Chip Ahoy's 2004 Maine Cruise

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Description

Coffee's ready anyone! Battened down and awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Bonnie's remnants. The Elizabeth M is in the background ahead of Chip Ahoy, along with Ten, a 50-plus foot sailboat also from Marblehead, between us. It was like Marblehead homecoming week in this corner of Portland Harbor that weekend.  (Aug. 13)

Bonnie passed over us and next Chip Ahoy and I waited out the remnants of Hurricane Charley. (Aug. 15)

Leaving Portland Harbor early one morning I was startled by the blast of a horn from this passing tanker coming up behind me and quickly got out of its way. Luckily we were in a 75 foot deep wide channel. (Aug. 16)

It's awesome seeing something this big passing by so close. The best you can do it give it as much room as possible and wait for its wake to pass. That's Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth in the background. (Aug. 16)

This beautiful classic Maine gaff-rigged schooner passed behind me off Kennebunkport, just before the whale surfaced a couple times off my starboard beam. (Aug. 17)

Docked back at Prospect Park Dock on the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Memorial Bridge just upriver. (Aug. 18)

This photo creates a great before-and-after contrast when conditions soon changed later. That's Skip Clark's wounded boat at the dock behind me. (Aug. 18)

There are two markers coming across the river to the dock, and the current plays havoc when trying to cross the river when it's running. (Aug. 18)

The other, down river can marks the dock channel entrance and the tip of the rocky entrance to the fishermen's inner harbor. Miss that one and you'll wind up on the rocks, pounded up further by the 8 knot current. I had to call off my departure one morning as I timed it too late to possibly power through them across the ebbing current. (Aug. 18)

On top of the current's challenge we had to factor fog into the timing of a departure. This was thick enough to put off my departure, but worse was yet to come. (Aug. 19)