Virtual Cruise

Your adventure aboard Annisquam Too begins at our dock on the edge of the Sheepscot River, on Barter's Island. Fog is a common occurrence along the Maine Coast, especially on July mornings. Luckily, Annisquam Too is equipped with radar that is simple to use and works very well.

Annisquam Too in the early morning mist on the Sheepscot River.

Our guest cabin is available, at no additional cost, for charters who would like to arrive the night before their trip begins. This can be a good plan for at least three reasons. First, this would give you time to become familiar with your new home (Annisquam Too) before your trip begins. Second, while learning about the boat you may want to question us about our cruising experiences. We would be glad to attempt to fill in any blanks between issues of any other cruising guides. Finally, you would have time for a trip to the market to pick up any last-minute supplies. Shopping is a ten-minute drive from our dock. Of course, Annisquam Too will be ready to go with a full fuel tank and topped-up water tanks.

The area within a one-day sail from Boothbay contains many delightful coves, islands and small towns. There is also the opportunity to travel "inside", once Pemaquid is abeam, if you want to avoid a large onshore sea or strong headwinds. Traveling the inner route deposits you a 1/2 day sail from the Penobscot.

Most sailors are interested in serenity on their first day out. If this is your goal, a few of our favorites are Hog Island, owned by the Audubon Society and Burnt Island. Hog Island will be a bit busier as it is on the inside passage and your morning will always include many lobster boats moving to and fro. The Island is a wonderful place for a walk. You could travel the entire shore of the Island and walk for a few hours.

Burnt Island is much more remote. You will often be alone and never be crowded. Walking used to be a good option at Burnt but houses are beginning to cover the landscape. Still, as an anchorage away from everything and yet not far from anything, Burnt is one of our favorite jewels. It is well protected from everything but an East wind so check the forecast.

If you want to ease into serenity or enjoy a populated lunch stop, Christmas Cove, New Harbor (some of the best fried seafood on the coast), and Round Pond are all good choices. The "walker" in each case is rewarded by interesting architecture, places to pick up a few supplies and small shops with unique goodies.

If the weather is good, and we hope it is, Vinalhaven, on the far side of the Penobscot is reachable after a full day at sea. There are some places to take shelter along the way, if necessary. Tenant's Harbor and Rockland are the two most logical. Neither offer much (especially Rockland) that you have not seen before.

The trip across the Penobscot gives you a full dose of delightful passage-making. There is lots to see including large ships heading North or South and lots of other sailors heading where the wind will let them. The best wind, as you can see from a chart, is a NE wind, however, the most common wind is from the South. In any case, you can usually sail and even if you cannot, the trip is interesting.

Anticipation is part of the enjoyment. There are many interesting destinations on Vinalhaven and North Haven. Our two favorites are Pulpit Harbor on North Haven and Seal bay/Winter Harbor on Vinalhaven. Deciding which to head for will depend on the wind and how much time you have. You can always pick one heading east and visit the other on your way back. Pulpit is lovely, with a view of the Camden Hills in the distance. Winter Harbor has views to the east and is very protected. It is also quite popular so try to arrive early. One must be skilled at anchoring as both Winter Harbor and Seal Bay are tight. At the height of the summer you can swim in either (although Pulpit is warmer).

Northeast Harbor has it all, as far as we are concerned. We could write a book about the delights of this area. It is often our summer destination where we spend a few days to a week. It is the only harbor on the Northeast Coast that seems to care about sailors. Fuel and water are easy to get. The town has built a yachtsmen's center at the head of the harbor, with showers. All the travel brochures you will ever need and a paperback book swap. Finally, the Pine Tree Market has a spectacular selection of food and drink with which to replenish your supplies. They will even deliver to the boat if you ask.

Finally, you have what surrounds Northeast Harbor. If the weather is iffy or if you want a day ashore, free busses will take you anywhere you want to go (there are 9 different routes). We often walk from Northeast to one of the bus routes, such as Jordan Pond and then take the bus back. The sailing around Northeast is spectacular. We could put together another travel log the size of this one just for this area. We will leave it to you (until we create another page) to pick your pleasures.