We interrupt this Maine cruise…

On Friday, July 21^st, we set out on Dumbledore for a 6-week cruise up the Maine coast, heading for Penobscot Bay. We enjoyed a lovely couple of nights on a town mooring in the Saco River (picture at top of post), then a night at Jewell Island. We backtracked a bit and spent a night on a friend’s mooring at Cousins Island so we could visit our friends at Greene Marine, the boatyard that helped us convert Indigo Lady to solar electric, and who have become lasting friends. From there we were heading to Damariscove, but the seas were uncomfortable, so we bailed and went up the New Meadows River to one of our favorite Midcoast stops- The Basin. We hiked the Micah Trail that afternoon, which turned into a foraging expedition because we found a bunch of black trumpet mushrooms- score! Dave also found a handful of yellow-foot chanterelles, which he ate for breakfast the next day. He dried the black trumpets.

Thursday morning was a lovely, calm day. So, we set out to meet up with friends at Damariscove. One mile out of The Basin, our alternator stopped working. Uh oh! Can’t cool the engine if the alternator isn’t spinning that belt. Fortunately, the New Meadows River was calm, and it is wide and we were in a channel between the rows of lobster pots. I kept watch above while Dave did some troubleshooting. He was able to get the alternator running, but it needed repair or replacement right away. We were only 8 hours cruising from our home dock, so we decided to take the risk and head there. Worst case scenario, if the alternator stopped, we’d call for a tow. If we got lucky, we’d make it all the way home before sunset and not have to pay for a marina or rent a car while we sorted our alternator (it is a model that is difficult to find). 

We got lucky. We were docked by 6:30pm, and my cousin, Bob, was there at the dock (having been working on his boat) to help with the lines. We all had some drinks and dinner aboard Dumbledore. Bob went home and Dave & I stayed onboard for the night. After breakfast the next morning, Dave called the alternator repair guy whose voicemail indicated that he was at his daughter’s wedding that day and heading off for vacation the following week. Yikes! He’d be in the shop Friday. So Dave left a message, removed the alternator, and we crossed our fingers that the guy would get back to us Friday. Fearing we would be homebound for over a week, we packed up stuff we didn’t want to leave aboard and met my Dad at the boat launch so he could drive us home. (Thanks, Dad!)

We got lucky again. The alternator guy called back that very afternoon (daughter’s wedding was in the morning) and told Dave that if he could get the alternator to him, he’d fix it Friday. Dave left immediately. Friday morning, alternator guy called around 9:30am to say the alternator was done. Woo hoo! Again, Dave left immediately.

As I type this today, Saturday, Dave is out at Dumbledore installing the repaired alternator and doing a couple of other boat things. We decided not to give ourselves whiplash and head back out on our trip right away. We’re taking this weekend and at least Monday to tend to a few things locally, then we’ll restart our trip Tuesday or Wednesday. We’ll probably even still make it up to Penobscot Bay.

I will try to continue to post weekly for the duration of our cruise. Hopefully next time I’ll be writing to you from Penobscot Bay. Until then, stay safe and take care of each other!