Swan Island Swan Song

After Isle au Haut, we went went to Mackerel Cove on Swan Island. That trip took us through the Casco Passage. On the charts it looked involved. We went through on a rising tide so many of the hazards were not visible. Probably, a good thing for an aged and tired pilot.

About Mackerel Cove, there nothing to say. It was just a place to anchor, and not a very great place for that. Many people suggested this place to visit, but I cannot see why. There is a ferry terminal for the ferry that runs to Bass Harbor; there are a few rocky islands and a couple of buoys. Its sole and only gracing feature is that it is only about 6 nm to Bass Harbor which is why we made it our final stop.

We hit the dock at Bass Harbor about 2 pm, that time chosen for the tide to ensure enough water at the dock in case I screwed the pooch trying to moor the boat. In the event, I did not embarrass myself to any memorable degree.

We were the shakedown cruise for the year. So, I spent some time going over the issues with the boat; there were several but none that were critical. An hour or two to move stuff from the boat to the truck and we were on our way home.

One evening while we were riding at anchor, sitting in the cockpit and having a drink, and looking at this scene, Carol remarked that she had never imagined that she would ever be doing that again after we had sold our boat. While we were heading to Bass Harbor we made a futile attempt to grab the little wind there was and to sail back; too little wind for that. While the sails were up and hanging mostly limp I also wondered whether that was going to be the last time I ever stood at the helm of a sailboat.

If that turns out to be the deal, then that's okay. For me the question is whether I want that to be the deal. Three quarters of the earth is covered by water and I have seen more of it than most people while standing on the deck of a boat. But there is so much more to see and, I hope, time to see it.