The adventures of Adagio - A tempo having slow movement; restful at ease.

[MacGyver]

Great story, and WOW! 300!! a month!!   At the marina I work at, it is 110 a month shore storage, and that size boat would be like 2350 a year in its slip, and a year for us is actually 12 months (the other marinas on the lake have like 8 month years or something of that nature....

Mac

[jthatcher]

Mac - maybe we should come out your way!   Actually,  I would like to take the boat different places, so the trailer will come in handy in the future as well as the present..   

[brackish]

Both places to high for my taste.  I pay $1450 a year (if paid in advance) for an in water slip with good floating docks, restroom, laundry and shower facility, electric power is free if you are not a live aboard and do not have an AC unit.  I don't have water at the dock but can go one pier over to the transient dock to wash down or fill my tank.  They do not offer shore storage.  On a very protected finger about a half mile from the main lake.



I checked with the Pensacola navy shipyard marina because I have considered going down there for six months or so.  $90/month for on trailer, mast up, ready to launch at their ramp.  I may do that next spring.

[jthatcher]

this entry would be better  under the heading of  adventures of Adagio's crew!     in fact,  Adagio is sitting at home under wraps where she will stay for at least another year, but, in the meantime,  Janet and I are spending the summer and early fall  in Maine on Mt Desert Island - home of Bar Harbor and  Acadia National Park.   We thought that we would be preparing for  an Erie Canal trip later in June.. but life presented other opportunities, and we jumped!   We jumped into semi retirement..  that was a big leap, but  so far so good  ( ok.. i really just had my last day of school  two days ago.. how could it not be good, right? )     We took part time jobs at Mt Desert  Campground - one of the most beautiful campgrounds I have ever seen -   and we bought a small travel trailer which will be home for the next 4 months.     The campground is located on Somes Sound  on Mt Desert Island.    Today we hiked to the top of mt Nurembega in the morning  came home for lunch and then biked into Northeat Harbor along a very scenic road that runs along the sound..    see. we are scoping out new sailing grounds for Adagio!    and I have to say, these are pretty awesome  sailing grounds!    We saw a bunch of Morris yachts in Northeast Harbor..    and we will be riding out to  Southwest harbor soon..   and will probably stop by the Hinckley Yard as  well     life is prettry good in Maine!     

I am not exactly sure of the  potential for bringing Adagio to Maine next year, but I am hoping that I can make that a reality..   how cool would it be to introduce her to Maine waters..    but, in the meantime,  our goal is to wear out our hiking boots ,  wear out the tires on our bikes, and  wear out the tips of our kayak paddles  this summer...   we will be meeting ( all ready have)  lots of cool people..      and who knows,  maybe some of them will be sailors who are looking for crew!     jt

[archimedes]

Sounds like a great adventure in a beautiful place.  Have a fantastic summer.

[Eagleye]

Best wishes to the two of you!!  I am excited for you and jealous.  If you are passing through give us a shout and you can stop in so we can catch up over lunch.
Take Care,
-Allen

[jthatcher]

Hi Allen,  thanks for the offer!   I left school about 5  min. after our last meeting ( just enough time to hit the head..)   and took off for NH where I spent the night with my son..  had breakfast with my daughter early the next morning , and then drove over here to get settled in..    I am enjoying the job..  especially the projects like building picnic tables and  re-decking tent platforms..   and we are loving exploring the island..    we have been hiking and biking..   I rode up Cadillac mt.   .. was not sure if i would make it the first time, but it was a success..   we biked the park loop road with friends and  hiked up Cadillac with them..   we are half way through our 4 day work week at the moment, and we are planning for the next 3 day "long weekend"      the only down side is that Adagio is sitting back in PA       hope you are getting to spend time on your boat!   jt

[jthatcher]

If I were still a teacher, I would be back in PA,  listing to administrators explain their new ideas..  organizing paperwork.. and gearing up to greet students this coming Monday..  Instead,  I am sitting on the porch of the Gathering Place at Mt Desert Campground..  enjoying a cup of tea and a blueberry muffin that Janet just baked    and not feeling at all guilty about adopting a new lifestyle that we are calling semi retirement !   The only downside of this summer is that I have yet to feel a deck beneath my feet..  we have spent time in the kayaks, but that is not quite the same..

I am hoping that next year we might be able to bring Adagio up with us. I think that she would fit in just fine!    This is a view of the mouth of Somes Sound with the Cranberry Islands beyond.. 
pretty nice cruising grounds! 
Here is the latest Compac model..   well, maybe not..  in fact,
this is the sailing yacht Whirlwind..
she can be chartered ..   http://fraseryachts.com/Sale/sale_gallery.aspx?YachtID=Y2203_MC

Earlier in the week we happened to be driving along the sound when we saw an incredible yacht ghosting in and out of the fog..    I don't have photos from that day yet, but here is a link to the boat..   http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/2013/05/priceless-rebecca-classy-superyacht-with-classic-style/

hopefully, i will get some photos from that day  downloaded soon...

We have filled our days off with cycling and hiking..  the photos above were taken from  Flying Mt , and here is a pic from one of the trails leading to Pemetic Mt.   this was a pretty awesome trail, but it was foggy at the top..  guess we will have to do it again!   

We have 6 more weeks at the campground.. by the end of that time, the air will be crisp, and we be looking forward to spending the winter in a real house  
In the mean time, we have lots of peaks to conquer!   

I hope that everyone here has had an adventure filled summer  generating lots of sailing memories!   And the season is not over yet..  BBB2015 is coming up.. hope you guys have great weather!   jt

[MKBLK]

Nice... semi-retirement? I think many would give much to enjoy such a full retirement (sense any envy here?).

A real house? Are we talking tiny here?

Keep up your rewarding lifestyle, you'll never regret it. If you want to do something crazy, just read a few issues of Small Craft Advisor to whet your appetite.

Hopefully, your wish for great weather for BBB-2015 materializes. I'm sure that we'll miss you and wouldn't mind if you kinda showed up!

Marty K.

[Bob23]

JT:
   This is great! Seems like there is little need to be on a sailboat when you are living this dream-come-true semi retirement lifestyle. I suppose the next time we'll see each other will be at the 4th annual Mid Winter Gathering of the East Coast Compac-o-nauts! I was planning to be in Maine (Boothbay) in mid October to catch the fall colors but as with many plans, things seem to be going awry. Where will you be spending the winter? Back in Pa?
   We are looking forward to the BBB but whatever happens, whatever funnies get planned or just happen, I doubt that anything could top the dingy episode!!!! I might still have the video. That was by far the best! Best to Janet!!
Bob23

[jthatcher]

Marty.. great to hear from you!     Bob.. i think that we have never seen that video     but i certainly am smiling as i think about the situation..   we are leaving here the  Tuesday after Columbus Day weekend..    we are already looking forward to returning in the spring..  if you don't make it up this year..  let's make plans for next year !     we love to have visitors..   the best thing about being here is sharing it with others..     have a wonderful time in September..   jt..

[jthatcher]

Adagio has waited patiently in our yard in PA for the past 5 years.   Our adventures during that time have been land based, and we have had to content ourselves with canoes and kayaks to get out on the water.  But that all changed 2 weeks ago!

in 2015 we left our real jobs to  take advantage of the opportunity to work as seasonal workampers at  Mt Desert Island, just outside of Acadia National Park.   We spent 3 seasons there, along with a winter season at a campground in Colorado before settling permanently in
mid coast Maine with a new job  as property caretakers.  One of the big obstacles was that I did not have a vehicle that was capable of towing the boat.   The solution to that issues was the purchase of  a Ford e250 van which has already proven to be valuable in so many ways - particularly with hauling building materials for a house that I am currently building..  that is a story for a different blog.

Timing is another consideration, and it just so happened that a trip to PA  earlier this month proved to be just right for bringing the boat back to Maine.   The picture in this post is one of the boat here in Georgetown, anxiously awaiting some attention and looking forward to her first introduction to Maine cruising next spring.   

Any other members  of the forum out there along the coast of Maine?   I remember seeing a compac23  in Camden a year or so ago.  It was for sale at the time. 

It will be nice to be involved again.. looking forward to hearing from my friend Bob23 who, at some point, is going to visit us here -  perhaps he will retire and sail up one of these summers! 

jt

[jthatcher]

Adagio is now officially a "Maine" boat.   She is resting quietly at a mooring at Robinhood marina in Georgetown where we have been living the past three years.   It took quite an effort to gather all of her equipment together in these strange times, but we we successful.   

It helps that I am working part time at the marina.  Lots of good advice from knowledgeable people!

So far we have only been out a few times..but our first trip down the Sheepscot river to open ocean was rewarded with a whale sighting just off our stern.

The other highlight was a trip over to Boothbay Harbor with my stepdaughter and her boyfriend.   

We are using this summer to get our bearings... next summer could be filled with new adventures!  Jt

[Bob23]

Hi JT! Good to hear from you and happy you are well! Next time I'm in Boothbay ( I have an old friend up theyah) we'll have to meet up! Hi to Janet!

[jthatcher]

Hi bob. Hope you make the trip soon!

DAMARISCOVE ISLAND:
Hello all!  I am still having an issue with trying to post pics..if anyone has some insight to share, that would be awesome.  In the meantime,  yesterday was a wonderful day!  We started off with a breakfast of  srambled eggs and fried potatoes...hard to go wrong there   and then we packed a lunch and headed to the marina where Adagio was patiently waiting at her mooring.  Our destination was Damariscove island which is a few miles off of Boothbay Harbor.   This was a test in a few ways.  We were towing our dory.  At 15 feet, the dory is a bit long as a dingy, but it is the boat we have at the moment.   We headed through Goose rock passage against the incoming tide.  The Tohatsu 6hp did an admirable job of getting us through.  Then we turned down the little Sheepscot river into the Sheepscott River and then into the Gulf of Maine.. Ocean!    Then we set a course for Damariscove Island...that sounds so nautical..actually we just headed for it because we could see it in the distance.   

It was at this point that we were able to set sail.  The wind cooperated and we sailed the whole way on the same tack.   The entrance to the little harbor is a bit narrow.  There are guest moorings and  complimentary dinghies at the dock.  The island is a preserve operated by the Boothbay region land trust.  There are trails and an outhouse and beautiful vistas every direction one turns.   The dory towed very well  and was useful because there were already a few boats using them.  We ate lunch in the cockpit before heading to the dock and setting off on a hike.  On the way back we stopped by the little one room museum ( over sized shed)  and then chatted a bit with the caretaker before heading back to the boat.

More boats were entering the harbor so we gave our mooring up and headed home.  The trip back was smooth.  We did have one gust which made Janet let out a little scream, but she managed the day very well.   The best part is that she is already looking forward to the next trip     jt