It seems the best harbors in Maine are so popular that the available anchorage space fills with moorings -- private some times, rentals other times.
So it was in Castine and so it was across the Penobscot Bay to the west in Belfast.
We phoned ahead to the town harbormaster -- or mistress, as was the case -- and were assigned a mooring even before we arrived some time in early afternoon. Our mooring was on the far side of the harbor from the town. But with the engine on the dinghy it was little trouble to get ashore.
I had visited Belfast alone once before. Indeed, I came here from Castine that day three years ago and was met out on the water by another Westsail 32, Heron, skippered on that day by her owner, Don La Coste, who like I was singlehanding.
It so happened that Soundings Magazine had hired pro photographer Billy Black to get some shots of Robin that day, and, on a rented power boat, he met Robin out on the bay at about the time Don arrived on Heron.
Once Don had his sails up, Heron and Robin sailed together, all three sails up on both boats, and Billy took photos of the two, looking like dance partners. They are the best pictures we have of Robin by far. And that sail, with Heron and Robin absolutely synchronized, was a dream.
Once I had Robin on a mooring, Don and I went ashore and shared a good burger meal and a couple of hours of excellent conversation.
This time in Belfast, the time was winding down on our cruise together, so Monica and I went to town but returned to Robin for much of the afternoon, for reading and water color painting.
Then we had one more meal ashore. Monica had already had enough lobster, so this time she chose shrimp. It was excellent, she reports.
It should be noted that the harbormaster was the most accomodating of any we encountered in our cruise. She was friendly on the radio and in person, prompt and efficient.
And the town of Belfast was ideal of a "cute"-starved sailor like Monica.
If we'd had time, I would have liked to poke my nose into French and Webb's boatbuilding operation to see what was going on there. They create exquisite boats in wood, some traditional and some modern. We can try that next time.
There had been no wind on the trip over from Castine, our second day without sailing. But we always had tomorrow.