Exploring Dix and High, LOBSTER, Rockland, and Camden

Yes, all of the above.  Now that we are in the Penobscot Bay, the distances between our favorite places to visit range from only 8 miles to 18. 

Because it was only about 5 miles to Rockland, we decided to go ashore on High Island before we left.  At high tide, that was easy.  The old stone wharf had a protected inlet with 3 steps down into the high water.  We simply tided up the dinghy to a thoughtfully left rope by some other visitor, and stepped up to land.  This would have been entirely different at low tide - the tide range is 10-12 feet, so the steps would have been waaay over our heads at low tide.  Of course, at low tide, we would have been able to pick fresh mussels from the exposed rocks, so you have to make a choice. Our choice was easy - we were there at high tide!

The stone dock is impressive.  Large - really large - cut stones formed a high, secure, but rough dock for the ships loading the stones for their future homes.  If you can pick me out, sitting on one of the stones, it will help the size prospective.

From the stone dock, a couple of trails lead through the small island.  Old steel cable lies in big circles, rusting silently.

But time takes her toll, and small flowers are taking over the rocky path.

I cut my walk short, but Luke found the old quarry.  Water fills it now.

The fog was thick when we first awoke.  During the morning, it drifted in, out, around, and anywhere else it chose.  Sometimes dense, sometimes just highlighting the Maine beauty.

Even Smokey seemed interested in the fog.  That black and white blur in the upper left is the island that we just left.

OR!  Maybe it was the rumble of the lobster boats!

This one was special.  He loitered enticingly near Latitudes until we went on deck and asked if he had any lobsters he could sell us....he did!  Two 1 1/2 pound lobsters for $12.  We happily paid, collected our dinner, and headed for Rockland.

Entering the Rockland harbor, we passed the most beautiful Owl's Head Light.  We especially like this one.  We've walked around it in the past.

Showers, a few provisions, a few boat items, and ice cream for Luke in Rockland!  We met Barb and Jim in Boothbay.  Their beautifully restored 40 year old Grand Banks trawler and Latitudes swung frightening close on their moorings.  Never touched, thank goodness, but a real worry for the first 24 hours.  They invited us to the boat for "sundowners" (a nice term for early evening wine or beer or coffee or whatever).  We enjoyed getting to know them better and seeing their boat. Trawlers are very different from sailboats and we have actually seen very few.

But then!  To the lobstah (That's Maine talk for lobster)

Smoke was interested but wary.  Fresh tuna is the only fish that gets her excited.

Buddy Peter, aka The Lobster Whisperer, taught Luke a trick,  Just before dunking the rascals into the pot, he gently rubs the carapace from the tail towards the head, putting them in an apparent relaxed state.  Whatever it is, it does seem to work.  No clanking or clattering about in the pot.  I like that....

WOW!  We were just startled by a firework display being set off about 100 yards from the boat!  Great view, but sure were loud!

Anyway, with the lobsters cooked and ready to eat, we cracked into them, only to learn the true meanings of the expressions "soft shell" and "hard shell".  Hard shell always costs a little more, which we didn't understand because soft shells are younger, sweeter meat lobsters.  The lobsters molt in the spring, discarding their old small shells, and sprouting much larger, soft new shells, the size difference mostly filled with water! Over the next few months, they grow into their new shells during the summer season, and have nice hard shells completely filled with lobster by the end of the season.  The soft shell lobsters are the newly molted ones, with unfilled shells.  The meat in a hard shell lobster would completely fill it's nice big claw.  Here is the meat out of the big claw in our newly purchased soft shells.

Yes, we were a little disappointed, but YUM!

Awakened at low tide - about 3 a.m. by a loud and persistent thumping and whacking of something on our stern (beside our sleeping heads).  A damned lobster float.  Latitudes had turned during the night and was just a wee bit too close to a pot.  We finally got up and went on deck to bring in some of our scope (the length of chain between the boat and the anchor).  It helped but that is all it did.  A few more times, we had the sickening scraping sound of the float on the stern of the boat.  Not much sleep after 3.  So, it seemed like a really good idea to just get out of Rockland asap this morning and sail to Camden, home of the schooner fleet in the Penobscot.  We sailed - literally! - past the Rockland lighthouse, sitting at the end of a long jetty at the entrance to the harbor.

When we first entered the Camden harbor, we could see the fleet of schooners standing tall in the distance. And LOOK at that Maine sky!

One of the schooners waits for her boarding of paying customers.  The dinghies of mariners seem to close her in.

The harbor

An old bridge crosses one of the many small waterways in town.

The view from the bridge reminds us of old English countrysides, such as the Cotswolds.

An ice cream for Luke and a bowl of clam chowder for both of us before we returned to the boat served as dinner.  The Maine clam  chowder is good, full of clams, potatoes, and celery, but it is a thinner broth than the New England clam chowder that we love.  Not complaining, though! 

Swells from the Penobscot roll into this anchorage, making Latitudes roll from side to side.  We had forgotten about that when we decided to anchor here.  Tomorrow will be an early departure to our next Penobscot destination, Castine.