Cruising

Like most New England boaters, you probably make an annual pilgrimage each September to the Newport International Boat Show. “September is an ideal time to be on the water in New England,” says Wendy Mackie, CEO of the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association. “What could be better than a long weekend of total immersion—a visit to this premier on-the-water showcase, coupled with some liveaboard time in the sailing capital of Newport?”

This article is excerpted from the author’s “Sail Mai Toi” blog, in which he documents the adventures aboard his Tartan 4400 Mai Toi on the waters of Long Island Sound, coastal New England, Chesapeake Bay, Bermuda, the Bahamas and beyond.

Casco Bay, then, is the first of Maine’s major bays. By reputation it is filled with the Calendar Islands, meaning one for each day of the year. Indeed, there are dozens of major islands, at least 200 smaller ones and numerous deep bays to explore. Portland is located on the back side of Cape Elizabeth and is a great base for sailing in Southern Maine. It is a major commercial port and a yacht friendly harbor, and is Maine’s largest city. It has easy access to highway, bus and rail networks and a wealth of restaurants, hotels and sights.

The NARC Rally (North American Rally to the Caribbean) departs from Newport, RI, on November 1, 2014. The Salty Dawg Rally and the Caribbean 1500 leave from Virginia .New this year is the Snowbird Rally, starting on the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) and going “inside the ditch” all the way to Miami, FL.

…but the real beauty comes from the motion of the birds, the clouds, and the dolphins, on a sea and sky so vast no lens can capture the complete picture. Shared with friends, new and old, even better. So gear up your little boat, or crew on another, but get out there and experience the wonder we call cruising. It can’t be captured on film or in words – you must be there!

A Chesapeake Cruise and Itinerary, Rock Hall

Our friends Ben and Teresa Carey have launched Morse Alpha, offering coastal and offshore sail training and leadership expeditions aboard their Norseman 447 Rocinante. Summer voyages depart from Rockland, ME and head downeast to explore the rugged coasts of Maine and Nova Scotia. These ideal training waters offer many challenges including thick fog, numerous ledges, dramatic weather patterns, fast-flowing currents, and large tidal ranges.

Intrepid cruisers Dorothy & Tom Wadlow of Stonington, CT, recent recipients of the Cruising Club of America’s Far Horizons Award, share the tale of their 4,100-mile voyage to the quiet harbors of Atlantic Canada’s northernmost region aboard their Able Apogee 50.

The 155-foot luxury sailing ketch Asolare will be just one of the yachts featured at the Newport Charter Yacht Show in June. The Bruce King design, with an interior by Andrew Winch, was built by Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay, ME. Photo courtesy of Nicholson Yachts

Overdue adventures often produce the best memories. Stephen McGehee, who cruised Penobscot Bay aboard Maine Windjammer Cruises’ flagship last August, says the ability, resourcefulness and hospitality of the crew of the 123-foot Grace Bailey made for an unforgettable experience…and he’s heading Downeast once again this summer and bringing his granddaughter.