Abacos, Bahamas

The delights of a Bahamas sailing vacation with The Moorings unfold on Little Bahama Bank’s Great Abaco Island and the surrounding barrier reefs and cays that create the sheltered Sea of Abaco. These islands are well-known for snorkeling, diving, fishing, picturesque settlements, wonderful dining, astonishing beaches, one of the world’s largest barrier reef systems and above all, genuine friendliness. Here, smooth sailing is virtually assured, making this a favorite spot for families, couples and captains of all skill levels. And with easy air access from anywhere in North America, this is “the Caribbean that’s close to home.”

If you are cruising along Great South Bay, and can handle shallower waters, then step into some adventure and come ashore at the South Bay Sailing Center and explore all the fun activities at the Dinghy Shop. Located at the South Bay Sailing Center, just north of Buoy 20, the Dinghy Shop has a beautiful sandy beach on the mouth of Ketcham’s Creek with vistas of the Great South Bay.

There’s a lot to do at the South Bay Sailing Center. You can rent a kayak by the hour, either a single, tandem, sit-on-top, or even a fishing kayak (bring your own pole and tackle). There are lots of fun places to explore, such as the Amityville River with its old boathouses and tiny islands, or the many marsh islands with abundant wildlife. If you are a bird watcher, these islands are heaven! You can also kayak just east to Tanner Park, get lunch and paddle back.

Discover The Soul of the Coast

Once upon a time a monstrous sheet of ice blanketed the Atlantic Northeast. From the cold Arctic Pole it spread over Canada, southward into Maine, spilling onto the land with an enormous weight, pushing the land beneath the sea. For eons, the wind rushed and the sea raged over this expanse of glacial mass, alternately freezing and melting with the cycles of nature until one day, the God of Time rose from a deep slumber, and with a mighty yawn stretched out his arms. Whereupon, the monstrous glacier retreated, leaving sleepy valleys and dramatic ridges as the land rose from the bowels of the sea, forming long arms of rocky ledges, cradling the two bays, giving sanctuary from the sea beyond.

Booth Bay and adjacent Linekin Bay are flanked on each side by long “fingers” of land stretching into the sea. Southport Island separates Booth Bay from the Sheepscot River while Linekin Neck provides the barrier to the Damariscotta. Marking the geographic boundaries for the Boothbay Region, each of these rivers offer a unique boating experience, making the region the perfect destination for a romantic weekend getaway, for families seeking a vacation adventure, or for yacht and boating clubs searching for a rendezvous or flotilla destination. Cruising to Boothbay by car or boat will be a vacation you’ll want to repeat again and again. This is the land of the unexpected…this is the “Soul of the Coast.”

At a time in history when we’ve become so complacent about the ubiquitous presence of electronics in our lives, there are still a few places where living unplugged is the way to go. The schooners of Ocean Classroom challenge students aged 13-19 from all backgrounds to leave their cell phones and iPods behind, and embrace a different way of life, at least for a little while. Remarkably, students return from these adventures with a new and profound appreciation for what they already have, and a very different understanding of what they truly need.

Ocean Classroom’s voyages of discovery and adventure range from one- and two-week Summer Seafaring Camps to full high school and college semesters at sea. Students learn and live the experiential education model aboard a traditional two-masted schooner sailing the Eastern Seaboard from the Caribbean to Nova Scotia, while studying history, literature, science, and math. The schooners Spirit of Massachusetts, Westward and Harvey Gamage are unique platforms for learning. Living and working upon the everchanging sea requires voyagers to be alert, clear-minded, openeyed, and responsive to the environment. This sense of responsive alertness is cultivated as Ocean Classroom’s path to learning.

There is a place in my consciousness separate from the rest of reality; it’s an island in my mind. And it is a real island. Visually, they are pure miracles, the way they just pop up and sit on the surface, sometimes levitating above it on a shimmering mirage. It seems islands have an aura we are unable to turn our backs on. Despite the inconveniences and logistical difficulties involved with island living, it is quite apparent that they are more than worth the trouble. There is no question, their natural beauty and the romantic existence they offer add immeasurably to the unique character of the Maine coast, its bays and rivers.

On the Damariscotta, its islands are like punctuation marks. They are the common reference points on every passage from beginning to end. There are ten islands of any size within the river proper, four with houses occupied during the summer months, plus quite a number of rocky nubbles supporting grass and perhaps a few trees. I know that most, if not all, are regularly visited by picnickers and occasional campers, who possibly have a favorite spot, as we do, where the anchorage is good, the swimming excellent and where there just happens to be a wide and very thick slab of rock stashed in the bushes to be used as a griddle over the fire.

The Mary E, built in 1906 by Thomas E. Hagan, is the lone survivor of more than 4,000 wooden sailing vessels that were built in the Bath, ME area. She is the oldest Maine-constructed clipper bowed swordfishing schooner still afloat, and the last wooden vessel built in Bath before Bath Iron Works took over the ship building industry in Maine.

The name Mary E has two possibilities for its origin. The first is Mary Edes, the wife of Benjamin Donnell, the “best vessel designer out of Bath” and the designer of the Downeast Clipper Hull. Thomas Hagan, William T. Donnell and Gardner Deering trained under Benjamin. “Old Ben” was the senior shipwright when the Mary E was built, and was married for 77 years to Mary E. The second possibility is Captain Curtis Dunn’s wife, Mary Esther.

A Greenwich Milestone...A Regional Gemstone

Ahoy Mates! It was schooners galore from shore to shore and on the horizon of Greenwich Harbor in Greenwich, CT. The weekend of April 23 - 25 brought smiles to a potpourri of maritime enthusiasts, history buffs, and even a few buccaneer bow-wows as HarborFest 2010 launched its inaugural event. As the prime beneficiary, Hamilton Avenue Renaissance School used the occasion to thank the Town of Greenwich for rebuilding and modernizing the century-old public elementary school. In addition, charitable proceeds were shared with the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, At Home in Greenwich, and Stamford Education for Autism.

The three-day extravaganza began late Friday afternoon with three events: the family-oriented Renaissance School Carnival at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, a two-hour dinner cruise (cancelled due to weather) aboard the Mississippi riverboat Annabelle Lee, and an invitation only silent auction at The Delamar Hotel on Greenwich Harbor featuring some great premiums including a cruise on the schooner Quinnipiack, an accommodation package at The Delamar, and an exciting private sail for nine people aboard America II, a veteran competitor at the 1987 America’s Cup competition in Perth, Australia, now owned and operated by the Greenwich-based 12 metre Yacht Development Foundation.

The secret is getting out!

If you have not recently docked at this historic seaport, it is well worth taking the time to visit an authentic working waterfront and explore a seaport where people have gone to sea for 250 years. That relationship continues to define New Bedford. Experience a harbor that is home to both working boats and yachts and the perfect layover-destination and a welcoming port for recreational sailors. Hidden in plain sight on the north side of Buzzards Bay, you will find everything you need from excellent marine services to restaurants with fresh seafood to the nearby National Park and Whaling Museum. With over 1,000 recreational boat slips and moorings, New Bedford Harbor is a newly-found hot-spot for recreational boating.