Rockland to Brooklin, Maine, Including the Wooden Boat School

Rockland was a busy stop, with mail to collect, laundry to do, groceries to buy, and prescriptions to refill. Plus, we were expecting some inclement weather during our time there. Our friend Tom, who organized the Pacific Seacraft GAM the prior weekend, offered his mooring in Rockland Harbor for us to use. He would be away cruising some of the more remote islands of the Central Maine Coast until the following weekend, so we had some time to get everything done and relax a bit.

We arrived in Rockland late on a Sunday afternoon, and stayed aboard JO BETH until Monday morning. The first order of business was to get laundry done. The laundromat was about a half mile walk from the harbormaster’s office and the town dock where we could land in SCOOTS, our dinghy. I enjoy walking, so this usually isn’t an issue, but New England in general and Maine in particular, had reintroduced an old challenge to us – hills. It was good exercise, especially carrying the 45 pound laundry duffle!

Once laundry was washed, folded and put away, we set out for a bit of sightseeing around the town. We had hoped to find lunch somewhere, but a new ‘Maine’ reality was impressed upon us – most every restaurant and many retail businesses in Rockland – and as we later discovered, across many towns in Maine – were closed on Mondays. We did find one sandwich shop which was open and were able to enjoy a late lunch. Rockland also struck us as being something of an industrial town.

The next day, we took SCOOTS in early. Our outboard motor is electric and the motor battery can be removed from the motor to recharge. The battery charge level was quite depleted, so we knew the recharge time would be significant. The harbormaster allowed us to make use of their office’s electrical outlets so we could recharge the battery as we took care of our errands and chores. SCOOTS is fitted with paddles, but rowing inflatables is a difficult thing in the best of conditions, and nearly impossible to do if there is any wind or current opposing you. Keeping the outboard battery charged is sometimes a hassle; still, it’s much better than having to carry and store gasoline for a traditional outboard motor.

We also learned the delivery timetables for packages with commercial shippers can vary tremendously in Maine. We asked the harbormaster as to when UPS or FedEx typically arrived to drop off parcels for next day delivery and she laughed. “If it’s overnight delivery, you should pretty much plan for two days. It doesn’t matter what you paid for; it’s Maine.” Ah well. Our packages from Amazon and other places, including some spare parts for the engine, would arrive eventually – and hopefully before we left. We walked to the local Walgreens and filled our prescriptions, then headed towards the Wyeth Art Museum. We actually wound up spending most of our time there in the gift shop as the museum admission was quite a bit steeper than we anticipated. Still, it was quite lovely. I’m a big fan of Andrew Wyeth’s work.

We also went to Hamilton Marine, a large marine equipment store based in Maine. We were able to purchase more gear for JO BETH, including new shackles to replace old ones on the running backstays, a storage rack for our binoculars, and other hardware. It was fun to go there as I had been ordering sailing gear from Hamilton Marine’s website for years. Rockland also hosts a fantastic farmer’s market, selling everything from locally grown produce and meats, to local cheeses, breads, and pastries.

The bad weather came and went, and our week in Rockland was coming to its end. We had favorable winds to sail further into Penobscot Bay and had heard good things about the little town of Belfast, 30 miles or so to the north, so off we went. We slipped off of Tom’s mooring, and after topping up JO BETH’s fuel and water tanks at Landings Marina, were underway with SCOOTS in tow. We powered out of Rockland Harbor, past the little lighthouse situated on the harbor breakwater, and turned north into the bay. We had a light NE breeze and once clear of the harbor breakwater, we set sail and shut off the engine.

As was typical, there were dozens upon dozens of boats out sailing. And of course, we were dodging lobster pots and their attending lobster boats. We settled in and watched the beautiful Maine countryside slip by, with the islands of Ilseboro and Seven Hundred Acre to starboard and the mainland to port. Soon, we passed the entrance to quaint and beautiful Camden harbor, also on the port side, where the annual Classic Yacht Regatta was underway.

*A beautiful day for a sail - going from Rockland to Belfast*

By noon, JO BETH was blasting towards Belfast in a stiff 24 knot breeze, sailing on a close reach and slicing through the water. It was exhilarating; the sun was warm, the breeze refreshing, and JO BETH galloped along, sometimes reaching 7.5 knots of speed over the ground. In short order, we were turning into the wide mouth of Belfast Bay and making for the harbor channel.

Belfast is a fantastic little town and was one of our favorite stops this season. As we entered the harbor and the mooring field, we contacted the harbormaster’s office via VHF radio for a mooring assignment. After giving us the mooring number and directions to its location in the harbor, I asked for the location of the town dinghy landing so we could check in and pay the mooring fees. The harbormaster quickly told us to check in the next morning. We took her instructions to heart and were soon relaxing in the cockpit with post-sail beverages.

Sunday dawned bright and sunny, and Lisa and I took SCOOTS in to town. Lisa headed for church, while I headed for breakfast and a coffee shop with WiFi access. I enjoyed a fantastic plate of eggs benedict and home fries at Traci’s Diner. Belfast isn’t really on the tourist track for Maine, though it does receive its share of them. Traci’s is mostly a locals place, and I found myself at the bar-counter in conversation with several of them.

“You sailed all the way from Florida to here? To Belfast?” one gentleman said, as he peered at me over his wire rim glasses when I told him where I was from.

“We did!” I answered.

“Wow,” he said, “that must be some trip. You sailed in the ocean?”

“Yes,” I said, “the intracoastal waterway ends at the Chesapeake Bay. We sailed in the Atlantic, and also Long island Sound, Buzzards Bay, and the Gulf of Maine.”

His eyes lit up at the mention of Long Island Sound.

“Did you go to Port Washington on Long Island?”, he asked. “When you sailed in Long Island Sound? Port Washington? I grew up there. That’s my hometown!”

*Belfast was one of our favorite harbors in Maine*

The conversations went on, with an elderly couple apparently overhearing my chat at the counter and asking me to join them at their table to tell them about JO BETH and our trip. I never got their names, but they told me how they used to cruise all around New England in their younger days on a small sailboat. Belfast was like that - friendly, welcoming and hospitable. I became a breakfast regular at Traci’s. The blueberry pancakes there looked like blueberry pies! Places like Belfast can be what sailors call a ‘Velcro harbor,’ or simply ‘sticky.’ They can be difficult to leave.

Traci’s was a fun spot, but I needed to get somewhere with WiFi so I could take care of boat business, get email answered, and the like. Just down the hill from Traci’s, and also on Main Street, was Downshift Coffee, situated inside a storefront called Coffee and Bikes. It’s a coffee shop inside a bicycle shop, or a bicycle shop with a coffee shop – I’m not sure which. Regardless, the coffee was excellent, even though I had drank more than my share at Traci’s, and the WiFi fast. Soon, Lisa joined me and we walked the town a bit more as we made our way back to the dinghy dock.

When we had secured SCOOTS at the dinghy dock earlier that morning, we noticed signs saying that all dinghies at the dock had to have a permit and be registered with the harbormaster’s office. I had stopped in on my way to breakfast and the office was still closed, so Lisa and I stopped there on our way back to JO BETH. After we introduced ourselves, the harbormaster provided us with the shower access codes and the WiFi code (unfortunately, the WIFI didn’t reach our mooring), and asked us how long we were staying. We told her initially it would be three days or so, but we wound up staying a week. When we offered to pay for the mooring charges, $40.00 per night, she waved us off. “Just pay when you leave,” she said, adding, “it’s simpler that way.” We asked her about the dinghy permit signs on the docks. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “That’s so people don’t leave junk boats sitting there. We know you’re a transient boat, since your dinghy’s registered in another state. That’s what the docks are there for.”

I should point out that large marinas are relatively scarce in New England, compared to other areas of the country. They do exist, but are filled mostly with large motor and trawler style yachts. The vast majority of sailboats, like JO BETH, are kept on moorings during the short boating season. The dinghy docks get crowded fast.

*We saw this in several Maine harbors; floating docks moored with boats tied alongside; this is Belfast Harbor*

It was time to get laundry done again, and re-provision some of our food stores. Fortunately, there is a laundromat and a grocery store co-op right next to one another, just a short walk, uphill of course, from the dinghy landing. The co-op is like a small version of a Whole Foods store though it lacked some variety in the selection of meats and wines. Still, it was incredibly convenient.

It was also located across the street from the Belfast Public Library. The library is beautiful and laid out with secluded reading areas and a special computer work area. Formally called the ‘Belfast Free Library,’ it was constructed in 1887 and has undergone numerous expansions and renovations since. Best of all, the library provided amazingly fast WiFi service! We spent several hours there over a couple of days; Lisa catching up on work, and me catching up on blog posts and photo edits. We walked in Belfast a lot, checking out all of the bookshops, art galleries, and a few restaurants. We also went to Young’s Lobster Pound across the harbor for a delicious lobster dinner.

After five or so days in Belfast, the place was starting to feel a bit sticky. Upon settling our bill with the harbormaster, we slipped the mooring line and set sail out of the harbor for the small town of Castine, across Penobscot Bay on the eastern side of Islesboro island. This meant rounding the top of Islesboro Island, then sailing south to the harbor entrance. Also, the Annual Classic Yacht Regatta, which we passed while it was being held in Camden on our way to Belfast, was just finishing in Castine. Once again, JO BETH was surrounded by gorgeous, classic, wooden yachts against the background of a brilliant blue sky and sparkling blue water. As it turns out, we would be sailing slightly behind the regatta for a couple of more weeks.

The sail to Castine and into the harbor was lovely. After rounding the headland of Dice Head and noting Dice Head Light, we were in the harbor proper and secured on a mooring off of the Castine Yacht Club. The yacht club operates a very efficient launch service and offers showers to boaters using their moorings. The launch service meant we didn’t have to use SCOOTS, which was a good thing as the currents in Castine Harbor are quite strong. Also, the outboard battery was once again nearly depleted from our time in Belfast. The power demands when charging the motor battery, especially if it is discharged more than 50%, put quite a load JO BETH’s twelve volt system. The power pull of the battery recharging could deplete our battery banks in fairly short order. For this reason, we always try to recharge when we can plug into shoreside power. It’s faster as well. The dockmaster at Castine Yacht Club graciously allowed us to use their clubhouse outlets for charging. We also snuck in our electric toothbrush!

Castine is a tiny town, with a year-round population of around 800 people, according to the 2020 census. It is one of the oldest communities in the US, having been continuously occupied since the early 1600’s with settlements of French, Danish, and English colonists. It is also home to Maine Maritime Academy, a four year university specializing in degree programs for those seeking to work in the maritime industry. Future merchant ship’s captains, engineers, and deckhands are trained here, as well as those looking for careers in the other sectors of the industry; tugboats, barges, ferries, cruise ships, water taxis and so on. The student population of Maine Maritime is approximately 1,000.

Castine is a good walking town, and loaded with hills. We found an excellent independent bookseller there, Compass Rose Books, with a coffee shop, of course; there are a few art galleries and a couple of restaurants. Castine is also home to a couople of famous Bed and Breakfast Inns, the Pentagoet and The Captain Nickels Inn.

*The Castine Historical Society Museum and Offices; the building is the original schoolhouse and served in that capacity until the 1970’s*

Otherwise, there’s not much in Castine but quaint charm and downeast beauty. We were able to arrange a golf cart tour of the town with a local city council member, which was quite fun. We asked him how they came about doing the tours.

“Well,” he began, “these two ladies in the historical society had a get together one evening and were discussing ways to raise money for the society. At the end of the night, they announced they had spent $6,000.00 for this golf cart, with their own money, and asked who would like to help them pay for it. They thought it could be good for tours of the town. All they needed were volunteers to drive the cart and give the tours. So, there’s me and a couple of other people.” And with that he shrugged.

We stayed in Castine Harbor for three nights and on a dreary Sunday morning, slipped the mooring pennant and pointed JO BETH’s bow south, edging past Holbrook Island, and then turned east-southeast towards the western end of Eggemoggin Reach. More squally weather was forecast to move in and this time, the coming weather seemed to have some teeth. We wanted some solid protection from the forecasted winds and rain. Friends we had met in Maine all suggested we make for tiny Buck’s Harbor, and so we did.

The trip to Buck’s Harbor was made mostly under motor. Winds were very light, and JO BETH chugged along with her diesel motor purring contentedly. The harbor is a small, semi-circular basin surrounded by rolling hills, with a small rocky island in the middle. It is extremely well sheltered from wind in any direction. We made a reservation for a mooring with Buck’s Harbor Marina, and soon found our assigned spot. As we were picking up the pennant, a couple in their dinghy passed by us and waved.

“Any wind out there?”, the lady called out.

“None, or very little,” I replied. They waved and went on their way.

As Lisa and I were doing our post run securing of the boat, the same couple came alongside JO BETH once again. They were on a larger yacht near the harbor entrance and lived in Maine. They were getting ready to return to their home port, Southwest Harbor, but wanted to talk with us about the way our mainsail reefing system worked. A sail is reefed when it is partially pulled down from its fully hoisted position. This is done to reduce sail area when winds are too strong for full sail, and to help the boat be better controlled and to stay balanced.

Apparently, a local boatyard had done some repair work on their mainsail and had not re-run the reefing lines properly, so the mainsail could not be sufficiently reduced in size when needed. We showed them how our system worked, and soon enough they were underway with a fix in mind. Apparently, they were able to find some sort of solution as they were gone early the next morning.

The communities of Buck’s Harbor and Bucks are, as so many towns in Maine are, tiny. The year round population of the adjoined communities is just over 1,100 persons. There is a small General Store for basic groceries and such. The big surprise, however, is the sole restaurant in the community. Called ‘Buck’s,’ it is absolutely incredible. While we were there, the executive chef at the restaurant was nominated for a James Beard Award – an impressive achievement!

We enjoyed our time and Buck’s Harbor as it was quiet. One afternoon, we watched as kids dove from the docks into the water and swam.

“That’s got to be cold,” we thought. When I was in the marina a couple of hours later, I asked the dockmaster what the water temperature was. “Oh,” he began, “it’s really warm – like the middle sixties, I think.”

Another thing we enjoyed at Buck’s Harbor Marina were the outdoor showers. These open air showers are lovely – and no, for you overtly modest types, you’re not out in the open, but in a private enclosure; there’s just no roof over your head. One thing Maine does not have in abundance is air conditioning. Few of the marina facilities we used had adequate ventilation in the showers, and the result was a humid experience from which it was difficult to dry. The outdoor/open air shower eliminates these issues altogether!

The squally weather came and lingered a bit. It soon left, taking the wind with it. We motored away from Buck’s Harbor on a flat and windless Penobscot Bay. Very quickly, we entered the waters of Eggemoggin reach, a relatively narrow 10 mile long channel bridging the Penobscot Bay Western passage with its eastern counterpart. Locally know as ‘The Reach,’ Eggemoggin is also famous for having no, or at least very few lobster pots for most of its length. We were told this is due to the fact the bottom is mostly thick, clay like mud – not ideal habitat for lobsters. Lisa and I were grateful for the break from what we had come to know as ‘pot watch.’

Our destination was The Wooden Boat School near the town of Brooklin. I had taken a few courses at the school way back in the early 1990’s, just as my marine surveying career was getting started. I was looking forward to being back and seeing the school and how it had changed and grown over the years. At the time I was there, the courses offered were mostly in small boat building and repair, with a few professional development and continuing education programs, some of which I had attended. Now, in addition to those same courses, the school offers programs in everything from basic yacht design, to mechanical repair and metals fabrication, to classes in watercolor painting and photography. The school campus is in the shadow of Mt. Desert Island and Acadia National Park, and of course, offers amazing views across Eggemoggin Reach.

Once again, we were arriving in another harbor at the end of the Classic Yacht Regatta, the race at Brooklin, and Wooden Boat School in particular, being the last for the season. With the races concluded, several of the beautiful old yachts glided by JO BETH as they made their way to their homeports, graceful and attractive.

There is an anchorage area just off of the school docks, as well as a small mooring field with a dozen or so school owned moorings. Lisa had expressed some concerns about the amount of money we were spending for mooring rentals. Often, there isn’t a choice; many harbors in New England prohibit anchoring, and anchoring inside of a mooring field is a big no-no. If you want to visit a harbor, you’ll have to take a mooring. Granted, moorings are much cheaper than taking a slip in a marina, but it is a cost nonetheless and it adds up. As there is an established anchorage area with good holding at The Wooden Boat School, Lisa and I had decided to anchor while there. You can imagine my surprise when she pointed to one of the empty moorings and asked what the lettering on it indicated.

“It says ‘WBS Boats to 36 Feet.’”

“Grab it,” she called out.

I did as I was told, and we were soon secured in the mooring field surrounded by a variety of classic and traditional wooden craft.

Once back in the cockpit, I asked, “so you don’t want to anchor?”

She shrugged. “Moorings are easier.”

Once we had JO BETH tidied up, we hopped into SCOOTS and headed to shore. My memory told me the small house at the head of the dock was known as ‘The Boat Shed.’ The lone occupant, the harbormaster, greeted us warmly. We indicated we needed to pay for the mooring, and also noted a sign indicating the mooring charge was $30 for the night; our guidebook stated the rate was $25 per night. He showed us the envelopes and drop-box for cash payments.

“We don’t have the cash with us,” I said. “Can we pay by credit card?”

“Not here,” he answered, “maybe in the office. But they’re gone for the day. How long you staying?”

“Three days or so,” I answered.

He waved his hand. “Eh, don’t worry about it; take care of it tomorrow.”

“We will,” I said. “Is the bookstore open?”

He glanced at his watch. “Until 5.”

“Great, thanks.”

We walked up a gravel road, passing storage sheds and boat hulls of all types, from kayaks and canoes to small sailing yachts, all built of wood using traditional methods. We found the bookstore and went inside. It was quiet; the walls lined with all sorts of nautical books, many of them hard to find elsewhere. There were also T-shirts, hats, jackets, posters, etc., all to do with wooden boats. We walked around a bit, and I bought a cap, couple of shirts and a fleece vest. We headed back to the boat and relaxed a bit before enjoying a delicious dinner of black bean soup over rice.

*The harbor at The Wooden Boat School, overlooking Eggemoggin Reach*

The next morning, I took SCOOTS in early to go for a walk. At the boat shed, there was a different harbormaster and I asked once again about paying for the mooring with a credit card, or finding my way to an ATM for a supply of cash, which we needed anyway. He looked somewhat puzzled, and then told me I could pay by credit card at the bookstore. Alrighty then, off I went. It was early though and the bookstore was closed. I continued on my walk.

After a bit, I turned back and found the bookstore was now open. I went in and told the lady at the cash register I was there to pay for a mooring. Three nights, please.

“OK, three nights is seventy-five dollars”, she said.

I paused for a moment.“You know, that’s what our cruising guide said the rate was, but there’s a sign at the boat shed that says the rate is thirty dollars per night.”

“There is?”, she asked, “thirty dollars now? When did that happen, I wonder?” She thumbed through a small note pad, then set it aside.

“Well,” she began, “no one mentioned any changes in the rate to me. Until they do, it’s twenty-five per night.”

“Fair enough,” I replied.

*The Schooner LADONA, anchored next to us at The Wooden Boat School, Brooklin, Maine*

As I took SCOOTS back to JO BETH, my phone vibrated. Once back aboard, I checked the text message. It was from our friend Kate, a fellow sailor and Pacific Seacraft owner. We had met Kate last year, while we were in Washington, NC. Kate, it turns out, was taking a class at the Wooden Boat School. My phone vibrated one more. It was Kate again, telling me we could borrow her car to run any errands. Nice!

Lisa couldn’t believe it when I told her Kate was here. I made arrangements to come to her class after the lunch break, to say a quick hello and get her car keys so I could make a grocery run. There aren’t any grocery stores in Brooklin, but the closest ‘big’ town, Blue Hill, has two. We also made plans for Kate to come to JO BETH that evening for drinks. Lisa and I took Kate’s car again the next day, back to Blue Hill for a supplemental grocery run, and to have a look at the Maine countryside, which is gorgeous. That evening, I ferried Kate to JO BETH in SCOOTS and we spent an enjoyable couple of hours catching up. Kate was taking the bronze casting class at the school, learning to cast custom designed metal components in bronze. I asked how she knew we were moored there.

“Well,” she began, “one of the guys in my class told me there was a Pacific Seacraft in the mooring field. We all tell each other what kind of boat we have and so on, so that’s how he knew I had my boat. So I asked him the name, and he told me, it’s JO BETH!”

A highlight of the evening was when LADONA, an 82 foot wooden schooner, anchored next to our mooring. She was built as a private yacht in East Boothbay Harbor, Maine in 1922, and named for the Union Navy gunship the owner’s father had served on during the war between the states. In the intervening years, she fell into a long period of disuse and suffered greatly from the lack of maintenance. She’s since been fully restored and refit, and is now available for exclusive private charters along the Maine coast. With the setting sun and clouds as a background, she made quite the sight – and the same again in the morning; we woke to a heavy fog, LADONA looking like a ghost ship to our starboard side.

*The ceremonial launching of the Shinano River Boat and the Wooden Boat School students who built her*

Kate left soon after sunset to return to her camp – many students at Wooden Boat camp during their course week or weeks – and I returned to JO BETH to prepare a dinner of fresh local mussels I bought at a seafood market in Blue Hill earlier in the day. The next afternoon, Friday, was the last day of classes at the school. There would be a lobster bake for the students and school staff that evening, which Lisa and I attended, (we paid, of course!), but the highlight of the day was the ceremonial launching of a traditional Japanese sculling boat, called a Shinano River Boat. The boat was hand-built during that week by a team of students and an instructor. We also fawned over the bronze pieces Kate had cast in her class; it was really quite impressive!

The end of the week marked the end of our time at Wooden Boat as well. After showering in the student facilities once the majority of students had left, we slipped the mooring and laid in a course nearly due south for a group of rocky and wooded islands known as Merchant’s Row; for the next few nights, we’d be anchored in a spot known as ‘Hell’s Half-Acre,’ situated between Bold and Devil Islands. Fortunately, it was much nicer than the name would imply!