July 19 — Day 12 — Jewell Island to South Freeport on the Harraseeket River — 8 NM

 Lifting anchor after 9 AM, after a leisurely, blueberry, pancake breakfast, there was no wind, and hence we did not put up any sails at all. The interest, during the short journey, came from 2) observing the extent to which the tidal flows changed our speed, at constant rpms, as we passed between and among islands, and 2) teaching Lene how to tell the direction of tidal flow from the wake left as the current passes lobster pot floats. 

We are on a mooring at Brewers Marina, where we have always stayed when here before. A couple of years ago I had reported that Brewers, the big fish in the Marina world, which had “rolled up”, i.e., bought out, many other marinas throughout the Northeast and renamed them Brewers, had itself been rolled up by an even bigger fish, SafeHarbor. Well that was not quite accurate. This Harraseeket Brewers was Mr. Brewers’ first marina and when he sold all the others to SafeHarbor he kept this one. It is still a Brewers. 

And a great place. For one thing, a mooring is only $40 per night. Another: “No we don’t need your credit card to reserve; just promise to let us know if your plans change and you can’t make it.” Also, “No, don’t pay us until you are leaving.” A good shower and laundry at $3.50 to wash and dry a load are appreciated as well — and used. But what really blew us away was when we asked about an Uber to get in to Freeport for shopping at LL Beans: “Take our truck; just be sure to bring it back by 5:30 so I can get home tonight.”

We had tried to rent a car for the two days we will be here in So. Freeport and in Portland, perhaps easier than taking so many Uber rides. But those willing to rent were not willing to pickup and deliver, requiring Uber and thus defeating the purpose of the rental. So the Marina’s truck was a Wow!

We bought several things at LL Bean’s and other outlet stores and at the local supermarket. Then out first Maine Lobster of the cruise: lobster rolls. I’d always though us them as a lot of mayo with bits of lobster meat on a hot dog bun for $25. But while Harraseeket’s had all the ingredients, the proportion was quite different: mostly huge chunks of lobsters and delicious. And to end the day as it began, blueberrys again, this time in a pie with ice cream. Life is good.