Southeast Harbor on Deer Island

The sun rose with blue skies and no fog. Unfortunately, there was also no wind. We had over 20 miles to go so we left around 11:00 and motored to Southeast Harbor on Deer Island. In Maine it is never a good idea to be on a schedule. The winds eventually come, sometimes by 11:00, sometimes by noon and sometimes by 2:00 pm. Today the winds came at 2:00 but we were already in our harbor. In the Caribbean, you sail in the morning and relax in the afternoon. In Maine, it's just the opposite: you relax in the morning and sail in the afternoon, you just have to be patient for the winds to rise - otherwise, you spend all your time motoring.

Southeast Harbor is completely protected from all directions which is a good thing since a thunderstorm roared through after we had anchored. All afternoon we watched the thunderheads build up and pass us by to the north over the mainland (see photos). They made quite a sight, rising up and flattening at the top into the typical anvil shape. Eventually, one finally hit us but the top winds were only 28 kts with some rain, it was soon over. The thunderstorms have a hard time building up to any intensity with the cold water. It's another story over the mainland, there's lot of energy in the heat of the day over land. Mostly, they all miss us.

Ann got a good sunset photo as a shower came through which gave the picture a red cast in the upper left corner (from the sunset reflected in the rain). One can just sit in the cockpit and watch the sky and landscape all afternoon, it never tires.