Gloucester with Dane & Co.

Brother Dan and his mates, Steve and Rick, visited from California just after Labor Day and we enjoyed a picture-perfect sail to Gloucester on Tuesday. No sooner had we left Little Harbor than the USCG stopped us for a "courtesy inspection", which we learned we could not refuse. ("No thanks," tried our Captain) The good part was...well just look at how cute he was! Act III passed with flying colors, for those of you who worry about those sorts of things.

In sunshine and light breeze we made the sail around Cape Ann into Gloucester Harbor in a little over 5 hours. We picked up a public mooring for $25, launched (dinghy) Intermission, and roamed Main Street before an exquisite meal at Passports Restaurant. We tucked into our berths and slept soundly until the wind woke us in the morning. After a fine feast at Zeke's fisherman's breakfast place, we returned home through the Annisquam River for a change of scenery, where the houseboats made us smile. Bill slickly slipped us through the narrow RR bridge that didn't open 90 degrees, requiring us to stay close to the starboard side, then make a sharp left turn to stay in the shallow channel.

It had been blowing 25 kts out the the Northeast for 12 hours, creating 5-10' chop. Exiting the river with opposing tidal current and wind was a thrill. We crested one wave, then slammed the bottom just at the mouth of the river, but sturdy Act III is showed no sign of interior shifts upon later inspection. With a reef in the main, we made 7-7 1/2 kts. on a close reach home. The biggest surprise was even Bill got seasick, for the first time in 50 years. Steve was hit hardest, even wearing a scopolomine patch, but he reports that he'd do the trip again in a heartbeat, because the ride was such a thrill. Rick and Dane were only slightly uncomfortable, but the experience prompted Dane to kindly supply us with more potent seasickness meds for our boat medical kit.

After a day of recovery, the team enjoyed a lobsters, steamers and shrimp at Chauncey Creek. We took a little tour of Portsmouth, including the commercial fishing pier, where we learned not even the fishermen had gone out on the day we sailed home. Our crew deserves medals!