8/12/22 -- Hull, MA to Stage Island Harbor, ME

8/12/22 -- Hull, MA to Stage Island Harbor, ME

We got up late at Judy and Chesley's place, had some coffee, and had them drive us to the marina. We left the marina at ten and they were out on the point again to wave at us as we left Hull Bay. Our destination was Marblehead Harbor to get fuel, as the marina in Hull didn't sell any and Marblehead seemed most convenient since we were headed north. Plus, Marblehead is in waters that we boated ten-plus years ago when we had my dad's old boat up in Beverly, MA. We got fuel with no problem, but on the way out towards Cape Ann we saw a whale break the surface just past Bakers Island! It happened so fast that we couldn't take a picture. We never saw whales in these waters ten years ago, but in talking with people since our sighting we heard they are starting to show up in Boston area waters.

Marblehead Light (Our Ohio friends should note the difference from theirs, and our Florida friends should note the similarity to the light at the south end of Sanibel. This light and the Sanibel light were built about the same time, and probably designed by the same engineer!)

there are hundreds of boats moored in Marblehead Harbor

We had an absolutely beautiful day on the water. Sunny, clear, mid-70s, and almost calm seas to start. The wind was blowing 5-10 out of the SE, and we had just a light chop by the end of the day. Our original plan was to anchor in the Isles of Shoals off of Portsmouth, NH, but we would be there by two, and with such perfect weather and a forecast for stronger wind out of the north tomorrow, we decided to press on. We did a quick drive-by at the Isles of Shoals so that Janet could see it (I visited years ago with Damon on dad's old boat). Then I got busy texting and phoning my friend Pete, who has sailed the coast from Boston to Maine for many years, to get his advice on good anchorages along the way to Portland (where we were booked for Saturday night). We were all prepared to anchor and didn't want to monkey with marina reservations. With Pete's counsel we decided to head for Biddeford Pool, about an hour's run south of Portland. As we were on our way hugging the shore around Cape Porpoise, I noticed some masts behind some rocky islands and upon checking the chart discovered that these boats were anchored in Stage Island Harbor. Sailors usually know good anchorages, so we turned and pulled into the harbor to investigate, and it was picture perfect. Very cozy, just half a mile by a quarter mile, narrow but deep entry channel, then a sandy mud bottom shoaling from about 20' up to a beach. There were already half a dozen boats anchored when we pulled in around four, but there was room for us, and we stayed. What a find! (Pure serendipity. Not in my cruising guide nor in Pete's memory bank.)

We followed our usual anchoring routine of cocktails, late dinner and early to bed. We had a nice visit during cocktail hour from a local (his house was just a mile or two from our anchorage) who was returning home from his first cruise (up in Casco Bay) with his wife and two teenage boys on the 1977 42' Grand Banks that he bought last fall. He came over to admire our boat and swap stories. He used to be a professional tuna fisherman driving fast boats 40 or 50 miles offshore to fish and now he is learning to go slow. Interesting conversation. We had a beautiful sunset...

and a beautiful moonrise. The moon rose out of the water -- blood red -- and then disappeared into a low cloud bank. It was over in just a few minutes. Janet's phone didn't capture the colors just right (they never do) but hopefully you get the idea.