Boston and early days in Maine

We have finally arrived in Maine. This is the most northerly state on the East Coast of America and, according to the pilot book, an area which all cruising sailors dream of – “the air is cleaner, the skies bluer (or foggier, forcing a day ashore with a good book and a bowl of chowder) and the vistas more breathtaking.”

We sailed into Maine proper from Biddeford through fog and lobster pots. For the uninitiated fog and lobster pots are extremely challenging as catching a pot on the propeller or rudders of the boat can do terrible damage, but from our few days here it does seem that fog and lobster pots are something we will have to learn to enjoy. The fog is atmospheric from ashore but quite a different matter at sea. On our arrival in The Basin anchorage up the New Meadows river the fog cleared and it was like arriving in a new world. This place is different and this was a very peaceful and remote anchorage. Our next anchorage was The Round Pond – a few more boats and people but so relaxed, quiet and friendly we stayed three days. The owner of the buoy we had rented lent us his old pick up. This was a serious American pick up ( a Chevrolet 1984 v8 – seriously throaty) and we ventured out for a short hike through the forest.

From having been surprised at the lack of fish further south, we are now in a place where fish is the only item on the menu. To date the dining out is very casual but we are being spoilt with super fresh lobster, scallops, oysters, clams, mussels, cod, and halibut all freshly cooked. The wildlife is also improving and we are seeing basking sharks, seals, and numerous seabirds. We are particularly enjoying the cormorants who very successfully fish around the boat. Sadly the midges have returned too. I am sure they have a purpose but it is just not quite clear! We are now equipped with spray, mosquito nets and special lights and I am not sure we are really winning.

Between Nantucket and Maine we stopped at Boston. This was primarily to pick up Uncle Peter but also to visit Boston which is the largest city in New England and the birth place of American Independence. We had a fabulous mooring under the skyscrapers. Apparently Boston is the most walkable big city in America and so we walked the famous Freedom Trail and the Boston Harbour Walk – our knowledge of American history was to improve substantially. The Freedom trail connects the buildings where the American resistance to the British Crown was born, grew and flourished. Julian and I are not great historians but we got the general gist. By 1775 the people of Massachusetts had been governing themselves for over a century and they did not take kindly to interference and taxation being imposed by the English monarchy. Bostonians, not unreasonably, balked at paying tax without representation and hence the Boston Tea Party, the siege of Boston and the American War of Independence.

The Faneuil Hall is known as “The cradle of Liberty” and the place where colonists first started speaking publicly against British rule. In particular in May 1964 Americans first protested against the Sugar Act and set down the doctrine of “no taxation without representation”

Paul Revere completed the famous midnight ride to warn the patriots (Hancock and Adams) in Lexington of British troop movements in Boston. In fact the British troops marched to Concord to seize munitions and then moved onto Lexington were the war started.

Much to my surprise I met a fellow ex councillor Andy Atkinson and his family in Boston airport!

On our journey from Boston we stayed at Biddeford. Uncle Peter had made contact with some distance relatives – David Millet. He very kindly lent us a mooring and we had a very happy few days there particularly enjoying excellent fish take- aways from the local store. There boat is called Capella so that is some coincidence.