This year we shifted our Boothbay week from July 4th week to 3 weeks later in July. So glad we shifted. Less weekend traffic, and I didn't have to deal with all the extra car/boat traffic you get when July 4th creates a long weekend.
On the drive up from Mass, Jacqui and I drove separate like normal. Jacqui stopped in Brunswick to check out some used record/book store that's only open on Saturdays. I drove straight to Barters Island and paddled around it.
Met some fellow Massholes at the boat launch (just kidding they were nice), and I gave them the low down on where to go; it was their first time there. They didn't go very far, but had a good time. I think they only did a 2-3 mile loop in the time it took me to do the 9 mile loop around Barters Island. I met up with them briefly when i got back; they were just finishing packing up. The parking lot on the kayak side was filled with small boat trailers. Low tide was around noon, so the clammers were out in force digging in the low tide mud banks. Thankfully, I got back before the tide rose enough for them to start coming in.
After the paddle i went to the cabin to unload all the stuff. Jacqui arrived a little later. Usually more work for me because I pack all the food and kitchen supplies. For the week, I brought mexican black beans, falafell, home made veggie patties, spaghetti stuff, and macaroni salad. Also defrosted a small link of croghan bologna.
When Jacqui arrived she was sad because the used record place was kind of a bust (it was open just didn't have anything interesting), but at least she didn't get stuck in the Rt 1 Wicasset traffic bottleneck. That's gotten better, it used to add an hour to the drive before they redid things in the old downtown area by Red's Eats.
For Dinner Saturday, we went to the Boothbay craft brew for beer and pizza. I'm in weight loss mode this year, so we split a pizza. their pizzas are small, so splitting worked well. One of the rare occasions where high quality, smaller quantity works well, at least for dieting purposes.
Sunday
rainy afternoon and evening forecasted, and it was already too windy for kayaking in the morning, so i just biked the Southport loop before the rain came. here's a couple photos
The rain came later, but the rest of the week was fine. The colder weather was perfect for making spaghetti Sunday night. I brought a frozen bag of my meatball sauce, which had thawed by then.
Monday, I walked the kayak over to the town launch on Sheepscot by the swing bridge using the kayak cart. Dad and I did that the hard way once. I manually carried the kayaks along a rough trail from the cove by Harborfields to the town launch. Anyway, I had an interesting paddle to the Powderhorn island from the launch. the wind was out of the NorthWest, so i was getting blasted straight on by the 10-15mph NNW wind on the paddle up to Powderhorn. i rode the waves back. It was fun. Didn't see any other kayakers out, which probably means i was the dummy. Got some thumbs up from the motor boaters that day, so yeah...more evidence I suppose. Seemed fine to me.
Btw the GPS on my watch stopped working on this trip. Bought it back in 2017, so if the GPS is truly dead, i've gotten my money's worth out of it. Going to try a hard reset and reinstall the software on it. I'll get another one if the GPS sensor is truly dead. Definitely worth getting the sapphire glass version though. My old one is still scratch free.
I also did a Southport loop ride on the bike, but just for the exercise, no scenic stops.
Monday was also our 1st date anniversary. 30 years! so we did an outing to Moody's Diner for lunch. Jacqui was happy, she loves that place. we split a piece of all berry pie and got one to go for her breakfast the next day.
Tuesday, i did a long, 30 mile ride in Brunswick. Not sure I'll do it every year, but it was fun. I really enjoyed the scenery. There's a 46 mile loop too, maybe next year. That loop goes a little North of Brunswick around a bay, cuts over to Bath, then back.
my bike computer GPS was working, so here's the map of the ride.
At the end of merepoint road, there's a boat launch look out and Paul's Marina, which was a nice deli/ Lobster roll shack. Lunch was yummy. I was about 2 hours into the 3 hour ride, so I devoured this.
the dessert was a raspberry sponge cake. very sweet, but light.
Jacqui did her own thing Tuesday. Went into town, got herself lunch and did some shopping.
Wednesday
I was able to do what I call the drainage ditch paddle. From the town landing, I went up along the east side, and there's a road like bridge that goes over a large culvert that you can paddle through at mid tide. Yup, you can paddle right through the large pipe. Timed it perfect. I then looped around to the west and doubled back. Calm water day.
In the afternoon, i biked the backway to the Boothbay Brewery. Jacqui drove and met me there. We've done that a lot this Summer. I bike to a food place, jacqui drives and meets me at said food place (taco's, pizza, ice cream, etc). So Jacqui still gets to eat out, and I can work on losing weight. Biking to food places also helps keep me motivated. The trick is to burn more calories than i eat, so far so good.
Thursday's paddle was high tide, and the thing I remember most was the half dozen or so harbor seal encounters i had. They were swimming around diving for fish/lobsters. My paddling has improved i guess, I don't scare them off like i used to. Not whacking the water as much as I paddle. I was getting within 20-30 ft a lot of the time before they noticed me and dove to get away. No chance of photos though, they're scared of kayakers. Anything that remotely looks like I'm prepping for a harpoon throw and they're gone.
Friday more of the same, did a paddle and bike southport loop one last time. We did most of the packing up Friday afternoon and evening.
Saturday
I planned on going back to one of the launches I liked on the drive home, but when I got there, it was low tide and it was a giant mud flat. Glad I didn't learn that the hard way. Like if i went out towards the end of high tide and had to wait 4-5 extra hours for the water to come back. When I go there, I'll have to go before peak high tide, so i have enough time to go and get back before low tide turns the launch area into a giant mud pit. Not sure the photo does it justice but here goes. Explains why there are no houses along the shore line.
it would have been a quarter mile of mud to try and walk out to the deeper water, which would have been impossible, I'd have had to just wait for the tide to rise again.
So instead, I drove home. Traffic got heavy enough that instead of waiting in stop and go to get off 495 south to 290 west, i drove the backroads home the last 15-20minutes.
Twitch survived. Demanded lots of brushing, more of that to come I'm sure. I watered the flowers and tomatoes. Put water out and some seed out of the birds
One of the tomato plants are cherry tomatoes and a few were ready to eat. Yum!
Anyway, kind of a rest day for me. I woke up early (4:45a.m.) and didn't really fall back asleep. Typical for last night there before leaving. Don't worry, already had an afternoon nap.
Also, I weighed in 1 pound less than when i started on vacation, so mission accomplished! Had fun, went out to eat a few times, but still stayed on track weight loss wise.
Jacqui and I need to go do some grocery shopping, so might get some street tacos at the local mexican place we like.
D
P.S.
this is more for Jeff. We frequently discuss ways I could make camping more comfortable for Jacqui to want and come along. Here is my counter evidence. LOL
Jacqui brought 3 large fans ,and she had 2 more mini usb ones too The box fans are for sucking fresh air into the cabin, and the other to push hot air out.
Jacqui likes low to mid 70's, partly cloudly . Slight breeze but not too windy. Also not too dry/humid. Luckily that was the weather most of the week. But in the evening when we sat outside, once it got down to 65F at night, it was "too cold" (even with her fleece on) so she went inside the cabin.
Van life is not in her future...ever LOL.
To be fair, I did bring one fan for myself. portable, battery powered, multiple speeds, and it telescopes too https://a.co/d/iE5kC4l
Jacqui's thinking she'll get one for when she travels. In pink/white, maybe both!