Once again, Steve Blecher's 53' J-160, Javelin takes a tried and true crew on a summer cruise. The Crew:
Steve (Dartmouth '64) boat Javelin, home port Westbrook, CT
Paul Wharton (Duke '64), boat Golden Eye, home port Stamford, CT
Fritz Schweitzer (Case Western Reserve Univ) boat Egret, home port Darien, CT
Brian Klinger (Dartmouth '62), ex-boat Special K
A classic Javelin Maine Cruise is in The Plan below. Head east to Buzzards Bay, through the Cape Cod Canal then on to Wentworth Marina at Portsmouth, New Hampshire before long legs to Maple Juice Cove and Northeast Harbor on Mt. Desert Island. After fuel and provisions Javelin's bow heads to farthest down-east Maine at Cross and Mink Islands, just a stones throw from Canadian waters. Returning west includes stops in Frenchman and Blue Hill Bays, then Penobscot Bay, potentially picking up lobsters at Castine and enjoying them at anchor in delightful Holbrook Harbor. The return continues west passing Mosquito Island and Port Clyde, Pemaquid Point, Boothbay Harbor, the Sheepscott River, and Cape Small to reach Potts Harbor, the last stop in Maine. The last legs return to Wentworth, Sandwich at the Cape Cod Canal, Newport and finally home to Westbrook, 900 miles under the keel.
That was The Plan. You'll just have to read on to see what happened when the wind hit The Plan!
Pictures by Paul, Fritz, Brian and Hank Jonas, and are grouped between days. There may be even be a few movie clips too.
The table below summarizes daily runs and the date is a link to that day's log. Elasped time is generally time under way and has sometimes been adjusted for lunch stops. Cells with a darker background color represent changes from the original Plan.
Note: on Friday 8/9 the actual arrival at Holbrook was 1540, but there was a 2 hour and 50 minute stop at NE Harbor, so the travel time was adjusted.
Monday, July 29
"Once more into the breach...," ventured the stalwart Javelin crew with the 2019 Cruise To Maine. The crew consists of Paul Wharton, who has been doing the Maine Cruise since 2004, and Fritz Schweitzer, who did the 2003 cruise, the 1999 J Boats rendezvous, and various other Javelin cruises. Brian Klinger is aboard for a week when we head Downeast from Northeast Harbor.
It begins at 0630 with Steve and Paul filling up Steve's SUV with food and personal gear, picking up some sandwiches at the local deli, and driving to Fritz' home on the Five Mile River in Darien, CT to have him fill in the back seat.
We arrived at Javelin at Pilots Point Marina in Westbrook, CT about 0845 and began loading the vessel. By 1015, the gear was stowed, the freezer full of goodies, the water tanks topped off, and we were ready to depart.
We left the slip at 1030 and headed for Narragansett Bay. Weather was hot and sticky with breeze from the WSW at 8 knots - just about our boat speed, so we powered along. The Force was with us in the form of a 2-knot ebb current that stayed with us such that we cleared Watch Hill point at 1330, passed the ocean beaches of Rhode Island and Pt Judith (RI) light at 1530. We turned left up toward Narragansett Bay's west passage and were settled on a mooring in Dutch Harbor in Jamestown, RI on the west side of Conanicut Island by 1645.
After some cooling libations, Paul, our chef d'cuisine, served up a delicious dinner of his special homemade lasagna with accompanying fresh green salad. The crew was too satiated to consider dessert, so all retired for the evening following the washing of the dishes.
Ah, the joys of sleeping late! Reveille slid to 0700 when Paul started boiling water for brewmaster Fritz to start brewing coffee. Then Paul produced a gourmet breakfast of French toast with Turkey sausages.
With the dishes cleaned and stowed, the crew got underway at 0855 and showed its extreme optimism by taking off the sail cover. Javelin headed south into Rhode Island Sound, turned east and headed for the Cape Cod Canal with an 8 knot following breeze. Off Brenton Reef (south of Newport), the jib was unfurled and Javelin continued motor sailing east into Buzzards Bay. The wind remained astern, so there was not much additional push as we dined on deli sandwiches and passed Cuttyhunk, Padanaram, New Bedford, Mattapoisett, Marion, and Onset.
By 1418, after securing the jib, Javelin was in the western approach to the Cape Cod Canal, passed under the railroad bridge at 1450, and reached the harbor at Sandwich at 1530 for refueling and an overnight stop. The skipper was complimented for adroitly maneuvering Javelin into a tight spot in adverse wind conditions after which the air conditioning was quickly engaged and the crew settled in for Happy Hour, which was followed by dinner at the Pilot House Restaurant and early to bed for an early departure.
At Oh-Dark-Thirty, the crew roused from their bunks to the sounds of the fishing fleet preparing for departure. As the skies began to lighten, ablutions were completed, power cord retrieved, and a light breeze blew Javelin off the dock at 0515.
After clearing the canal breakwater, Javelin turned north at 0525 for the 54 mile leg to Cape Ann. With a 14 knot westerly wind, the jib was unrolled as the orange disc of the sun rose above the eastern ocean horizon and Paul served cheerios with blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
At 0630 the wind abated to 4 knots and the jib was furled. The seawater temperature in Cape Cod Bay was 66 degrees, down from the 76 degrees in Buzzards Bay. However, as we overtook a tug pushing a fuel barge at 0815, the temperature of the water had climbed back to 74 degrees. Shortly thereafter Paul spotted a pilot whale swimming off the starboard beam.
Cape Ann was rounded at 1210 as Paul was preparing lasagna for lunch, and Javelin began the final 23 mile leg to Portsmouth, NH and Wentworth Marina in Little Harbor. The weather remained hot and sticky with the light wind astern.
Javelin arrived at Wentworth at 1515, fueled and pumped the holding tanks, and was in her slip by 1545, just ahead of a threatening thunderstorm. The crew was showered and presentable just in time for Brian Klinger to come aboard for cocktails prior to piling into his car to head for dinner at the Atlantic Grill.
All hands out of their bunks at 0500, ablutions performed, coffee brewed, and breakfast consumed, enabled Javelin to be underway at 0548. Clearing the breakwater at 0558 and heading into the rising sun, Javelin rounded West Sister at 0614 and headed east-northeast for 62 miles to Muscongus Bay under fair skies and a light northwesterly breeze.
The battle with the flies continued all day. Javelin reached the outer limits of Muscongus Bay at 1344 and passed Franklin Island light at 1519. Juliet, with Rick and Sherry Tonge aboard, preceded Javelin into Maple Juice Cove, just south of Cushing, Maine, and the anchor was set at 1620.
The two vessels rafted together and Sherry surprised the crew with five steamed lobsters and fresh baked brownies for dessert. The raft up had to be separated when a lobster boat roared by and her wake caused Juliet's toerail to take a nip out of Javelin's starboard side.
Reveille at 0600 resulted in Javelin weighing anchor at 0720 with her crew fed and ready to head for Northeast Harbor via the 60 mile offshore ocean route under clear and windless skies.
After passing south of Isle Au Haut at 1130, Paul brought forth bowls of his famous turkey chili followed by Sherry's brownies for lunch. Today was a bit cooler and the water temperature declined to 60 degrees.
The southeast corner of Long Island was rounded at 1330 and Javelin headed north for Northeast Harbor arriving at 1505, took fuel at Clifton Dock and were in our slip at 1540, where Brian was awaiting us. Following cleaning the vessel and showering, we adjourned to the Docksider for the traditional Maine meal.
A relaxed reveille followed by McHanks for breakfast. Underway at 0905 and headed out to the Cranberry Islands and bound Downeast.
Made sail at 0950 just east of Lewis Rock in about 11 knots of west south westerly breeze and proceeded east across the mouth of Frenchman Bay making Schoodic Point buoy 2S at 1100. Water temperatures had slid into the mid-fifties, which cooled the air. At last we are sailing!
Noon found Javelin passing Petit Manan Light with chili and sandwiches for lunch. At 1500, Javelin had cleared Black Head and tacked north up Chandler Bay in fog that required the radar team to navigate.
Sails were furled at 1510 when the forest of lobster pots got too thick. The fog lifted as we passed Mark Island and Javelin was at anchor in Shorey Cove on the north side of Roque Island at 1620 with riding sail set and kellet down. Chef Paul served up a comfort food dinner of meat loaf with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.
A day of rest for the lobster boats. But Javelin's anchor was secured aboard at 0909, following scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast, and she was headed for sea under clear skies and little wind.
Reaching Libby Island Lighthouse at 1009, Javelin headed east for Cutler (a lobster fishing village) riding the flood current. She rounded Little River Light at 1115 and took a tour of Cutler Harbor. Being Sunday, all the fleet was in and the town was quiet.
Departing Cutler at 1135, Javelin retraced her course west by 5 miles to the Cross Island Narrows and our favorite anchorage beside Mink Island.
The anchor and riding sail were set at 1240, and Paul served up his lasagna on this sunny but cool day. For the afternoon, we observed a rest day. Steak for dinner.
Another bright sunny cool day. Breakfast and ablutions completed, Javelin weighed anchor at 0830 and headed SSE to Machias Seal Island, arriving at 1000.
Following a counter-clockwise tour of the island to observe the puffins and seals, Javelin made sail and headed WSW on a 10 knot WNW breeze making about 4 knots against the current flooding into the Bay of Fundy. The wind got lighter and we essentially went nowhere for an hour, just stemming the current and sliding south.
Then the breeze filled in slowly from the southwest, we tacked onto port tack and took off for Mistake Harbor. Javelin arrived there and had the anchor set at 1445. Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs.
Anchor's aweigh at 0703 under bright sunny skies and light SSW wind. Javelin cleared Mistake Harbor channel at 0715 and headed west.
We cleared Schoodic Point at 1014 and were tied up at Clifton Dock in Northeast Harbor at 1140, where she was refueled, water tanks filled, and holding tanks emptied. Departing Clifton Dock at 1220, lunch was served underway as Javelin headed west into Blue Hill Bay.
We made sail at 1325 in a building southwesterly and gybed up the bay on a flood tide. We topped Long Island at 1540 on a clockwise circumnavigation and beat our way back south to reach the south end of Long Island at 1700.
We then headed to the west side of Blue Hill Bay and were anchored in Allen Cove at 1730. Pork chops for dinner.
Following a scrambled eggs breakfast and ablutions, Javelin was under way at 0856 in light airs and overcast skies bound for Flanders Bay in the northeast corner of Frenchman Bay. We hoped to get in some sailing in the ocean south of Frenchman Bay.
However, about 0945 the fog rolled in (Maine sunshine) and the radar team went to work. We felt our way through the Bass Harbor passage at 1030 at reduced speed and kept heading east. Working our way through the forest of lobster pots and on-coming boat traffic was somewhat stressful in the very limited visibility.
Javelin rounded the southeast corner of Baker and Great Cranberry Islands at 1130 and started north towards Frenchman Bay. While we never saw it, we passed Bar Harbor at 1300 and adjusted course to the northeast for Flanders Bay, which we entered at 1330.
We followed the big "S" curve route through Flanders Bay reaching our favorite anchoring spot on the north side of Treasure Island at 1400, where we set the hook and secured the ship for the rainfall expected at night. Broiled chicken for dinner.
'Tis said that the most dangerous thing on a boat is "the schedule." When the crew crawled into their bunks on Wednesday night, the rain began in earnest, giving Javelin a thorough washdown, accompanied by a majestic sound and light show. Then the wind arrived.
By sun-up, the rains became occasional but the wind ranged between 13 and 30 knots from the southeast. This created very lumpy conditions out in Frenchman Bay. We decided to abandon The Plan and remain at anchor in Flanders Bay until the winds subsided. All day long we read books, watched the radar for each incoming rainstorm, and kept hoping the wind would abate. It did not. We did get to enjoy Paul's chili for lunch! Steaks for dinner! So ... another night anchored in beautiful Flanders Bay.
The crew was roused at "oh dark thirty" such that breakfast and ablutions were completed and the anchor detail was grinding away at 0515 in very heavy fog.
For all the wind there was yesterday, there was none today. With the radar and pot watch detail on the job we felt our way out of Flanders Bay by 0607, passed Bar Harbor at 0640 (did not see it) and pushed into the large swells that swept up Frenchman Bay. Leftovers from yesterday's blow.
The fog began to break up when we got in the lee of Great Cranberry Island and we were in our slip in Northeast Harbor at 0810. Water tank was filled, showers taken, a provisioning run to the Pine Tree Market was done by Paul and Brian. Brian then departed for home and Javelin shoved off at 1000 for fuel and holding tank pump out at Clifton Dock. All accomplished by 1050 and Javelin was underway under sunny, windless skies for Holbrook Harbor (just south of Castine.)
Javelin cleared the Bass Harbor passage at 1140, Pond Island at 1230, and started up Eggemoggin Reach at 1255. Then Paul surprised the crew with lobster rolls for lunch!! (He came upon a truck selling them in the marina parking lot.) The lobster rolls were quickly devoured. Slid under the Eggemoggin Reach Bridge at 1400 and were out in Penobscot Bay at 1500 off Cape Rosier looking for wind. Little to be found, so we continued north to Holbrook Harbor and had the anchor down at 1540.
In light of the early morning crew call, it was naptime. Cocktails followed by a chicken dinner this evening.
It started out as a sunny day. Crew arose as sunlight filled the cabin. A McHank breakfast filled our bellies, and then Javelin was underway at 0823 clearing Holbrook Harbor at 0839 and heading south down Penobscot Bay on an ebbing tide in no wind.
The short term weather forecasts called for rain and T-storms in the afternoon. Javelin passed the Fox Island Thorofare at 1045 and Two Bush Island Lighthouse at 1150. Hank and Rebecca Jonas aboard On Rush were on their way up Penobscot Bay inbound from Portsmouth, NH and headed for Rockland. We rendezvoused and chatted for a while, then, with the dark clouds forecast by the weathermen gathering, we headed for the Port Clyde Channel hoping to reach Maple Juice Cove before the deluge.
We almost made it. A break in the rain gave us a chance to get the anchor down in Maple Juice at 1400 before it resumed raining, and we retired below for a lunch of hot soup.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading and enjoyed Paul's lasagna for dinner.
The crew were out of their bunks at sunrise to check the anchor rode for a possible keel wrap. Fortunately, all was OK. Paul served up steak and scrambled eggs for breakfast, and then we watched some nearby lobstermen deploy a seining net to catch their bait supply for the week. The resident harbor seal looked on aghast as his lunch was being snatched from his Maple Juice Cove domain.
Fritz and Paul had the anchor up, cleaned, and stowed by 0815, and, with Dolphin Marina at Potts Harbor (just east of Portland) as Javelin's destination, we headed southwest down the St George River, passing Franklin Island Light at 0915, across Muscongus Bay, and out to sea.
Noon found Javelin at the buoy south of Seguin Island headed west into a 10 knot WSW breeze. So Fritz and Steve removed the sail cover while Paul made sandwiches for lunch. After which we would make sail, which turned out to be "after which the wind abated to 5 knots" so we continued on to the Dolphin Marina at Potts Harbor at the end of Harpswell Neck. Javelin entered Broad Sound at 1340 and arrived at the marina at 1405. After fueling and showers for the crew, Rick and Sherry Tonge arrived for 'tails and then all repaired to the restaurant for dinner.
Javelin's crew was stirring early enough to watch the sun rise over Potts Harbor. Following breakfast and cleanup, Javelin was underway for Wentworth at 0643 and cleared out of Broad Sound at 0710.
Javelin passed Cape Elizabeth at 0830 with 12 knot WSW breeze just to starboard of the bow. Then came blueberry muffins and Cape Porpoise was abeam at 1030 and Cape Neddick at 1215 after which Paul served up lasagna for lunch.
We made the right turn into Wentworth at 1315 at West Sister and were at the fuel dock in Wentworth at 1340 for fuel and pumpout. Brian Klinger came aboard for cocktails prior to going ashore for dinner.
The weather forecast called for rain, thunderstorms, and possible gusty winds for this afternoon in Massachusetts Bay. So the Javelin crew was up at the crack of dawn and underway from Wentworth at 0510.
We watched the red ball of the rising sun alongside the Isles of Shoals as Javelin headed towards Cape Ann. Rounding Cape Ann at 0821, we deemed it prudent to head straight across Massachusetts Bay towards Scituate for 28 miles to gain the protection of the shoreline from the forecast southwest winds. About seven miles before Scituate, Javelin turned left at 1115 to parallel the shoreline towards the Cape Cod Canal 25 miles distant.
It commenced raining about 1315, and continued to precipitate until we were secure at the dock in Sandwich at 1550. Our wet weather gear got a good workout. The crew was rewarded with hot chocolate and goldfish prior to being treated to a spaghetti and meatball dinner aboard accompanied by the soothing sound of raindrops drumming on the cabin top.
Chef Paul requested that we rise at Oh Dark Thirty so that the crew could enjoy his scrambled eggs and sausage breakfast and still make our 0600 departure. The crew complied.
Javelin was underway from Sandwich at 0558 for Westbrook. Moving out into the flow of the Cape Cod Canal in fog, we were bucking a four knot adverse current, which doubled the time of our passage through the canal, not making the railroad bridge until 0713 and Wing Neck until 0800.
The striped bass were running in the canal so we had to stay far enough off each shoreline so that the casting fishermen did not land their lures on our deck.
With a following NE breeze at 12 knots under overcast skies, we set the jib and headed west in Buzzards Bay, free of the current. Javelin passed Cuttyhunk and exited Buzzards Bay at 1025 to begin the 22 mile passage west across Rhode Island Sound to Point Judith.
At noon, south of Newport, lunch was served, the hot sun appeared, and the wind went aft and died, so the jib was furled. Point Judith was abeam at 1300, Watch Hill at 1510 and we arrived in Westbrook at 1853.
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