Polaris IS FOR SALE: Take a tour of the inside of Polaris! She's a sweet vessel - a magnificently maintained Columbia River Pilot / tugboat completely restored. Museum bargain offer for the discriminating traditionalist. 207-596-0200 (Her story is below)
About Polaris
About Polaris:
Polaris is a 47', double-ended, rugged, North Sea trawler-type vessel. She holds 150 gallons of fuel and 80 gallons of water to keep the crew on the move and hydrated. Built in 1937, she recently underwent a full hull, deck, and system restoration. Massively built, Polaris is No. 5 of the Pacific Pilot series built by Star Shipyards of British Columbia to navigate the extreme conditions of the Columbia River and the Pacific Northwest. From 1937 to 1974, she worked for Pilotage Authorities and from ’74 to ’92, she worked towing logs on the Columbia River and in Alaska. In 1992, the vessel was sailed to Seattle and sold to the Jose Cuervo tequila company. They subsequently trucked her to the East Coast and operated the boat between Maine and Florida as a promotional/party vessel.
In 2007, she was purchased for a restoration hobby project and restored from the keel up over a two year period for personal use. She is powered with a factory rebuilt Detroit 6-71N diesel, has a bow thruster, genset, air conditioning, diesel heat, all new electronics, wiring, plumbing, tanks, steering, galley, etc. She was awarded “Best Restoration With respect to ‘Original Design Intent” at the prestigious Mystic Seaport Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous at 2010.
Polaris had been on the market for a bit when Captain Mark met her owner, Peter Elsaesser. They started chatting about boats (what else!) and Mark mentioned what a wonderful place the museum for classic and unusual vessels. One thing lead to another, and Mr. Elsaesser decided that his lovely wooden boat would be much happier plying the cold Atlantic waters of Penobscot Bay, and he offered to donate Polaris to SPSM!
Polaris is a 47', double-ended, rugged, North Sea trawler-type vessel. She holds 150 gallons of fuel and 80 gallons of water to keep the crew on the move and hydrated. Built in 1937, she recently underwent a full hull, deck, and system restoration. Massively built, Polaris is No. 5 of the Pacific Pilot series built by Star Shipyards of British Columbia to navigate the extreme conditions of the Columbia River and the Pacific Northwest. From 1937 to 1974, she worked for Pilotage Authorities and from ’74 to ’92, she worked towing logs on the Columbia River and in Alaska. In 1992, the vessel was sailed to Seattle and sold to the Jose Cuervo tequila company. They subsequently trucked her to the East Coast and operated the boat between Maine and Florida as a promotional/party vessel.
In 2007, she was purchased for a restoration hobby project and restored from the keel up over a two year period for personal use. She is powered with a factory rebuilt Detroit 6-71N diesel, has a bow thruster, genset, air conditioning, diesel heat, all new electronics, wiring, plumbing, tanks, steering, galley, etc. She was awarded “Best Restoration With respect to ‘Original Design Intent” at the prestigious Mystic Seaport Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous at 2010.
Polaris had been on the market for a bit when Captain Mark met her owner, Peter Elsaesser. They started chatting about boats (what else!) and Mark mentioned what a wonderful place the museum for classic and unusual vessels. One thing lead to another, and Mr. Elsaesser decided that his lovely wooden boat would be much happier plying the cold Atlantic waters of Penobscot Bay, and he offered to donate Polaris to SPSM!
A Unique Wooden Boat for a Unique Maritime Museum
Polaris is on her way!
As the recipient of the incredibly generous donation of Polaris, we needed to work through the logistics of getting her from the western, Gulf Coast of Florida, around to the Atlantic and up the eastern seaboard to Rockland, Maine. A challenge in the best of times, but as we are all aware, travel can be particularly challenging right now.
You've heard the old saying that if you want to get something done, just ask a busy person...well, enter board member, SPSM supporter, friend, and Captain, Mark Siegenthaler and his daughter Megan. We've been checking in with them every few days, and they've been sending along photos and videos.
Day 1 (Saturday, May 23, 2020): Mark and Megan arrived in Port Charlotte, FL, on the Gulf Coast, on the 23rd. They met with former owner (and generous donor), Peter Elsaesser, his daughter Laura and her husband George, and spent the day provisioning and getting ready for the long trip home to Maine.
Day 2: (Sunday May 24, 2020). Sunday was the start of their journey – after a short distance shake-down cruise on Day 1, they spent their first night at Cabbage Key – 100 acres of tropical vegetation and home of a historic restaurant and inn. With no cars or paved roads, it was a wonderful spot to settle into a “Jimmy Buffet” state of mind as they started their trip.
Day 3 (Monday, May 25, 2020): Polaris and crew headed down the “left coast”of Florida to Fort Myers and tucked up into the Caloosahatchee River in an attempt to get ahead of a storm system that was moving into the area. Arriving at their destination (Moore Haven) for the evening, they settled in for what they thought would be a quiet evening. Instead, they found that the town docks, situated under a bridge, were anything but quiet. Mark has theorized that there must be an Amazon warehouse nearby as the truck traffic was loud, constant, and kept them awake much of the night.
Day 4 (Tuesday, May 26): In spite of their lack of sleep, the pressure was on for Day 4 as Polaris headed to Lake Okeechobee and some peculiar navigational challenges. Polaris had an appointment to pass through the first lock of the day at 7am, so an early start was necessary. Polaris draws about 6 feet, and the lake is currently about 2 feet below average for this time of year, leaving many areas with 2-4 feet of water hundreds of yards from shore. Mark had done his research, but our worthy vessel and crew bumped along the muddy lake bottom a bit as they headed across, and they made the decision to pump out the water tanks in an attempt to lessen her draft!
The day’s next challenge was to reach the lock across the lake at Port Mayakka by 11:30am – before she closed later in the day for construction. Arriving in time, they found that construction had begun, but the lock was in the open position, and they were allowed to pass. With those challenges behind them, Megan and Mark settled in for passage through the St. Lucie Canal – a great spot for alligator and porpoise spotting along the way.
Arriving in Stuart, FL, for the evening, they had a bit of time to explore the area around the marina before settling in for what they hoped would be a restful evening after the events of the past 24 hours. Instead, they later discovered that the town docks are located near railroad tracks, and freight trains ran every hour, whistles blowing, all night long! Megan commented the next morning, they just needed to find an airport for the next evening to complete their own version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!
You've heard the old saying that if you want to get something done, just ask a busy person...well, enter board member, SPSM supporter, friend, and Captain, Mark Siegenthaler and his daughter Megan. We've been checking in with them every few days, and they've been sending along photos and videos.
Day 1 (Saturday, May 23, 2020): Mark and Megan arrived in Port Charlotte, FL, on the Gulf Coast, on the 23rd. They met with former owner (and generous donor), Peter Elsaesser, his daughter Laura and her husband George, and spent the day provisioning and getting ready for the long trip home to Maine.
Day 2: (Sunday May 24, 2020). Sunday was the start of their journey – after a short distance shake-down cruise on Day 1, they spent their first night at Cabbage Key – 100 acres of tropical vegetation and home of a historic restaurant and inn. With no cars or paved roads, it was a wonderful spot to settle into a “Jimmy Buffet” state of mind as they started their trip.
Day 3 (Monday, May 25, 2020): Polaris and crew headed down the “left coast”of Florida to Fort Myers and tucked up into the Caloosahatchee River in an attempt to get ahead of a storm system that was moving into the area. Arriving at their destination (Moore Haven) for the evening, they settled in for what they thought would be a quiet evening. Instead, they found that the town docks, situated under a bridge, were anything but quiet. Mark has theorized that there must be an Amazon warehouse nearby as the truck traffic was loud, constant, and kept them awake much of the night.
Day 4 (Tuesday, May 26): In spite of their lack of sleep, the pressure was on for Day 4 as Polaris headed to Lake Okeechobee and some peculiar navigational challenges. Polaris had an appointment to pass through the first lock of the day at 7am, so an early start was necessary. Polaris draws about 6 feet, and the lake is currently about 2 feet below average for this time of year, leaving many areas with 2-4 feet of water hundreds of yards from shore. Mark had done his research, but our worthy vessel and crew bumped along the muddy lake bottom a bit as they headed across, and they made the decision to pump out the water tanks in an attempt to lessen her draft!
The day’s next challenge was to reach the lock across the lake at Port Mayakka by 11:30am – before she closed later in the day for construction. Arriving in time, they found that construction had begun, but the lock was in the open position, and they were allowed to pass. With those challenges behind them, Megan and Mark settled in for passage through the St. Lucie Canal – a great spot for alligator and porpoise spotting along the way.
Arriving in Stuart, FL, for the evening, they had a bit of time to explore the area around the marina before settling in for what they hoped would be a restful evening after the events of the past 24 hours. Instead, they later discovered that the town docks are located near railroad tracks, and freight trains ran every hour, whistles blowing, all night long! Megan commented the next morning, they just needed to find an airport for the next evening to complete their own version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!
Polaris - Traveling in Historic Times
It's been an unusual few days for our intrepid travelers: A scrubbed space shuttle launch, viewing the "wrong side" of a cargo ship, and watching history being made (a little too close for comfort) on the edges of riots in Charleston.
Day 5 (Wednesday, May 27). Leaving Stuart, today's travels were a bit less of an adventure than yesterday's. Mark and Megan continued up the coast and moored in Melbourne Florida. And while a plane did pass overhead (referencing Megan's "planes, trains, and automobiles" comment from the day before), they were nowhere near an airport, and they settled in for a quiet evening onboard Polaris.
Day 6 (Thursday, May 28)
Leaving Melbourne and headed to Ormond Beach, FL. Today’s anticipated event was to travel past Cape Canaveral as the SpaceX Space Shuttle was to be launched. Adding this historic event to the travels was certainly an added “plus” on the adventure, but sadly the weather didn’t cooperate, and the launch was cancelled. Ormond Beach was nice resting place, though, and they settled in for the night after a quiet stroll around town.
Day 7 (Friday, May 29)
Our fearless crew put in a long day of traveling and made it to Georgia, anchoring just over the border for a quiet evening. Friday saw some interesting sights, one of which was pictured to the left. As Polaris headed north, Mark and Megan noticed a large “something” in the water. And by “large,” we mean kind of huge! As they pulled up to it, they realized that they were looking at the bottom of a cargo ship that is being dismantled. The 656 ft Golden Ray, had capsized as she was leaving the Port of Brunswick, heading for Baltimore with 4,200 new cars on board. The cause of the incident is still under investigation. For some great photos and more on the story, click here.
Day 8 (Saturday, May 30)
From Brunswick, our crew traveled “outside” to Tybee Island near Savannah, then tucked back “inside” making it to Beaufort around 9:30 pm. Megan took the wheel which allowed Mark to head into the bilges to explore as the bilge pumps seemed to be running a bit more than they should. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. A few adjustments later, he had things back under control, and he was able to once again don his Captain's hat. Taking a bit of time in the late afternoon to relax while underway, Mark's ingenuity came into play as he rigged up a temporary solution to the non-functioning autopilot. (For any "Red Green Show" fans out there ... you know the saying, "If the women don't find you handsome, they might as well find you handy!" We know we're lucky to have a handsome AND handy captain on board doing this delivery!)
Day 9 (Sunday, May 31)
Shorter day today as Polaris headed to Charleston. Parts for the autopilot are scheduled to arrive on Monday Plans were for a relaxing afternoon in Charleston, waiting for the parts to arrive, and Megan to then catch a flight home, as her portion of the journey is coming to an end. But, as Robert Burns once said, “The best laid schemes o’mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley” in other words, so much for plans!
Mark and Megan arrived in Charleston during the second day of unrest as cities around the country have erupted in the midst of racial tensions.. Saturday night had seen riots and property destruction with 11:00 pm curfews in place. Sunday’s crackdown moved curfew up to 6:00 pm.
A short (early) Uber drive had taken M&M through one of the hard hit areas (King Street) with broken/boarded up windows and looted businesses. At one point, Mark found himself in sight of some of the “action,” and spoke to some of the college students nearby. He watched from a distance as police and National Guard surrounded crowds as the curfew hour approached. He also found that he wasn’t quite far enough away from the action as he was still within reach of the fumes of tear gas. Although his exposure was light, he was still feeling the effects when we spoke later in the afternoon.
Day 5 (Wednesday, May 27). Leaving Stuart, today's travels were a bit less of an adventure than yesterday's. Mark and Megan continued up the coast and moored in Melbourne Florida. And while a plane did pass overhead (referencing Megan's "planes, trains, and automobiles" comment from the day before), they were nowhere near an airport, and they settled in for a quiet evening onboard Polaris.
Day 6 (Thursday, May 28)
Leaving Melbourne and headed to Ormond Beach, FL. Today’s anticipated event was to travel past Cape Canaveral as the SpaceX Space Shuttle was to be launched. Adding this historic event to the travels was certainly an added “plus” on the adventure, but sadly the weather didn’t cooperate, and the launch was cancelled. Ormond Beach was nice resting place, though, and they settled in for the night after a quiet stroll around town.
Day 7 (Friday, May 29)
Our fearless crew put in a long day of traveling and made it to Georgia, anchoring just over the border for a quiet evening. Friday saw some interesting sights, one of which was pictured to the left. As Polaris headed north, Mark and Megan noticed a large “something” in the water. And by “large,” we mean kind of huge! As they pulled up to it, they realized that they were looking at the bottom of a cargo ship that is being dismantled. The 656 ft Golden Ray, had capsized as she was leaving the Port of Brunswick, heading for Baltimore with 4,200 new cars on board. The cause of the incident is still under investigation. For some great photos and more on the story, click here.
Day 8 (Saturday, May 30)
From Brunswick, our crew traveled “outside” to Tybee Island near Savannah, then tucked back “inside” making it to Beaufort around 9:30 pm. Megan took the wheel which allowed Mark to head into the bilges to explore as the bilge pumps seemed to be running a bit more than they should. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. A few adjustments later, he had things back under control, and he was able to once again don his Captain's hat. Taking a bit of time in the late afternoon to relax while underway, Mark's ingenuity came into play as he rigged up a temporary solution to the non-functioning autopilot. (For any "Red Green Show" fans out there ... you know the saying, "If the women don't find you handsome, they might as well find you handy!" We know we're lucky to have a handsome AND handy captain on board doing this delivery!)
Day 9 (Sunday, May 31)
Shorter day today as Polaris headed to Charleston. Parts for the autopilot are scheduled to arrive on Monday Plans were for a relaxing afternoon in Charleston, waiting for the parts to arrive, and Megan to then catch a flight home, as her portion of the journey is coming to an end. But, as Robert Burns once said, “The best laid schemes o’mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley” in other words, so much for plans!
Mark and Megan arrived in Charleston during the second day of unrest as cities around the country have erupted in the midst of racial tensions.. Saturday night had seen riots and property destruction with 11:00 pm curfews in place. Sunday’s crackdown moved curfew up to 6:00 pm.
A short (early) Uber drive had taken M&M through one of the hard hit areas (King Street) with broken/boarded up windows and looted businesses. At one point, Mark found himself in sight of some of the “action,” and spoke to some of the college students nearby. He watched from a distance as police and National Guard surrounded crowds as the curfew hour approached. He also found that he wasn’t quite far enough away from the action as he was still within reach of the fumes of tear gas. Although his exposure was light, he was still feeling the effects when we spoke later in the afternoon.
Polaris - A Solo Adventure for the Week
Day 10, (Monday, June 1)
Monday was scheduled to be a rest day in Charleston, SC. Mark and Megan had planned some activities to memorialize their trip, the parts for the autopilot were scheduled to arrive, Megan was flying home to Maine, and Mark was going to spend a bit of time fixing the autopilot. Key word here is “was.”
With the city in turmoil, Mark got Megan on her way early in the day. With no stores or restaurants open, Mark partook in a true “breakfast of champions” – when the going gets tough, it’s time for Ben & Jerry’s! Once the parts were in, Mark installed them and headed out of Charleston for calmer waters and safer surroundings. After a 4-hour, 40-mile trip, he anchored in Graham Creek for a night of peace and quiet where he finished installing the autopilot as he will be traveling solo for the next week before more crew arrives.
Day 11 (Tuesday, June 2)
As Polaris headed North to Myrtle Beach, SC, she passed by Winyah Bay, SC and an interesting floating swing bridge. The bridge remains open most of the time, closing only when road traffic approaches.
A bit south of Myrtle Beach, a dam had broken and there was extensive flooding and damage with water in the area at 7’ above normal in some places, several deaths, and wide-spread evacuations in process. Click here for a story on the flooding https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/video/south-carolina-flooding-dam-breach-triggers-full-scale-evacuation-539022915792
Mark ended the day, stopping in for dinner at a “day dock” before heading upriver and anchoring overnight. This trip, for Mark, was going to be an exploration of the inter-coastal waterway, an opportunity to meet people, and see new things. As with many other things in the world today, he pandemic has changed that. Stopping for dinner now means everyone sitting away from each other, contact information is being collected in case tracing needs to happen at a later date, and definitely no socializing for a person who is traveling alone.
Day 12 (Wed, June 3)
Next stop was Wrightsville Beach, NC. Spent a bit of time re-provisioning and fueling up after the last fueling stop in Charleston (she holds 110 gallons). Has a bit of a challenge traveling through the Cape Fear inlet while headed north in the Cape Fear River with high winds and confused seas. But otherwise, the trip aboard Polaris has proven her to be a comfortable vessel, traveling easily during the day at a steady 8 or 9 knots. Can’t help but look forward to seeing her out on Penobscot Bay.
Day 13 (Thursday, June 4)
Had a bit of an “adventure”-- the first tense moments of the trip - (re)learning that age-old lesson about taking a power boat with a 5’-sailboat hull through 4’ of water. Heading into Beaufort, NC can be a challenge – have to really hug that red marker as there is no second marker to indicate the other side of the channel! With winds blowing at a steady 15 knots and the tide going out, Polaris strayed a bit too far from the marker, and her keel caught. Then the wind grabbed her and set her sideways to the current, rolling her so the rails were at water level. Thankfully, Polaris is equipped with bow thrusters and Captain Mark was able to engage them enough to hold her bow into the current while he backed her down and into deeper waters. As an old friend once told me, “There’s two kinds of boaters: Those that have been aground and those who're going to go aground.”
On reading the draft of Mark’s travels, Capt .Sharp added: There is Beaufort S. C. pronounced Bowfort and N. C. pronounced Beaufort but both spelled the same. But when you hear a southerner say either one you wonder what they are saying. It has always been a topic of discussion when I traversed the waterway.
Polaris docked overnight at the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Protests still underway. Watching what is going on in these cities, Mark has noticed that he is seeing young, college age protestors at all stops, and he’s had the opportunity to speak to a few of them along the say. Such interesting times.
Monday was scheduled to be a rest day in Charleston, SC. Mark and Megan had planned some activities to memorialize their trip, the parts for the autopilot were scheduled to arrive, Megan was flying home to Maine, and Mark was going to spend a bit of time fixing the autopilot. Key word here is “was.”
With the city in turmoil, Mark got Megan on her way early in the day. With no stores or restaurants open, Mark partook in a true “breakfast of champions” – when the going gets tough, it’s time for Ben & Jerry’s! Once the parts were in, Mark installed them and headed out of Charleston for calmer waters and safer surroundings. After a 4-hour, 40-mile trip, he anchored in Graham Creek for a night of peace and quiet where he finished installing the autopilot as he will be traveling solo for the next week before more crew arrives.
Day 11 (Tuesday, June 2)
As Polaris headed North to Myrtle Beach, SC, she passed by Winyah Bay, SC and an interesting floating swing bridge. The bridge remains open most of the time, closing only when road traffic approaches.
A bit south of Myrtle Beach, a dam had broken and there was extensive flooding and damage with water in the area at 7’ above normal in some places, several deaths, and wide-spread evacuations in process. Click here for a story on the flooding https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/video/south-carolina-flooding-dam-breach-triggers-full-scale-evacuation-539022915792
Mark ended the day, stopping in for dinner at a “day dock” before heading upriver and anchoring overnight. This trip, for Mark, was going to be an exploration of the inter-coastal waterway, an opportunity to meet people, and see new things. As with many other things in the world today, he pandemic has changed that. Stopping for dinner now means everyone sitting away from each other, contact information is being collected in case tracing needs to happen at a later date, and definitely no socializing for a person who is traveling alone.
Day 12 (Wed, June 3)
Next stop was Wrightsville Beach, NC. Spent a bit of time re-provisioning and fueling up after the last fueling stop in Charleston (she holds 110 gallons). Has a bit of a challenge traveling through the Cape Fear inlet while headed north in the Cape Fear River with high winds and confused seas. But otherwise, the trip aboard Polaris has proven her to be a comfortable vessel, traveling easily during the day at a steady 8 or 9 knots. Can’t help but look forward to seeing her out on Penobscot Bay.
Day 13 (Thursday, June 4)
Had a bit of an “adventure”-- the first tense moments of the trip - (re)learning that age-old lesson about taking a power boat with a 5’-sailboat hull through 4’ of water. Heading into Beaufort, NC can be a challenge – have to really hug that red marker as there is no second marker to indicate the other side of the channel! With winds blowing at a steady 15 knots and the tide going out, Polaris strayed a bit too far from the marker, and her keel caught. Then the wind grabbed her and set her sideways to the current, rolling her so the rails were at water level. Thankfully, Polaris is equipped with bow thrusters and Captain Mark was able to engage them enough to hold her bow into the current while he backed her down and into deeper waters. As an old friend once told me, “There’s two kinds of boaters: Those that have been aground and those who're going to go aground.”
On reading the draft of Mark’s travels, Capt .Sharp added: There is Beaufort S. C. pronounced Bowfort and N. C. pronounced Beaufort but both spelled the same. But when you hear a southerner say either one you wonder what they are saying. It has always been a topic of discussion when I traversed the waterway.
Polaris docked overnight at the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Protests still underway. Watching what is going on in these cities, Mark has noticed that he is seeing young, college age protestors at all stops, and he’s had the opportunity to speak to a few of them along the say. Such interesting times.
Polaris - The Adventure Continues in the Mid-Atlantic States
Continuing up the East Coast, Mark kept his eye on storms that threatened to move in his direction, but luckily, moved on either well ahead of him or stayed to the west.
Day 14 (Friday, June 5) Rainy morning but Polaris had proven to be a cozy ride. With a cup of coffee in hand, headed towards Coinjock Marina, NC, but will only get about about ½ way today, spending the night in Belhaven, NC, off the Pamilico River. Quiet night out on anchor.
Day 15 (Saturday, June 6) Left Belhaven and headed to Coinjock, NC. Putting up the Sail, Power, and Steam Museum flag attracts interest in an already interesting boat, and we even had someone “kicking the tires” on Polaris, asking if she is for sale! Much anticipated high point of the trip – a 16 oz Prime Rib. Mark was looking forward to this for days and forgot to take the requested photos so we could share his joy. :)
Day 16 (Sunday, June 7) Having satisfied his “meat-a-tarian” urges, Mark headed for Deltaville, VA, at the mouth of the Chesapeake where he spent another night on anchor. Beautiful weather – perfect for a long trip up the Bay. Mark noted that "everything in Norfolk is BIG!"
Day 17 (Monday, June 8) Travelled up the Bay to St. Michaels, MD, getting in too late to hit the local restaurants that are running with limited hours due to the pandemic. There was time to wander around this beautiful seaside town, though, full of old buildings and lovely houses. Polaris stayed at the dock of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum which has yet to reopen.
Day 18 (Tuesday, June 9) Today’s goal was to get through to the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal at slack tide, crossing to the Delaware River as the tide goes out – no fun fighting the tide for hours on end! As it was, it would be a 5 hour ride down the river to Cape May, NJ. Mark commented that the Delaware River was a rough ride. navigating Cape May Canal in the dark was a challenge! Could have used some moonlight. It was worth it for the calm SE wind up the NJ coast on Tuesday with an early start on Wednesday, should catch the current through NY and Hell's Gate"
Onward!
Day 14 (Friday, June 5) Rainy morning but Polaris had proven to be a cozy ride. With a cup of coffee in hand, headed towards Coinjock Marina, NC, but will only get about about ½ way today, spending the night in Belhaven, NC, off the Pamilico River. Quiet night out on anchor.
Day 15 (Saturday, June 6) Left Belhaven and headed to Coinjock, NC. Putting up the Sail, Power, and Steam Museum flag attracts interest in an already interesting boat, and we even had someone “kicking the tires” on Polaris, asking if she is for sale! Much anticipated high point of the trip – a 16 oz Prime Rib. Mark was looking forward to this for days and forgot to take the requested photos so we could share his joy. :)
Day 16 (Sunday, June 7) Having satisfied his “meat-a-tarian” urges, Mark headed for Deltaville, VA, at the mouth of the Chesapeake where he spent another night on anchor. Beautiful weather – perfect for a long trip up the Bay. Mark noted that "everything in Norfolk is BIG!"
Day 17 (Monday, June 8) Travelled up the Bay to St. Michaels, MD, getting in too late to hit the local restaurants that are running with limited hours due to the pandemic. There was time to wander around this beautiful seaside town, though, full of old buildings and lovely houses. Polaris stayed at the dock of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum which has yet to reopen.
Day 18 (Tuesday, June 9) Today’s goal was to get through to the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal at slack tide, crossing to the Delaware River as the tide goes out – no fun fighting the tide for hours on end! As it was, it would be a 5 hour ride down the river to Cape May, NJ. Mark commented that the Delaware River was a rough ride. navigating Cape May Canal in the dark was a challenge! Could have used some moonlight. It was worth it for the calm SE wind up the NJ coast on Tuesday with an early start on Wednesday, should catch the current through NY and Hell's Gate"
Onward!
Polaris - FL to ME - The Final Leg of the Journey
Day 19, (Wednesday, June 10)– Rough ride along the Jersey Shore, passing Atlantic City (left) up to the Manasquan River today with waves crashing over the bow and hitting the windshield. Always a treacherous inlet, today’s entry was no different. Glad to get in for the night.
Day 20 (Thursday, June 11) - – Today’s goal was to head to Sandy Hook, NJ, but it was a rough ride again, and the Captain decided to pull into the only inlet available to tuck into, making for a relatively short 1-1/2 hour drive to the Shark River.
Day 21 (Friday, June 12) – Traveled through NYC and Hell’s Gate today – entry to the Long Island Sound. Had a bit of excitement when the GPS stopped “talking” to the computer, cutting out the navigation system in NY Harbor. Luckily, the ever-trusty paper charts were handy, and they kept Polaris on track until the communications improved again in the Long Island Sound. Always such an impressive site to see the NYC skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Ended the day in Milford, CT, in a nice little cove with an island and beaches. Beautiful weather with lots of people on the water.
Day 22 (Saturday, June 13) Wanted to make it through the Cape Cod Canal today, but the trip took longer than hoped for, so stopped overnight in Mattapoisett for the night.
Day 23 Sunday, June 14) – Made it through the canal without incident, but fighting the tide the whole way. Motored through Massachusetts Bay, and headed into Gloucester, MA, where we tied up to the Schooner Adventure – former pride and joy of Captain Jim Sharp! So nice of the Maritime Heritage Foundation to roll out the welcome mat! And Mark’s solo adventure ended here as his wife, Patti, hopped on board after driving down from Maine.
Day 24 (Monday, June 15) – Another lovey day, headed up the Annisquam and up into to Newburyport for the evening. Stayed at the town docks and walked around town a bit, had lunch. Lots of people out in the parks and on the dock. Polaris drew crowds, interested in hearing the story of the boat and the museum. Mark and Patti even ran into folks from both Camden and Rockland!. Tides were fine on the river.
Day 25 (Tuesday, June 16) – Arrived at Peaks Island, Maine! Perfect spot for Patti and Mark to celebrate their wedding anniversary on board Polaris (coincidentally, the same Anniversary date at Polaris’s former owner, Captain Peter Elsaesser and his wife!)
Day 26 (Wednesday, June 17) It’s hard to even describe – yet another beautiful day in Maine, flat calm waters, and an easy ride to Camden, arriving in plenty of time to celebrate at the town landing with Capt Jim and Meg Sharp! It may have been a bit early, but as the saying goes, “It’s five o’clock somewhere!).
Day 27 (Thursday, June 18) - The final leg of the trip. Left Camden and traveled down the coast, around Rockport Harbor, and finally home to Rockland. Robin and Kevin (from the museum) headed out to the Breakwater in time to catch Polaris’s entrance into Rockland Harbor and grabbed a photo or two. Quick stop to fill up the tanks, and finally – home to the docks at the Sail Power and Steam Museum..
Day 20 (Thursday, June 11) - – Today’s goal was to head to Sandy Hook, NJ, but it was a rough ride again, and the Captain decided to pull into the only inlet available to tuck into, making for a relatively short 1-1/2 hour drive to the Shark River.
Day 21 (Friday, June 12) – Traveled through NYC and Hell’s Gate today – entry to the Long Island Sound. Had a bit of excitement when the GPS stopped “talking” to the computer, cutting out the navigation system in NY Harbor. Luckily, the ever-trusty paper charts were handy, and they kept Polaris on track until the communications improved again in the Long Island Sound. Always such an impressive site to see the NYC skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Ended the day in Milford, CT, in a nice little cove with an island and beaches. Beautiful weather with lots of people on the water.
Day 22 (Saturday, June 13) Wanted to make it through the Cape Cod Canal today, but the trip took longer than hoped for, so stopped overnight in Mattapoisett for the night.
Day 23 Sunday, June 14) – Made it through the canal without incident, but fighting the tide the whole way. Motored through Massachusetts Bay, and headed into Gloucester, MA, where we tied up to the Schooner Adventure – former pride and joy of Captain Jim Sharp! So nice of the Maritime Heritage Foundation to roll out the welcome mat! And Mark’s solo adventure ended here as his wife, Patti, hopped on board after driving down from Maine.
Day 24 (Monday, June 15) – Another lovey day, headed up the Annisquam and up into to Newburyport for the evening. Stayed at the town docks and walked around town a bit, had lunch. Lots of people out in the parks and on the dock. Polaris drew crowds, interested in hearing the story of the boat and the museum. Mark and Patti even ran into folks from both Camden and Rockland!. Tides were fine on the river.
Day 25 (Tuesday, June 16) – Arrived at Peaks Island, Maine! Perfect spot for Patti and Mark to celebrate their wedding anniversary on board Polaris (coincidentally, the same Anniversary date at Polaris’s former owner, Captain Peter Elsaesser and his wife!)
Day 26 (Wednesday, June 17) It’s hard to even describe – yet another beautiful day in Maine, flat calm waters, and an easy ride to Camden, arriving in plenty of time to celebrate at the town landing with Capt Jim and Meg Sharp! It may have been a bit early, but as the saying goes, “It’s five o’clock somewhere!).
Day 27 (Thursday, June 18) - The final leg of the trip. Left Camden and traveled down the coast, around Rockport Harbor, and finally home to Rockland. Robin and Kevin (from the museum) headed out to the Breakwater in time to catch Polaris’s entrance into Rockland Harbor and grabbed a photo or two. Quick stop to fill up the tanks, and finally – home to the docks at the Sail Power and Steam Museum..