We Said We'd Be Back, And Here We Are!

We are now safely nestled in our camp on the shore of Flying Pond, here in Vienna, NO not Austria, Maine.  Our voyage on the "Schooner Mary Day" was, as usual, spectacular.  In order to, hopefully, bring you up to date I will attempt to synopsize our adventure.

The Schooner Mary Day

Sunday evening, our first night aboard the "Mary Day" was spent in Camden Harbor.  This gives her guests an opportunity to get acquainted with each other, sample nightlife on the Camden waterfront (Actually there isn't any!), as well as giving them a taste of shipboard living before actually departing in the morning.  In a continuation of our "Eating Our Way Through Maine Odyssey", we had dinner on the outside deck of the Waterfront, a really nice restaurant right on the harbor.We awoke Monday morning to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, or Captain's Crank as it is referred to aboard the "Mary Day."



Captain Barry at the Helm

We were then given brief shore leave, in order to purchase any last minute items.  Once back on the "Mary Day", the Captain and crew made preparations to set sail.  However, since the Mary Day is pure sail i.e., has no inboard auxiliary engine, we were towed out of the harbor by the Mary Day's yawl boat, "Arno."

Once out of the inner harbor and through the fleet of local and transient vessels moored in the outer harbor, we passed the Curtis Island Lighthouse (It is really a humbling experience to have an island named after you.)

Then it was up with the sails me lads, and within a few minutes we were flying over the waves of Penobscot Bay.

 

Just before 2:00 PM, as we sailed southward down the Eggemoggin Reach, a strip of water separating the Mainland from Little Deer Isle, we caught sight of the towering Eggemoggin Reach Suspension Bridge, under which we would shortly pass beneath.  However, before that could be accomplished we would have to lower the two top masts, the fore and main, in order to clear the bridge's road bed.

Passing Safely Under the Eggemoggin Bridge

This was effectively accomplished by crew and guests, and we passed safely under the bridge, with only inches to spare.



Sunset at WoodenBoat

We continued down the Reach until we neared Brooklin, no not Brooklyn, New York, Brooklin, Maine (See, no "Y"), the home of the prestigious WoodenBoat sailing magazine and boatbuilding school.  It is here that we set our anchor and settled in for the night.

WoodenBoat School

Boatbuilding 101

Tuesday morning we were shuttled ashore in "Arno", and given some land time to explore the WoodenBoat facility, and observe a few of the school's classes.'s

Once back aboard the "Mary Day", sails were set, and our journey continued, as we headed for Swan's Island, our home for the night. But this would not be just any night, this was the night of the Sweet Chariot Folk Music Festival, a gathering of eclectic and itinerant musicians who descend upon the island each year at this time.

Ahoy, Schooner Mary Day!

By mid afternoon we reached Burnt Coat Harbor, and set our anchor, anticipating the festive night ahead.  As is the custom, we were promptly set upon by a boat full of the evening's performers,as they roamed about the harbor serenading the myriad of boats that had sailed to Swan's Island for the festival.  As the "Penrose" approached the "Mary Day", we recognized many of the performers that we had seen and heard in years past.  Once the sound of the sea chanteys had faded, as the "Penrose" greeted yet another visitor farther off in the harbor, we settled in for dinner, them made preparations to go ashore for the Festival.

Hancock Lodge No. 150, I.O.O.F

The "Arno" was again put to good use, as in waves, we were all ferried to the dock of the Swan's Island Fisherman's Coop, where a locally commandeered school bus waited to take us the mile or so to the Festival site, the Swan's Island Odd Fellows Hall, built around 1909, but still going strong in 2012.

Once there, we crowed into the second floor auditorium, prior to the arrival of the evening's entertainers.  This evening's performance was again a "sellout."

Nigerian Drums

Let the Music Begin!

The the next three hours the assembled masses frolicked to the sounds of music, which included, numerous folk singers, a classical cellist (We told you it was eclectic!), an attractive young German woman who played the Nigerian Drums, and so forth and so forth.

At the conclusion of the night's program, we again boarded the waiting school bus and were taken back to the Coop, where the "Arno" returned us to our home away from home, the "Mary Day."

Once back on board, we quickly fell into a deep slumber, to the sound of those damn drums still echoing in our heads.

OK, enough already you say!  Let's take a break, and if you're still interested, come back again, and we'll continue our journey.

For now, the weather here on Flying Pond is spectacular, so we're off for now.