Swan’s Island to Blue Hill
The honeymoon now truly begins now that we made it Maine. After a nice sleep-in and woken only by lulling diesel engines of the lobster boats heading out, we had a leisurely morning of coffee and blueberry pancakes with no schedule to adhere to.
We decided to explore the area we only picked due its southerly access to end out trip north. In the dinghy we towed the whole way, we checked out the Burnt Coat Harbor with its picturesque moored lobster boats and brightly colored Fish Co-Op sheds with coffees in hand. The weather was beautiful: partly cloudy and calm.
We learned from the Cruising Guide of Maine (our Bible) that a French explorer came across the island in the 17th century just after a fire and named it “brûlée cotê” meaning “burned coast” but it was later anglicized into “Burnt Coat.” The harbor was bigger than we expected from the chart and was very cool to explore.
Around 1130, we got back to the boat, pulled up the anchor which had settled in thick mud and set off the way we came. Having looked at the forecast and impending reminants of Hurricane Issaiah headed our way, we made for Blue Hill which was labeled a hurricane hole in the Guide. I also knew of a Blue Hill from our good friend, Justin Bauer, and knew he had a family home. While we were offshore and away from cell service, he had texted and asked where we were headed in Maine. (Justin now lives in Paris, France and we were actually visiting him and his wife, Perri, when we got engaged. )
I texted Justin that we were actually headed to Blue Hill and if he had any tips. As luck would have it, he said his sister was at the house right now. So I got in touch with Steph and we made plans to come by.
There was zero breeze so we motored through Jericho Bay then along the East Side of Long Island up through Blue Hill Bay. Blue Hill has two small harbors: inner and outer and we wound our way through a narrow winding channel and made for the inner harbor for its 360 of protection.
Justin’s family home is right at the entrance to Blue Hill sitting just off a rocky ledge and it was a great to final see if after hearing so many stories. The have an outhaul system and we were able to come into a beach the let the dinghy out to keep it off the rocks.
After some cocktails and a delicious home cooked lasagna followed by blueberry pie fro their aunt who lives locally, we were stuffed and the weather was starting to change so we made for the boat.
The clouds of the front started to really roll in and it was pretty spectacular. We buttoned the boat up just before the rain came. All in all, we saw a few big gusts but nothing much over 25 so it was pretty mellow but glad we were inside Blue Hill.
We toasted the day with nightcap of maple bourbon from Morgan’s dogs, Gussie and Baelen, and listened to the rain and wind while we were cozy down below making plans for the next day to check out Somes Harbor on Mount Desert Island.
Food:
- Breakfast: Blueberry pancakes with bacon & mimosa
- Lunch: Willow Tree Chicken salad wraps
- Dinner: Veggie lasagna and blueberry pie cooked by Aunt Caroline