Spring has been fickle on the Maine coast this year, and many boaters and boatyards have found themselves a bit behind schedule. But it only takes a handful of warm days to get things back on track, and so I wasn’t surprised when my friend Al Trescot called to tell me that Blondie, his modified Eastern 22, was back in the water and he could use some help delivering it from Damariscotta-Newcastle to its summer home at Robinhood Marine Center in Georgetown. Since I try to adhere to my self-imposed rule never to turn down a boat trip, I gladly joined Al on June 4 for the journey.
Along the 25-mile route down the Damariscotta River and through Townsend Gut to Robinhood , I was constantly reminded of the treats that early-season boating delivers. Instead of crowded mooring fields (and seas of lobster pots), we were able to easily able to pass through East Boothbay, South Bristol, Boothbay Harbor, and Georgetown and take in the increasingly busy waterfronts in each harbor.
The boating season in Maine is short — it’s time to get out there and enjoy it!
The current is strong in Damariscota and Newcastle, even at almost dead low tide.
Photos of As Spring Slips Toward Summer on the Maine Coast
The current is strong in Damariscota and Newcastle, even at almost dead low tide.
Photographer and boat-owner Al Trescot prepares BLONDIE for our journey down the Damariscotta River.
Early morning departures are rewarded with glassy conditions. Heading south out of Damariscotta and Newcastle.
Boatyards large and small are catching up after a long winter and a chilly spring.
The early birds have certainly caught the worm this year, including this nice Sabre that waits on its mooring for new journeys.
Like most boat owners, my friend Al Trescot seems most content at the helm, underway.
The dock at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole, on the Damariscotta River, is impressive.
For people who love looking at cool houses, a boat ride on the Maine Coast can't be beat.
A classic schooner on the ways at Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay.
Working waterfront indeed — two tugboats under construction at Washburn & Doughty in East Boothbay.
A fishing boat built by Farrin's Boatshop sits at the dock in South Bristol.
The picture-perfect lighthouse on Ram Island, off Boothbay Harbor.
An impressive old wooden house on Fisherman Island, off Boothbay Harbor.
During the height of summer, Boothbay Harbor is chock-a-block with boats. Not so during this late spring.
A few lucky sailors are already out on their moorings, commissioning their boats for a great boating season ahead.
An impressive Hodgson-Built megayacht at Hodgdon Yacht Services' dock in Boothbay Harbor.
Approaching our final destination, Robinhood Marine Center in Georgetown. A secure marina helps ease boat owners' minds.
Robinhood Marine Center, like many marinas in Maine, is a peaceful spot to relax after a day on the water.
