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Lobstering 101…History, Traps and Buoys

Long ago, lobsters were so plentiful that Native Americans used them to fertilize their fields and to bait their hooks for fishing. In colonial times, lobsters were considered “poverty food.” They were harvested from tidal pools and served to children, prisoners, and indentured servants. Until the early 1800s, lobsters were gathering by hand along the shoreline. Lobstering as a trap fishery came into existence in Maine around 1850. Today Maine is the largest lobster-producing state in the nation.
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Lobster Traps

We can already see a difference in boat traffic since Labor Day. We spent the day in our anchorage near Sawyer Island…and we didn’t see one other boat. The small bay surrounded by homes, was completely empty. It was a busy spot three weeks ago. We enjoyed our quiet day catching up on boat chores, reading and making plans for the next few weeks. We also enjoyed lunch at Trevett’s Country Store…more wonderful clams and fish.
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Sept. 5 – Sawyer Island, ME

Coastal Maine Botanical Garden’s Mooring

“The sea is emotion incarnate. It loves, hates, and weeps. It defies all attempts to capture it with words and rejects all shackles. No matter what you say about it, there is always that which you can’t.” —Christopher Paolini

Owl’s Head Lighthouse at the western tip of Penobscot Bay

Weather dominates your life when you’re a cruiser and we have been very lucky this summer, we’ve had beautiful weather almost every day since leaving the Chesapeake in July. We’re still watching the storm Hermine…it can’t seem to make up it’s mind if it’s a tropical storm, a hurricane or just a disturbance. At the moment it is only causing us high seas here in Maine.
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Sept. 4 – Islesboro, ME

Warren Island – Anchorage

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” —Mark Twain

We spent one last morning enjoying our view of Camden…we will truly miss waking up to this amazing little town. This morning we watched Grace Bailey and Mercantile return to the harbor and we enjoyed the RC sailboat races, which was a part of the festival activities. I guess the rest of the Windjammer Festival will have to conclude with out us.
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Sept. 3 – Camden, ME

Lyman Morse Marine Mooring

“Happiness is part of who we are. Joy is the feeling.” ―Tony DeLiso
The way we started each of our mornings this week
We enjoyed our last day in Camden taking in the activities of the Windjammer Festival. Many of the larger schooners left this morning…they were in the middle of cruises and had new places to explore with their passengers. It was just as much fun watching these wonderful boats leave, as it was to see them arrive.

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Camden Windjammer Festival

Lyman Morse Mooring
We’ve had a beautiful week in Camden and we’ve enjoyed starting our morning sitting in the flybridge watching the harbor come alive. What an amazing view and today was the best day of all. We had a front row seat, as the harbor got ready to receive some of the most magnificent ships in the area. Camden Harbor is home to ten windjammers…you can take a two-hour cruise or sail out of the harbor for a week. The day cruises came and went all day, but the bigger schooners began filling the harbor round noon. Many of the older ships have no engines and they were maneuver into place by small push boats and dinghies. It’s the largest gathering of schooners in North America.

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Sept. 1 – Camden, ME

Lyman Morse Marine Mooring

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” —Les Brown

Camden has been called the windjammer capital of the world and every Labor Day weekend, they hosts the Windjammer Festival to celebrate its maritime heritage. From the great age of sail when coasting schooners were launched in the harbor, through the birth of the windjammer business in the 1930s, to today’s windjammer fleet and elegant yachts, sailing ships have always defined the vibrant community of Camden. Throughout the day on Friday, Schooners from around Maine will sail in and dock in the harbor. According to the festival website 25 boats are scheduled to arrive…it should be a spectacular site.
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Aug. 31 – Camden, ME

Lyman Morse Marine Mooring

Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more that other think is wise.
Dream more than others this is practical.
Expect more that others think is possible. – Claude T. Bissel
Camden without doubt is one of the most scenic harbors in Maine where the mountains come right down to the ocean. Mount Battie forms the backdrop for this stunning harbor and three of Camden’s largest windjammers dock at the head of the harbor putting the crowning touch on creating a postcard perfect sight.

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Aug. 30 – Rockport, ME

Lyman Morse Marine Mooring

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” –Author Unknown

We’re going to be in Camden all week, but today we decided to ride our bikes over to Rockport. It was only a two-mile ride, but it seemed much longer. The hills around here are a killer. I thinking hiking last week in Acadia was much easier.

Rockport is a small harbor village that was first settled in 1769. Originally, Rockport was a part of Camden, known as Goose River but the towns officially separated in 1891.During the 19th century, the primary industries were shipbuilding, lime production, and ice exportation. Today, Rockport is known for being a cultural and artistic town with a large community of local artists.
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Aug. 29 – Camden, ME

Lyman Morse Marine Mooring

“Mind on a permanent vacation, the ocean is my only medication. This Champagne shore washing over me, it’s a sweet, sweet life living by the salty sea.”—Zac Brown Band

Our destination today was Camden, just across Penobscot Bay from Pulpit Harbor. Camden is a picturesque town in the center of Maine’s mid-coast region, nestled at the foot of Camden Hills on Penobscot Bay. Its slogan is “Where the Mountains Meet the Sea” and is considered by many visitors (us included) to be one of the most beautiful places in New England. Coming into the inner harbor is enchanting…boats of all kinds and sizes, old buildings, action going on everywhere and the beautiful mountains as a backdrop to it all.
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