August 7-10                            Southwest Harbor, Maine

Joe, from Ellis Boat Company, knew we had guests coming and he worked diligently to finish the new teak baseboards in the hall, the re-configured stairs leading from the galley to the hall, and the beautiful teak panel above the helm.  Miller had completed most of his work on the bridge, Troy had checked the five air conditioner units, cleaned vents, and added Freon, and Roger had worked on the refrigerator and made the defective control panel work until a new one could be installed.  The boat was busy as a beehive and with all those guys coming and going. I could not finish my cleaning.  Our guests would arrive at 4:00 PM and at 3:00 PM, disorder reigned.  David went to the airport without me.  All the workmen left by 3:30 PM and I managed to make the boat presentable for our guests who would arrive on the dock by 5:00 PM.

As I waited for David’s return, I looked into the water next to our boat and saw the black, sleek body and head of a small sea lion.  It was casually turning flips as it swam past and out into the harbor.  We never had seen a sea lion at Southwest Harbor and I was very surprised.

Glenn and Ann Biggs, good friends from San Antonio arrived on a beautiful day in Maine.  We were so glad they could see the incredible scenery bathed in sunlight for; unfortunately rain and fog were predicted for the next two days.  Glenn and Ann are lovely, gracious people who have traveled widely and have had many interesting experiences.  They are excellent conversationalists and we love to visit with them.

As predicted, Thursday was rainy, foggy, and cold.  Breakfast and lunch were on the boat. We were curious about a large yacht dock next to us.  With a distinctive tan hull and three sleek upper decks, it was a beautiful boat.  A brief break in the rain prompted Glenn to walk to the ladder of the boat and step up to the deck.  We were watching and were sure he would be told to leave.  Instead, after a short conversation, he returned to our boat with the captain. We learned the yacht was owned by Paul and Judy Andrews of Fort Worth.  Joe, the captain, and his family live in Aledo and he had been a captain of several yachts for the Andrews.  The name of the yacht, Abbracci, means to hug in Italian.  It is 155 feet long and has staterooms for eight people.  Joe was delightful and a wonderful source of information about marinas and ports on the east coast and in the Bahamas.

The afternoon presented a break in the weather and we toured Southwest Harbor, part of Acadia National Park, and Bass Harbor. We visited the Wendell Gilley Museum.  Gilley, a resident of Southwest Harbor, was famous for his extraordinary wooden carvings of birds.  His carvings are carefully executed and  hand painted in great detail.   Dinner was at Fiddler’s Green, a charming restaurant near the marina.  The ambiance, service, and the food were excellent. 

On Friday, we awakened to loud rolls of thunder and hard rain.  Fog again encapsulated the area.  After a late breakfast, the fog lifted and we ventured out with umbrellas to drive to Northeast Harbor.  Hard rain met us before we arrived but subsided after we parked in the small downtown area.  Northeast Harbor has some wonderful shops and, despite the persisting showers, we wove our ways into and out of doorways.  The small bookshop had a trove of books on shipwrecks and underwater diving which we knew would appeal to our son.  After making a sizeable purchase, I asked the owner if I could take a photograph of his shop and was quickly told I could not.  He allowed no one, regardless of wealth or fame, to take pictures in his shop.  He wanted to be in control of anything published about it.  We found that to be strange, but whatever????? 

We returned to the boat just as the rain and fog accelerated.  Our plans to attend the play at the repertory theater in Somesville were shelved in favor of safety.  Docks can be treacherous when wet and in the dark, they can be an invitation to an accident.  Dinner was on the boat.

We were excited to learn a contingent of people from Fort Worth would be arriving to board the Abbracci.    Unfortunately, they arrived late and we did not see them before the yacht departed the next morning.  Saturday was the day we had hoped for Glenn and Ann’s visit.  A perfect day with gorgeous weather and little wind.  We decided to cancel the carriage ride on the trails in the park and take a cruise to Bar Harbor.  We saw the Abbracci turning into Northeast Harbor and exchanged greetings by horn.

We were delighted to see the beautiful homes lining the shores of Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor.  Many of them are visible only by water as they are positioned far off the road and shielded by heavy stands of trees.  Seal Harbor has the huge Rockefeller estate with a number of homes. Reportedly, a large residence owned by Dick Wolf, the creator of the Law and Order shows, has a fabulous view.  The shoreline is composed of huge rocks and tall pine trees that stretch up the mountains in unbroken symmetry. 

When we turned the corner toward Bar Harbor, the wind intensified and we opted to return to the marina.   Rueben sandwiches on the boat, naps for the guys, and Ann and I went into town to shop for her grandchildren.  The shops and streets were packed.  Everyone was eager to get out after two days of inclement weather.  Dinner was at Red Sky, a highly regarded restaurant in Southwest Harbor.  It did not measure up to its exalted reputation. 

Our visit with Glenn and Ann was a highlight of our 2013 trip to Maine.  It was a delight to have them join us on The Bottom Line and spend time renewing our long friendship.  We have many happy, wonderful memories of times spent with them in the past.  They were perfect guests, always easy and accepting.  I was amazed Ann quickly learned how to negotiate the curved, steep stairs leading from the galley to the salon with trays of dishes and food.  She showed more skill than some others years younger!