Jewell Island and Portland/No Falmouth Foreside/Yes Portland

After leaving Great Diamond Island we headed right for Jewel Island on Friday.  We had heard that it could get crowded on the weekends.  We wanted to stay right through Sunday before heading to Portland, and made a beeline for the anchorage to "mark our spot".   As it turns out we found the best anchoring spot in the cove.  In the very middle of the cove, in 25 feet of water (that at low tide was more like 10) and a nice breeze almost all day and night.

This is how close the rocks were at low tide.

 We watched boats come and go all day, put up the hammock, took a dinghy ride, and settled in to a place as picturesque and relaxing as Cuttyhunk.  We heard that there were trails ashore on the Island that led to several camp sites and old WWII buildings.  We decided to save exploring ashore for Saturday.  Later in the day we met up with three other couples aboard a gorgeous Beneteau 43 for cocktails.  We struck up a quick friendship - and probably will see them again.  I had business/sailing cards made up for us this winter.  So many times we meet people and want to share information, and I decided that we needed cards.  Lots of cruisers have them.

We walked all these trails.  Later on Sunday we met the caretaker of the Island.  He maintains the trails, makes sure the campsites are clean and generally watches over the Island.

Saturday we did venture ashore to explore the island.  Trail walking is NOT my thing, but I was curious about what the island was like.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The trails are very well maintained, the campsites clean and clear, and I even climbed to the top of a look-out tower.  What a view!  Again, I am amazed at what the state of Maine has done to preserve the history of this area.

View from the top of the tower looking North

Another view from the top of the tower - looking south.

The Tower.  When I sent this picture to Christen she informed me that Baleigh thought it looked like Rapunzel's tower.

A campsite.  Other than the fact I'd NEVER sleep in a tent on the ground, I would have loved to have had a cookout here or at any of the other campsites.

This is called the Punchbowl.  I found some sea glass and collected some rocks for our fountain.  David investigated a dead HUGE sea turtle.  I'll get him to send me the picture he took for another blog.

Moss growing on the ground on top of a soft pine needle path

A double outhouse

I tried on and off all weekend to call Centerboard Yacht Club in Portland to see if we could rent a mooring from them, directly across from DiMillo's, but no answer.  I needed to give Mal an exact place to meet us on Sunday, so we decided to nix Portland and go to the Portland Yacht Club in Falmouth Foreside, about 5 miles north of Portland.  Good plan.  But Sunday morning I called DiMillo's just to find out of they had moorings, they don't, but they recommended Portland Yacht Service down the street.  Yes, PYS does have moorings, but they're all reserved for the next few days.  Just curious - how much for a slip?  $1.75/ft/night.  (Compared to $3.95/ft/night at DiMillo's).  Includes electric, water, showers, and wifi  Well, at that price, why not?  So, cancel Portland Yacht Club, and alter course to Portland.  We fueled up at DiMillo's - never have I been treated so poorly at a fuel dock, but payback was when the pump-out mal-functioned and dumped all our waste on the dock right in front of the larger power boat that was huffing and puffing his bow thrusters waiting  for us to finish pumping our 20 gallons of fuel.  $4.00 per gallon for diesel - very expensive.  Won't go there again. Our slip at PYS is right on the face - a little rolly, but not too bad.  The dock boys are very pleasant and helpful, and although we aren't smack dab in the center of town, the walk is a pleasant one.  We enjoyed a late breakfast aboard - fresh egg (thanks Mal for the farm fresh eggs) spinach, bacon and cheese omelettes (better than Handy's David said) and ventured into town.  Old Portland and the Wharf area have interesting shops and small restaurants to visit, similar to Newport and Vineyard Haven.  Our final stop was to the fish store on the wharf - fresh haddock ($6.99/lb.) and steamers ($3.99/lb.).  That's our dinner tonite.

1:30am.  For some reason I can't sleep.  It could be that the boat is rocking and rolling so much, or it could be that I watched Jimmy Kimmel (I NEVER watch him - always Jimmy Fallon or Jay Leno), and have  my computer so I can play games.  It was a very rough night - as I said before we are on an outside float, and the wind was from the north - or stern was facing north.  The boat bounced and rocked and rolled all night.


So this is essentially our last port in Maine.  Isle of Shoals is technically part of Portsmouth, NH.  It's a 42 mile trip.  Forecast is for 15-20 knots from the NE. We would fly there under sail if the seas aren't too rough. Quite different than our last trip there in 100 degree heat and no wind and those bothersome flies!  I swear we killed hundreds of them on our trip there 6 years ago.