Kennebec River

There is a 17 mile coastline between Cape Small (near Portland) and Pemaquid Point in the Gulf of Maine. In this area there are 5 big waterways; The Kennebec River, Sheepscot Bay, Boothbay Harbor, The Damariscotta River, and Johns Bay. We decided to head for Bath which is a good protected place to wait out the thunderstorms and fog that are predicted. It was a 12 mile trip up the river with the kind of scenery I have been expecting in Maine; water crashing into rock islands, trees standing tall, and several lighthouses. I loved it! One of Lou's favorite movies is"The Hunt for Red October." This is the river where the sub was being hidden at the end of the movie. Also, Kevin Costner's movie "Message in a Bottle"was filmed here.

The tide was still rising as we traveled up river toward Bath. The rising tide and the down bound current create interesting wave patterns when they collide. Sometimes there's even foam on the surface. The current would try to grab the rudder and steer the boat off course. We could see the path of the current which was not straight.

We had no problem grabbing a mooring ball in front of the Maine Maritime Museum and having a late lunch. Before we could think about going ashore to register the tide changed. We couldn't believe our eyes. The outgoing tide was burying the other mooring balls and was rushing past so fast that we were afraid to get in the dinghy. Inside the boat you could hear the water swirling around the hull. It was like seeing the power of water in the white water rivers of Colorado. Next thing we knew someone was waving and yelling from shore that we were moving. Yep.....we dragged the mooring ball down river about 100 yards. Help arrived from the museum and put us on a dock for the night. Whew! The tide can run at 6 knots and raise and lower 10 feet. This is a first experience for us with tide and current at these levels.

Today we're exploring the town of Bath and tomorrow taking a tour of the Bath Iron Works. It's a famous shipyard for building top-of-the-line ships. As we drove by it today, we could see a battle ship under construction.

QUESTION: How many lobsters are out there?

ANSWER: Last year 70 million pounds of lobsters were landed. That's about 56 million lobsters. The estimated value of this catch is $244 million. Total population is 100 million to 130 million lobsters in Maine waters. If you get a chance, ask Mike Cosgrove what he thinks of the lobster pots.

Mike and Marlene are back home in East Lansing after 12 nights on the boat. We already miss them. They were good "boat buddies" and endured all kinds of conditions (sunny, HOT, windy, rainy, noisy with the wake splashing under the transom, and fog) and never complained. It's not everyone who can live with 2 other people in 550 square feet with a curtain for a bathroom door. They introduced us to a new game and pitched right in. See you next year for more adventures.