July 31 -- Clyde Harbor to High/Dix Anchorage, 12 Miles

I sewed up the small tear I ripped in the lower front of the mainsail before we got underway, but I'm thinking of adding an additional reinforement. Another delay for the return of Lene's credit card, which was left at the the Island Inn on Monhegan at lunch, and the loss not discovered until dinner time. They had it and gave it to Captain Nick who brought it to us on his return from the mail run at ten A.M. We did not put up a single sail today: no wind.
Muscle Ridge Shoal is a group of islands and shoals running north and south off the west side of Penobscot Bay's southern part. And since I first read about it I was intrigued by a well rated anchorage formed by several of the Islands, notably High and Dix, from which much of the granite used in some of New York's landmark buildings was quaried during the 19th Century. And this trip we finally had an opportunity to try it out. We came in following the arrow leading from the upper right in this sadly sideways photo. But with southerly winds expected,

(actually there were very little wind from any direction that night) we anchored about 200 yards north of Dix Island, (above the "I" in "DIX", rather than further in, where the anchor is shown on the cruising guide's chartlet.














Dix Island from ILENE:

Eighty feet of snubbed chain in 24 feet of water at high tide held us. Three other boats came in and anchored near where the anchor is shown on the chartlet. Lene had the afternoon with her kitties as I went off in the dink to explore the neighborhood. Here are Little Green, and then High and Birch islands.

I approached a boat that had the shape of a lobster boat but which had been fitted out for family cruising: m/v "Tupelo Rose." It was anchored near High Is. I asked where to land. The man said "We saw you have a nice big orange pussy cat aboard." "Yes, and his sister too", I replied. He pointed out the dinghy dock on High Island and it appeared that his wife and three lovely daughters were interested in cats, having left theirs with friends during their one week cruise from near Portland. I landed and explored the island which is littered with left over pieces from the quarry, LENE, through a gap between the tops of the second and third trees, about 1/3 of the way from the left. though you have to zoom in a lot to bring her into focus. I was the only person on an uninhabited island, though a small army of men were engaged in quarrying there in the past.

and is being "developed" for a few luxury home sites.

I made my way to the top of the quarry, located about where the "G" in HIGH is on the chartlet, and got this photo of  ILENE, in the gap between the tops of the third and fourth trees from the left.

When departing I met the man again and asked, subject to both our wives approval, if he and his family would like to come over later for wine and cheese. Kitties are magnets for teenagers and the whole family came over, though they brought along their own food and drink. Our refreshments served as dinner.

This is a very close knit family and it was a pleasure to share the evening with them. Here, saying goodby from their dink, from left to right, are  Matt and  Jill. then Bella, Rosie and Masie, aged about 12 to 16.