Casco Bay

We sailed, we motor sailed, and we survived minefields of lobster pots to arrive in Casco Bay! With plans to meet a friend in the area next weekend, headed for the Goslings to see if one of the moorings would be available on a Sunday night. As luck would have it, boats were leaving as we came in and finding a mooring was no problem. This spot ended up being a great place to get away—swimming, paddle boarding, exploring the islands...we even got to see the comet, NEOWISE! We were also surprised by a visit from an old college friend and his family! We really came to understand why so many boaters like to head to the Goslings, even if it’s only for lunch.

After a few days we ventured a few miles to Jewell Island. This place was amazing! I mean, you anchor in Cocktail Cove. Does it get any better? Trails and campsites on the island are maintained by the Maine Island Trails Association (MITA) and weave you through the island’s history as an ammunition depot and lookout in WWI and WWII. There isn’t a ton of anchoring room, and with any real wind I would have been nervous, but it was calm for our stay and we slept well. We enjoyed our stay so much that we decided to become MITA members!

As plans with our friend changed, we decided to skip Freeport on this leg of the journey and head to Potts Harbor and the very cruiser-friendly Dolphin Marina and Restaurant. What makes it cruiser-friendly? Nice moorings, friendly staff, a self-service pump-out float, free laundry, hot showers, and blueberry muffins and coffee delivered to your boat in the morning! The restaurant and Erica’s Seafood next door were awesome surprises, too. I mean, if you have to do laundry, access to great food is a bonus.

The Dolphin was our first interaction with shore in Maine and my impression is that folks here are taking the pandemic seriously and all doing their part to keep cases down. Masks were worn, groups gave each other space, and the restaurants did take-out and had tons of well-spaced outdoor seating. We will continue to stay in our little boat bubble for the most part, but it was nice to be in a place where everyone seemed to feel they had a part to play in keeping the community healthy.

We have also benefited from the Maine Maritime alumni and cruiser families so much already! We have gotten so many great recommendations on places to visit that we can certainly fill several seasons here. But you know what’s funny? We only chatted with one other cruising boat this week, a couple from Maine who said they haven’t cruised these waters for five years, but with Canadian borders closed they have returned. Why don’t they normally cruise Maine? The lobster pots!