked to the south. A bit later, the wind died, the sails were smartly furled, and we motored back to our Mink Island anchorage at 1730. An 80 mile fine day - we checked all the boxes - and finished it off with Paul's special tuna casserole and house salad.

Heading to Canada	Cutler/Little River	W. Quoddy Light U.S. - Canada line	E. Quoddy Head N. end of Campobello I.	Roosevelt's Summer Home - Campobello
Beautiful day for Mel	Approach to Grand Manan	Sailing at 8 knots	Log writing time

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Sunday, August 5th

The great white fog returned overnight, so it was French toast and sausages for breakfast followed by library hour. However, a study of the weather forecasts (fog all day with southerly breeze followed by rain and westerly breeze on Monday) caused us to reassess the Plan. We decided to get west quickly, which decision was abetted by the fact that the lobster boats stay in port on Sunday, greatly reducing the risks of bumping into them in the fog. The crew mobilized, readied for sea, and hauled the anchor and chain at 1012.

We motored slowly out to sea in the pea soup, cleared Old Man Island at 1039 and started west. Once clear of Double Head Shot Island, we made sail and took off west full and by on a close reach against the flooding current. We had Moose Peak light abeam at 1254 (not that we could see it) and charged on westward. It was a day of Sergeant Schultz's famous line "I see nothing, I see nothing!" We could not see more than 50 yards. It made dodging lobster pots a real chore and staring at the radar screen was very boring but necessary.

We bore off at Schodic Point at 1545 and headed up Frenchman Bay into Flanders Bay at 1730, coming to anchor at 1745 in the southeast corner of Flanders Bay in the lee of Stave Island a total day's run of 55 miles. It was Paul's special chili with Spanish rice and a side of peas with baked muffins for dinner followed by a Javelin theatre production of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, for which everyone stayed awake throughout.

Heading west ...

Making tracks ...

Moose Peak Light?!!!

Give me MORE!

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Monday, August 6th

The early morning fog dissipated with a filling northwest breeze. The crew enjoyed Paul's scrambled eggs, sausage, and freshly baked muffins washed down with Mel's special blend of coffee. Following clean up, the anchor detail turned to, weighed anchor at 0943 and as soon as we were clear of the Flanders Bay inlet, made sail.

In varying breeze we made our way south past Bar Harbor out of Frenchman Bay, and past the Cranberry Islands before heading west 10 miles to the northeast side of Swan's Island and then north up Blue Hill Bay another 10 miles to Allen Cove on the western shore - a new anchorage for Javelin and a favorite of Mel's from a dozen years ago. We set the anchor at 1645, having had a 35 mile light air sail among the islands, and settled in for cocktail hour and sunset before enjoying a grilled steak dinner with mashed potatoes, veggies, and more baked muffins. (Paul says he is really getting to love Javelin's oven.) Patton was the movie of the evening.

Schooner sighting

Concentration

Allen Cove Sunset

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Tuesday, August 7th

The day began foggy and windless, so Paul mixed up a batch of silver dollar pancakes and a rasher of bacon. We contacted Bob and Maryann Miller on the VHF and learned they were headed our way. So we upped anchor at 1112 and headed down Blue Hill Bay to rendezvous with Mast Transit, which was accomplished about 1140 with Bob's hail - "Javelin, where are your sails?" We obliged by making sail, the breeze obliged by filling in from the south and the two boats began tacking downwind up Blue Hill Bay. We sailed up to the northwest corner of the Bay, and then beat back to Allen Cove with the two boats anchored and rafted together by 1530. After a leisurely cocktail hour(s), we enjoyed a spaghetti and meatball dinner with salad and baguette.

Javelin on ...

Blue Hill Bay

Mast Transit
Bob & Maryann Miller

Togetherness ...

the crew! Steve,
Maryann, Jess, Mel, Paul

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Wednesday, August 8th

Light fog and miserly breeze in the morning made for a powered ride beginning at 0926 down Blue Hill Bay to Bass Harbor Light and east to Western Way outside Northeast Harbor. About 1115, a filling southerly breeze enticed us to make sail and play awhile before heading in. We finally pulled into our slip at 1400 after fueling and pump out at Clifton Dock. Then it was washdown, boat chores, shopping, showers, and laundry before dinner at the Docksider where we were joined by Rick and Sherry Tonge from the J-42 Juliet.

Time to ...	haul anchor ...	yes, you guys ...	heave, ho ...	easy now ...
almost up.	Ghost ship ...	looks great!	Mast Transit ...	more visible.
Bass Light	Paul at laundry ...	Steve too!	Low tide @ NE Hbr	Mel sends the log

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Thursday, August 9th

Awakening in NE Harbor to the usual fog and no breeze, Paul declared that the bread inventory was too big, so he was forcing us to have French Toast and sausages for breakfast. The crew complied.

Northeast Harbor had some changes this year: the Harbormaster and Chamber of Commerce buildings were torn down over the winter and three new buildings added featuring modern lavatory and shower facilities for sailors and free wifi on the dock. A farmer's market appears in the parking lot on Thursday mornings, at which Paul loaded up on blueberries and tomatoes.

Around noon conditions improved and Rick and Sherry Tonge from J-42 Juliet came aboard for a day sail among the islands. We shoved off at 1215, the fog lifted, a gentle breeze filled from the south, we made sail and headed up Somes Sound, reaching the head of the Sound at 1345. After reversing course, we beat our way back down the sound in a series of tacks from shore to shore, exiting the Sound at 1445. We continued on through Southwest Harbor and then tacked east past the Cranberry Islands. Hank and Rebecca Jonas, in bound from Camden on OnRush, their Albin 28 powerboat, caught up with us at 1515 as we began to round Sutton Island. We were back in our slip at 1645 as the wind died. Cocktails at 1830 with the Jonases aboard were followed by dinner at the Watermark (formerly Mainsail) Restaurant at the Kimball Inn.

Rick & Sherry drive

Tacking up Somes Sound

Hank & Rebecca arrive!

Re-lax-ation!

Javelin off NE Hbr

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Friday, August 10th

The usual fog and no breeze did not delay an early departure, but Paul's offer of blueberries with our cereal kept us at the dock until 0800, then we started heading west from NE Harbor.

We did not see much as we motored up Eggemoggin Reach (barely saw the Deer Island bridge as we passed under it - and finding the center point so we could squeeze the mast alongside the center lights was a challenge). As we emerged into Penobscot Bay at Cape Rosier just before noon, the fog lifted and the breeze filled from the southeast. We made sail and headed off down Penobscot Bay intending to use the afternoon breeze for a clockwise circumnavigation of Islesboro to wind up in Holbrook Harbor outside of Castine. As we sailed south, a check of the weather outlook made us reconsider and decide to continue down the Bay to use Hank Jonas' mooring in Long Cove. As we headed towards Rockland, the fog returned so we changed course for the entrance to the Fox Island thorofare and the channel into Hurricane Sound and Long Cove. We were on the mooring at 1452.

We then had a VHF hail from Juliet, who were in the Deer Island thorofare. We told them to join us in Long Cove, they did, and Paul treated us to a great spaghetti and meatballs dinner with salad. The Tonge's brought wine and fresh baked brownies! The rain began after dinner concluded.

Avoiding lobster boats!

Eggemoggin Reach ...

bridge! (But no shore!)

Jess gets the good stuff.

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Saturday, August 11th

The rain ended before dawn, took the breeze with it, and left us the fog. So Paul whipped up a breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausages, and muffins, washed down with Mel's special coffee blend. However, the cooking was interrupted when the oven went out. Quick research discovered that the propane tank was empty, which had never happened before. So a tank change was necessary to complete breakfast.

Underway at 0900, we headed down Hurricane Sound for half an hour, and then a right turn out into lower Penobscot Bay and dodging lobster boats on radar. We reached Old Man rock/buoy at the mouth of the Bay at 1214, the fog dissipated, and a WSW breeze built to 10 knots. After a sandwich lunch, we made sail and reached out to sea and back for a few hours. We finally furled the sails and headed up the Damariscotta River about 1600, sticking our nose into Christmas Cove and South Bristol Harbor for a look-see, before heading over to Meadow Cove and a sheltered mooring offered by Barbara Eldred, a friend of Paul's. We were secure at 1645. Dinner was grilled pork chops.

Juliet's "Bubble"	Long Cove Raft-up	Off Pemaquid Pt.	Looking into Christmas Cove	South Bristol Gut swing bridge
Meadow Cove company	Meadow Cove mooring ...	Barbara Eldred on her dock ...	& her house.

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Sunday, August 12th

Encouraged by the morning rain, we declared a day of rest. Cereal and berries were followed by library hours followed by spaghetti and meatballs lunch. Then the rain passed, the breeze teased, and the fog lifted enough to see across the river.

So we dropped the mooring at 1221 and motored down the Damariscotta River, took a right past Boothbay Harbor, through a race committee starting line that was awaiting wind, a left out to the Cuckholds and on out to Seguin Island, by which point the weather had improved and we set sail and headed west. After sailing for awhile, the wind eased off and we headed up the New Meadows River to The Basin. We were at anchor at 1655 after entering the tight passage at mid tide.

Then we turned to and worked on repairing our broken engine driven refrigeration system. Seems that a nut that secured the bolt on which the compressor was hung had disappeared, the bolt backed out, and the compressor no longer had sufficient tension on the drive belts to do its job. So we found the bolt (but not the nut) and reinserted it and thought about how to secure it. No nut of the correct size is aboard, no washers fit, no "ring dings" could be made to snug it, so Jess came up with the idea of seizing the threads of the bolt with whipping twine, which the skipper promptly did. Refrigeration is now working, but we will have to carefully watch that bolt. Dinner was Paul's special secret recipe turkey chili accompanied by garden salad.

Hank Jonas sent along the picture of the giant Lady B leaving Clifton Docks after a trip from Bora Bora headed to Newport. Note the basket to take the owner up the mast and there is a small swimming pool behind the helm.

Lady B departing Clifton Dock
Morning mist Meadow Cove	The Basin	Fixing fridge compressor ...	with "string nut."	Delicious!

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Monday, August 13th

We awoke in The Basin to lifting fog giving way to a beautiful summer day. After Paul indulged the crew with French toast and sausages, we showered, cleaned up, and the anchor team had the chain hauled, washed and the anchor stowed by 0948.

We motored out of The Basin an hour after high tide and headed down river to Sebasco Resort, where Karin McIlvaine came aboard for a daysail. We headed out to the ocean, making sail at 1105 in a light southwesterly breeze. We sailed slowly out to Halfway Rock, and then jibed east towards Cape Small. About 1500 the breeze freshened to 13 knots and we had a fine sail reaching back and forth along the coast. We furled the sails at 1605 at the mouth of the New Meadows River and motored up river to our mooring at Sebasco - secured at 1646.

We dined ashore at the resort.

Mel, Karin & Steve	Steadying sail at work	Paul reflects	Sebasco dining room (upper right)
Sebasco dock	Happy crew!	Time for sleep.

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Tuesday, August 14th

We awoke before the sun to a clear crisp dawn, had breakfast, and dropped the Sebasco mooring at 0630. We motored downriver to the sea buoy and locked on our 50 mile course of 237 degrees for Portsmouth NH. After an hour, there was enough northwesterly wind to entice us to add the mainsail for some extra push. That lasted about two hours until the wind backed to the west and the sail was doused. We motored onward arriving in our slip at Wentworth Marina at 1350. Brian and Lise Klinger were our hosts for dinner.

Old Portsmouth lighthouse

Praying?
(Filling water tank)

Loooong fuel hose

Brian & Mel ...

with Lise, Paul & Steve

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Wednesday, August 15th

A very long day began before 0400. It was a "darkness to darkness 17 hour run from Wentworth to Newport. We cleared our slip in Wentworth at 0406 and slowly motored down the channel at dead low tide to sea. We cleared the breakwater at 0421, took up our southerly course towards Cape Ann and discovered that we had further refrigeration problems that we could not repair. So we had a simple breakfast and watched a red sun rise behind the Isles of Shoals.

We passed Cape Ann at 0728 and adjusted the course to 194 degrees for the next 50 miles towards the Cape Cod Canal. The red sun in the morning sailors take warning prophecy held true and we had rain and a little lightning from 0850 to 1030, before the weather cleared and left us with the wind dead on the nose.

Arriving at the Cape Cod Canal at 1426, we saw the line up waiting to fuel at Sandwich Marina, so we pushed on through the canal just as the current was turning against us. By 1555 we were at Wings Neck in Buzzards Bay and pushing on westward against the current and mild breeze.

By the time we had gotten to the western end of Buzzards Bay at 1843, we could see ugly weather forming ahead of us. We had a delicious dinner of Paul's lasagna and garden salad, cleaned up, and buttoned up the ship and donned our foul weather gear. It was dark and raining by the time we reached Brenton Reef buoy at 2034. Then nature began the sound and light show in earnest. Quite stunning lightning. As we approached Newport, we encountered the Royal Carribean mega-cruise ship Champion of The Seas heading outbound. We did a one whistle pass off of Castle Hill and proceeded into the anchorage area. After some careful maneuvering among the anchored yachts amidst the rain and lightning, we finally found number 532 200 yards WNW of the NYYC pier and were secure at 2115. Asleep very shortly thereafter.

Mel waits for ...	sunrise!	Time for reflection.	Paul's galley	Rounding Cape Ann
Getting prepared for ...	LOTs of rain!	Time for NYYC Burgee	End of Cape Cod Canal	Spar & span

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Thursday, August 16th

A bright and shining morning but a rain cell lingering to our northwest and no breeze kept us on the mooring enjoying a hearty breakfast and library hour. By 1040 the threat had passed and we motored over to Jamestown to get ice to cool the fridge. Upon departing Jamestown at 1115, we put our hopes for breeze in the air by making sail. Slowly sailing up Narragansett Bay under the Newport Bridge against the ebbing tide did not make a lot of progress.

At noon we threw in the towel and motored the rest of the way north to Bristol and the Herreshoff Marine Museum, arriving at their dock at 1330. After touring the exhibits for an hour, the building NW breeze beckoned. We shoved off and promptly made sail for a comfortable reach down the bay in 12 knots of wind. We were back on the Harbor Court mooring at 1650 and went ashore to the Club for a sumptuous seafood buffet dinner.

Back aboard after sunset, it was movie time with a documentary of the lives and accomplishments of the Herreshoff brothers: John B. and Capt. Nat.

Our mooring	Quiet time!	Herreshoff Museum ...	Paul ready to tack ...	Where's the freezer?
Up to New York YC Harbor Court ...	elegant patio.	Newport bridge.	Looking back up.

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Friday, August 17th

We arose with the sun on a clear windless day. The mooring was dropped at 0602 and we steamed out of Newport for a seven and a half hour ride home. We rounded Point Judith at 0730 and passed Watch Hill at 0930. We made it to Westbrook at 1320 and spent time at the fuel dock topping off and emptying the holding tanks before putting Javelin in her slip and starting the unloading and clean up process. We finished our chores by 1520, loaded the SUV, made the obligatory stop at Dunkin Donuts for coolatas, and headed home. Thanks to Paul, Mel, and Jess for being a great team on this cruise and to Rick Van Mell for being our daily webmaster.

Leaving at sunrise.

Nearly home, cover on

Paul covers dorades.

Hazy & Hot

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Text by Steve Blecher (SBlecher@mjta.com ); photos from Paul, Jess, Mel & Hank Jonas.
Web page assembly by Rick Van Mell

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