Cruising Down East – M/V Hippokampos

The saying goes that the most dangerous thing while cruising on a boat is a schedule. That being known we kept things pretty loose but could see that Saturday was going to be our weather window for going the 65 miles from Portsmouth, NH to Portland, ME. That would also achieve our self-imposed goal of being in Portland on the June 12th for Janet’s birthday… Read More

Tracks: Great Bay Marina to South Port Marine
Date: June 11, 2016
Time: Departed Great Bay Marine at 06:40. Arrived South Port Marine at 13:40.
Distance: 57.1 nautical miles
Weather: Mostly cloudy with temps in the 60’s. Light winds 5-20 mph. Seas 1-2 ft.

Cruising Down East (cont.)

Barry, the previous owner of hull #30 which was known as SEA BEAR, was gracious and excited to come along for the cruise. He was great help zig-zagging us through the traffic and bridges as we passed by Portsmouth and headed for the Gulf of Maine near the Isle of Shoals. Also along for the cruise was our friends Rob and Shareen, a Texan couple who likes to go north for the summer, in their trawler SOUTHERN CROSS. They left port hours after we did but with twin engines and semi-displacement hull, they caught up in short order. We kept track of them on our radar, showing up as a yellow blip about 2.5 mile further off the coast.

The trip went as we had hoped and was uneventful (read: without panic) but was a thrill nonetheless being that it was our first coastal cruise. Once near Portland Head Light our approach to Casco Bay became a little dicey with, not only local boats of all types coming into view, but activity from the America’s Cup trials in progress. And of course no boating in Maine would be complete without dodging lobster pots by the dozens.

By mid-afternoon we were greeted by the dock hands at South Port Marine to help get HIPPOKAMPOS tucked in safely at her summertime waterfront home. We saw Barry off for his drive back to Portsmouth with his wife Nancy and took care of the administrative work to make our stay in Maine legal.