2010 Cruise

2010 was our Year of the Dog, well, Luke the Dog in particular. We got Luke in January when he was three months old and 12 fluffy pounds. By the end of June he was about 25 pounds, fairly well trained and, we hoped,ready for his first cruise. Not certain how things would work out, we declined offers of extended crew, and aside from Urs and Paula Muller who joined us on the first leg from Keyport to Glen Cove, it was just Janet, Luke, and me together for four weeks. Luke never managed to do his business on the boat, so we had to take him ashore first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. We also avoided long days on the water without a break. The result was that we made shorter hops than previous years and had to plan our schedule much more conservatively.

For the most part, Luke proved himself to be a worthy sea dog, although when the breezes started to blow and the boat healed and pitched, he took comfort in snuggling close to either one of us --- something he does not do on land.

Luke established a a routine for sleeping. At bedtime he would jump on our berth in the aft cabin, greet us, then depart and sleep in the main cabin. In the morning he would come back to our cabin, jump on our bed and greet us to start the day. He then eagerly awaited the dinghy ride to shore.

Keyport to Glen Cove

We left Keyport around 7 am to catch the favorable current through Hell Gate. The trip was easy. Luke enjoyed the company of Paula Muller as we passed the Throgs Neck Bridge. We all enjoyed my mother's hospitality in Glen Cove. The next morning, at the Glen Cove Yacht Club dock, we were in the dinghy after Luke just completed his morning walk. I started the outboard but I wasn't paying attention to where Luke was standing. My arm knocked him overboard. Fortunately, he always wears a life jacket near the water. I grabbed the handle on the jacket, and hauled him back into the dinghy. I never made that mistake with the outboard again, but this lifejacket had a critical role later in the cruise.

In addition to the obvious safety value, the lifejacket provides a ready handle for dog transport, regardless of the dog's inclination. It is especially valuable in getting the dog from a launch onto the side deck of the boat. Luke learned quickly how to get from the dinghy to the boat by dog-power alone, but the lifejacket was always good insurance.

From Glen Cove, we cruised on to Sachem Head, CT, then Ram Island Yacht Club in Noank CT, and then to Block Island. There, our friend Edwin Muth was moored with his family on his boat, Frog's Leap. He graciously invited us to raft up with them. Luke enjoyed walking along the beach at Block. We enjoyed showing him off. We found that we got a standard set of questions: Q- What kind of dog is she? A- He is an American Eskimo. Q- Does he come from Alaska? A- No, we got him in Virginia. Q- How do you keep him so clean? A- He is not as clean as he looks. Q- What's his name? A- Luke. Q- Does he bite? A- No. Q- Can I pet him? A- Yes. ---- Having a dog is a great icebreaker. We met lots of people and their dogs, and exchanged lots of dog names, but very few human names.

Cuttyhunk

Cuttyhunk has a fine beach facing Buzzard's Bay. It was nearly deserted, so Luke could run free. He dug a huge hole in the sand. When he reached water, he jumped back in surprise.

The oysters were delivered by the "raw bar boat" and were not shared with canines.

When we were at Block a snarly, tiny Yorkshire Terrier, started swearing at Luke while Luke was on the plank leading down to the floating dock. It was low tide and there was a huge drop to the dock. In his excitement, Luke fell off the plank. I was holding his leash that was attached to the handle on his lifejacket. He dangled in mid air as I hauled him back onto the plank. Good thing the leash was not on his collar.

Stellwagen Banks

From Cuttyhunk we went on to Marion, then through the canal to Provincetown. Then onto Gloucester by way of Stellwagen Banks, where we usually see whales. This year we were not disappointed. Luke paid no attention. Gloucester had fireworks on July 3, the night we were there. Luke barked after every boom.

Potts Harbor, Maine

On the 4th of July we had a pleasant, but long (80nm) ride from Gloucester to Potts Harbor in Casco Bay. The marina has been rebuilt with new docks. We had dinner outside the restaurant at a picnic table. Fireworks with barking at night.

Mt Desert Island

We spent about a week in and near Acadia National Park. On July 7 we had a fine hike from Seal Beach to Jordan Pond through a private area of the island that is open to the public and where dogs can run free.