June 20-25                           Southwest Harbor, Maine

Another day of fog and then several days of brilliant sunshine.  Phil and Linda came for dinner on the boat on Tuesday.  We served fresh salmon and halibut laced in an attractive entree banked with sautéed squash, zucchini, and baby tomatoes.  Dessert was a fresh triple berry pie from a local pie maker.  Our guests were leaving on Thursday for a trip to Africa with their daughter, Amy.  The hours went by swiftly as we lingered over wine and good conversation.

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Miller continued to come to the boat and work his magic as he removed the decayed wooden supports for the fly-bridge compartments.  He replaced them with new wood, sanded the compartments and applied new paint.  They looked like new and we were delighted.  With the great new decking applied last year in Portsmouth, our fly-bridge never looked better.

Micah and his staff diligently worked to replace the worn carpet and supports on the gangway leading from the docks to the marina entrance.  They installed heavy outdoor carpeting and wooden dividers which greatly reduced the possibilities of slipping and falling.  With a tide of twelve feet, the gangway can become almost vertical in low tide.

Saturday dawned with dense fog which seemed to miraculously lift before noon.  We had cloudless blue skies and wonderful cool weather.  The dock was crowded with excited boaters ready to take their boats for cruises around the islands.  The Castlefinn, a 102 feet yacht owned by the family of the Ore-Ida Potato Company, always docked at Southwest Harbor in the summer, had the owner on board with guests and they took advantage of the glorious weather and left early for a long cruise. We were pleased to meet them later that evening.  Although the owner usually comes on weekends, the crew remains in place and carefully cares for this beautiful yacht.

Micah, our beloved dockmaster, was feted by numerous friends at a pig roast for his birthday.  We attended with others to see the amazing sight of a pig roasted for many hours over burning coals and taste the delicious results.   Miller orchestrated the event and it was a resounding success.  The birthday boy had been overserved and was not fully aware of the festivities.  However, to our amazement on the following morning, he was erect and sturdy on a bicycle quickly pedaling on the docks toward an approaching vessel.  The resilience of youth!!!!

Sunday was another glorious Maine summer day.  Pretzel needed some attention and David made an appointment with a vet in Bar Harbor.  We were impressed with their beautiful facilities and great staff.  It was exceptionally clean and fresh-smelling.  Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch, with Pretzel at

our feet, on the dock of a renowned seafood restaurant.  The food, halibut and a seafood medley was exceptional, as was the service.

 The town was packed with tourists from numerous buses and two large cruise ships.  Bar Harbor handles well this influx of population.  Restaurants, shops, and civic amenities are up to the challenge and everyone seemed to be in a happy mood as they perused the streets, relaxed on the village green, and enjoyed the beautiful harbor scene.  We felt fortunate we were not leaving but would return to our beautiful boat and enjoy a lingering sunset from the bridge.