Rockland

Rockland, Maine N 44 05,831 W 69 05.786

Saturday, August 5, 2006

We enjoyed splendid weather today. It was sunny, about 75F (24C), winds 5-10 knots. Very nice weather for a relaxing sail. So we left Boothbay and set sail for Bar Harbor.

How ironic. Three times before on vacation trips we set out for Bar Harbor by car. We never made it that far. All three times we found too many interesting things on the way. Today, about halfway there, Libby suddenly said, "Can we go to Rockport instead? The Rockport harbormaster has showers." "Sure," I said. I went below to plot a course for Rockport but I got Rockport and Rockland mixed up. The two places sound alike and they are close to each other. I plotted the course for Rockland instead.

About halfway there, I was reading the guide book, and I realized my mistake. But before changing the course, I suddenly remembered that there is a Lobster Fest in Rockland this weekend. "Can we go to Rockland instead?" I said. "Sure," said Libby. So here we are. Tomorrow we go to the Lobster Fest. Monday I'll check out a marine electronics guy here for the job of replacing the radio and the radar. Libby still wants to go to Rockland. I also talked with another Westsail owner who lives in Bayside, about 10 nm further north. We'll go there first. We may also stop in Southwest Harbor where there are other radio/radar experts. All this interjected enroute to Bar Harbor

Will Dick and Libby ever get to Bar Harbor? Stay tuned for the next episode of the dickandlibby blog.

p.s. Penobscot Bay lives up to the raves of people who told us about it. It's beautiful. It somewhat resembles the Stockholm archipelago. Approaching Rockland, we were admiring the unspoiled natural beauty, when we rounded a point. I looked up and was shocked to see an aircraft carrier right in front of me. It is the USS Wasp, not the WWII Wasp but a newer one. She is here for the lobster fest.