474 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dm. 3, 1904. 
Four Philadelphians Cruising 
Down East* 
BY THE LADY COOK. 
In the first place, we did not start from Philadelphia, 
but having summered several seasons in a native cottage 
cn one of the islands of Casco Bay, with our yacht 
Eleanor lying off the back door, early in August of 1903 
we stocked the small cabin from the island store and 
headed further down East; that is, the cook's husband, 
and his father and brother. 
Eleanor is a sloop-rigged yacht, often known as the 
dead rise bateau, 26ft. 6in. over all, 16ft. 6in. waterline, 
8ft. 2in. breadth, 2oin. draft, with centerboard down 4ft. 
6in., sail area 418 sq. ft, carrying 600 pounds ballast. 
She is of entirely single-handed, home-made construc- 
tion ; I hesitate to call her even amateur build, as the be- 
fore-mentioned brother, who is responsible for her exist- 
ence, does not intend to build another, his life-work being 
entirely apart from any work of the hands. For two 
seasons our family had knocked about in the waters of 
Casco Bay and often outside in an open Hampton boat, 
which is undoubtedly the best type of open boat for these 
waters, often chilled in calm sunsets, and wet with heavy 
seas, with no. cabin even to stow warm and dry clothing. 
Then Eleanor was conceived. That is, we must hav.e a 
cabin, with enough about it to make a boat answering our 
needs. The fact that she is flat-bottomed might relegate 
her among the unseaworthy, but with skillful handling 
and proper precautions as to attempting long open 
stretches of open water in threatening weather, we have 
ridden out many a blow and enjoyed a 250-mile cruise. 
A centerboard and .cabin without head room but with 
ample width and length to accommodate four sleeping 
occupants by night, and the same space used for cooking- 
purposes and shelter by day, lockers forward, ice-chest 
aft, and plenty of room under the overhang tor stowing 
clothing, fishing tackle, charts, etc., comprises the in- 
terior. After a ten days' cruise we once calculated that 
it was equal to living for the same time under the family 
dining table at home, going about on all fours when a 
needed article happened to be beyond arm's length — but 
oh, the simplicity of it, the absolute rest, and the reluct- 
ant return to civilized ways ! 
With a fair S.W. wind on this August day, we started 
to beat out 10 miles to Sequin Light ; three long legs and 
Smau J^omt was rounded, with the light just ahead, then 
close-hauled for The Sisters. After passing these rocks 
the wind suddenly dropped, and we slowly drifted to the 
Cuckolds, passed inside the light, and a few gentle 
zephyrs enabled us to make Card's Cove on Linekin's 
Neck, at 7 140 P. M., too late to go ashore that night for 
provisions; but before even lighting the Khotal for a hot 
meal, let me ask how all the other crusing yachtsmen we 
see get along without a mosquito-proof cabin? Our 
scheme is copper bands covered with two thicknesses of 
cotton netting slipped over the port-holes, and perfectly 
fitting frames with bronze wire for the fore and aft 
hatches. If one midget should find his way in before we 
come to anchor, he is easily found and disposed of on the 
perfectly white top and sides of the cabin. With an 
acetylene lamp, a good bicycle lamp, and an old trusty 
lantern, there are cards, books, magazines, nautical and 
otherwise, yarns and songs, until the blankets are un- 
rolled and the race is on as to who will get to sleep first. 
Next morning fog and rain, wind S.E. ; no hurry to 
get off under these conditions, so the cook goes ashore 
for fresh bread, beefsteak, New England doughnuts, and 
whatever else she can find. Low water and unfamiliar 
landing places necessitate partial disrobing; but the fog 
was thick and . thereby convenient. By 11 o'clock scenery 
was appearing, and a light wind enabled us to pass out 
inside Green Island, where the current set in toward the 
island,, and at one place the centerboard touched slightly; 
no damage, however, and as the fog again looked threat- 
ening, we made for the Thrumb Cap, intending to anchor 
somewhere in the Thread-of-Life passage, as it was that 
much to the East, rather than Christmas Cove. After 
passing Turnip Island and dodging several hundred 
lobster buoys, anchored behind Hay Island at 2 o'clock. 
Having friends at the other end of Rutherford's, two of 
us unfolded ourselves and walked the distance through 
mud and rain, appearing in fine trim before hotel guests 
and rocking-chair sojourners. 
More fog the following morning, but after a violent 
rainstorm, the fog lifted a little and we started for Pema- 
quid Point, intending to take advantage of any further 
clearing, but we had no sooner threaded our way out of 
the passage than the fog settled down so thickly that we 
returned to our former anchorage. At nine o'clock the 
weather was sufficiently encouraging for us to start again, 
and with a light wind were able to make Pemaquid, sail 
close-hauled. After rounding the point, the wind fresh- 
ened and we had a delightful two hours' sail across Mus- 
congus Bay. From this point is the first view going up 
the coast of Camden Mountains, and from here up to 
Mt. Desert there is no lack of shift and change in the 
mountain outlines. But this seemed to be a period of 
storm for us ; in the northwest the blue-black clouds 
rolled up, and we made for Herring Gut; just before en- 
tering it the squall came whistling, preceded by a gust of 
rain. We met it head on, breaking our wire bobstay with 
the strain, and dropping the mainsail sailed to an anchor- 
age under the jib. The storm soon passed off to the East, 
and with wind light from the S.W. started for Lennant's 
Harbor, chiefly to procure alcohol with which to start 
the stove. But the fluid was not so easily obtained, the 
druggists at two of the small coasting towns where we 
put in having the conscience to refuse, us a drop even of 
wood alcohol. In vain did we plead cold meals and per- 
haps a stress of bad weather before Rockland could be 
reached ; nothing would move them out of a literal trans- 
lation of the laws of the State. Then the cook hunted up 
a doctor's sign, and after choosing between the only two 
that she could find in the town, walked in and presented 
her case, with the awful consequences which would ensue 
if he should refuse a little of the spirits. All the doctor 
had was at her service, which all was but half a pint, 
b«i.t was enough. Hereafter, alcohol in generous quarts 
will be first on the list of cruising necessities. A magnifi- 
. cent rainbow and the evening marked by the new moon 
and the splashing of innumerable fish in the harbor ended 
the third day of our watery world. 
At six in the morning weighed anchor and with a fair 
wind reached through Mussel Ridge Channel, making 
Rockland at 10 o'clock. Two hours sufficed to get a new 
washer on the pump of the Khotal and plenty of Columbia 
spirits at one of the marlin-smelling shops skirting the 
harbor. At twelve off for North Haven, across West 
Penobscot Bay, but the wind was not true enough for us 
to fetch the Thoroughfare, and we were compelled to 
hold off. The wind kept increasing in strength, and two 
reefs were put in; even then it was impossible to hold the 
course. Fierce gusts came off the land and heavy clouds 
banked up rapidly; we then decided to ease off the sheet 
and make for a little harbor toward the north of the 
island of North Haven. Here we put out two anchors 
and passed the night. It was a case of toss that night in 
a little cove not too well protected, but all hands slept, 
and next morning the weather was gloriously clear, with 
a S.W. wind. We emerged from shelter not with trepida- 
tion, oh, no, but curious to see if things outside were as 
they had been the day before; but the wind had gone 
down considerably, and with two reefs in the mainsail 
beat to the Fox Islands Thoroughfare entrance. Here 
we shook out the reefs, and with a good wind aft had a 
thoroughly enjoyable day. Across the Isle au Haut Bay, 
where we lifted the tender on the stern to increase speed, 
through Deer Islands Thoroughfare, across Jerico Bay, 
and at buoy No. 2 took the time, when we found that the 
last 5 miles were covered in just 55 minutes. Through 
Casco Passage and Blue Hill Bay, and just as we reached 
the bell buoy off the entrance to the channel West of 
Cr^-berry Island, the wind suddenly changed to the S.E. 
and burst upon us with all the force of a squall. The sky 
was perfectly clear and a moderate N.W. wind had been 
ELEANOR. 
blowing when this happened. Whether this is peculiar to 
the Maine coast or not I cannot say, but during several 
years' experience there, sailing practically every day dur- 
ing the summer months, we have met with these condi- 
tions probably four times. This time there was a heavy 
swell, and the long line of wave-swept ledges under our 
lee allowed no room to reef. Hastily shoving the tender 
over and lowering the peak, we fell off and made for the 
passage. The wind increased as we got to the bar in the 
channel, and with an ebb tide against it, there was a 
heavy choppy sea which took all our attention. We had 
had times of dogged hard work, but this was an affair of 
alertness, of taking advantage of every wave, of breath- 
less suspense during long seconds while the question of 
supremacy between the elements and our little craft was 
being debated. It was with great relief that we finally got 
through and anchored at Manset, an old town near the 
more fashionable Southwest Harbor. Upon going ashore, 
an old salt eyed us curiously, and then . drawled out, 
"What you call that boat? I saw you coming in with 
your peak lowered. She can go, but I never saw a boat 
of that type." 
Last winter I read of a cruise where the skipper got as 
far as Bass Harbor in a small boat, but had been fore- 
warned not to try to get any further. Curious to know 
why, I wrote to the editor of the paper, but he could 
give no information. After traversing the course, under 
the conditions we found there, we thought perhaps we 
had discovered for ourselves the reason why. 
That day we made 45 miles, an average of five miles an 
hour for the day. A row across the harbor and a walk 
through the village for supplies to last over Sunday, re- 
sulted in a most elaborate menu for Sunday morning 
breakfast. During my trick at the tiller next day, when 
the mate was trying to get a few lines ready to send 
home to assure them of our safety so far, I was interro- 
gated as to what that "breakfast food was this morning." 
Then I knew that the fame of that breakfast was going 
abroad. We always had another hot meal at night of 
fresh vegetables and meat, but there were days when the 
work, or rather pleasure, of chart, compass, log, and coast 
pilot was too strenuous for even a sandwich to come 
between. 
We had intended to go around to Bar Harbor, but 
when we found that wind and tide were favorable to get- 
ting out of that channel, decided to return, and were off 
by 6:20 the next morning. Just outside the wind died 
out, and we slowly drifted to Bass Harbor Light. Here 
we passed midway between the light and the opposite 
island, but it is much better to keep near the light. There 
is a bar which extends almost across; where we passed 
there was apparently not more than eight feet of water, 
and under improper conditions some very nasty seas 
would undoubtedly be met there. A breeze from the 
S.E. then came up, and back we flew over the course of 
the day before, to North Haven, from 6:20 in the morn- 
ing to '6:15 P. M., a full day of charm. 
A habit which the cook has of falling overboard at least 
once a season has lost its novelty. Through no fault of 
her own, I declare it, this was her night, and down she 
went into the icy depths, but there was only'a head poked 
put of the cabin, a voice calmly asking, "Is R. over- 
board ?" and a patient waiting until she appeared some 
few feet away, viewing; the fleet in the harbor, and trying 
to decide in the darkness which boat she shall swim for; 
then a shout of "Over here !" and the next day a flutter- 
ing of garments in the breeze. But I greatly prefer that 
trick to the boom or gaff hitting me; and worse than 
that, one night when we had anchored too close to a 
wharf and all had turned in early but the mate, who had 
gone ashore for a few hours, he came down to the sloop 
and found the end of the boom wedged in between the 
stones of the wharf, the tide having risen, and the boom 
on a tremendous strain. He tugged and pulled and 
shoved, and finally, without thinking of the position of 
his chin, directly over the boom, it was released, and his 
head almost went with it. 
Again West Penobscot Bay to cross, but as the wind 
seemed determined to carry us north every time we ap- 
proached this body of water, we went up to Camden, 
passed back of the island at the mouth of the harbor, and 
anchored in the company of such boats as the yawl 
Katharine II. and auxiliary schooner Idler. We found 
this harbor much preferable to Rockland, where the 
smoke from the lime quarries soils the deck and the 
.tender in a little while. 
Fog and rain, wind S.E. The weather did not look 
promising, but the wind was fair. There were salad days 
in our sailing when we would beat in a fog, and by mak- 
ing accurate calculations we never missed but one buoy 
in that sort of work; but after a few years' experience 
have decided to fog it only with a fair wind. This day 
we saw the most curious cloud forms — light, detached, 
fantastic, and flying low ; evidently advance guard to the 
heavy fog blown in later. We steered for Frenchman's 
Island, and just before reaching it the fog came down 
thick. We had been able to make out the buoys, and 
with compass made Ash Island be? con at the entrance to 
Mussel Ridge Channel without difficulty. It commenced 
to rain and it rained hard, so decided to make Seal Cove 
and spend the night there ; anchored off the granite 
works' wharf at 11:20 in the morning. According to 
custom, the cook went ashore, with no excuse this time 
but to buy chocolate at the store, but desolation upon 
tombstones, the wind shrieked through the fog, the store 
was locked, an old woman at least a thousand years old 
hung out the second story window and said she was 
desperately ill and could not come down; the faces of the 
dogs and of a few children peeping out the panes of an 
adjacent house were harder than the granite. A few 
minutes sufficed for this place, and then back to the snug 
and warmth of the cabin, books, and companionship. We 
put out two anchors that night and slept to the accom- 
paniment of the fog whistle at White Head Light, about 
a mile to the west of us. 
Clear and calm when we awoke next morning ; got up 
anchor at 7 :20, and with light wind and ebb tide passed 
White Head. Later in the morning the wind sprang up 
so strong from the S.W. that we anchored and put two 
reefs in the mainsail and one in the jib, had lunch, and 
started off again. In beating up to Marshall Point we 
had some difficulty in locating the old fish weir; the tide 
was high, and all but one or two stakes were covered, 
and these barely visiblle. Across Muscongus again, and 
instead of stopping at Squirrel Island, we decided to go 
up into Boothbay Harbor and try Townsend's Gut for 
the first time, a narrow, crooked passage opening out into 
the Sheepscot River. This passage could only be made in 
a S.W. or S. wind, except in a small boat which could 
go about quickly. We were through in twenty minutes. 
There is a drawbridge, but three toots on the horn is a 
signal which promptly opens the draw. As we were now 
in entirely new waters, it was necessary to look up an 
anchorage for the night on the chart, and decided to 
cross the Sheepscot and get back of Fire Islands on the 
west side of the river. This is an unusually pretty har- 
bor, where we had the very coldest bath of the season 
next morning. This was to be a day of extremes and 
superlatives, for after the coldest bath, we had the 
strongest N.W. wind that we had ever encountered ; 
put two reefs in but found it necessary to hold the sheet 
most of the time. To complicate matters, just off Seguin 
the chart blew overboard, and the boat was put about in 
the gale to recover it ; then a moss-grown hat appeared 
from the cabin to inquire what was the matter, ' and the 
hat, rich in associations, also went overboard. This time 
the mate jumped into the tender and went for the hat. 
The jib had blown around the forestay, and the skipper, , 
in fixing it, had tied the jib sheet to the knight-head. 
When he tried to bring the boat up to the wind it would 
fall off again, the head being pulled around by the wind. 
After considerable rowing by the mate and almost run- 
ning- him down, things were straightened out, and we 
bowled on. After rounding Small Point, we got the full 
strength of the waves and wind ; put in a small cove and 
reefed again, putting three reefs in the mainsail and two 
in the jib, the first time it had been necessary to do this 
in the four years' handling of the boat. Beating out, we 
found it practically impossible to manage her. Even with 
the three reefs we had to hold the sheet, and the waves 
washed over the deck. If the wind had been fair, it would 
not have been so bad for us, but in such a wind and sea 
we could make very little headway. We therefore put 
about and ran into the first protected spot we saw. It 
was a good enough place, apparently, as a last resort 
refuge, but after being told that the place we had 
anchored in was bare at low tide, we decided to move on. 
I do not remember ever to have been out in such wind. 
Sighting a likely looking place back of little Gooseberry 
Island, we ran in there late in the afternoon. It was the 
place we wanted ; the water was deep and beautifully pro- 
tected. We put down the big anchor and the little anchor 
astern and to the east to keep the boat off the rocks. 
Things were rather wet inside, caused by the straining of 
the boat ; there, was a hasty meal, and for the first time 
we were all too tired to wash di«hes; they were put out 
in the cockpit for the dew to wash. 
Being ten miles from home, it was a temptation next 
morning to try hugging the shore and making a circuit- 
ous route, as the wind was about as strong out in the 
open as it had been the day before. Twelve hours' sleep 
and a hearty breakfast put the mettle in us again, and 
we started out, beat up to the northern end of Wood 
Island to get advantage of the lee, and then headed over 
to the mouth of the New Meadow River ; beat out again 
and were able to let off sail for jaquish Channel. The 
wind was very strong and coming in fierce puffs, but 
