Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Saco River and Portland, ME

Click here to see our location in the Saco River, ME

We were so glad we took the time to go  up the Saco River.  Vicki and Norm on Tide Hiker recommended it and it was just great.  It really isn’t what you think of when you think of Maine.  We usually think of the rocky coast and pebble beaches that make up most of Maine.  But it was just a beautiful river with fir trees and hardwoods lining the rock banks.  It was a five mile trip up to the Saco River Yacht Club and we enjoyed two days just hanging out on the mooring ball. 

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                                                                         The trip up river

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                      Rick navigating                                                   The Saco Yacht Club 1878!

Turns out that the Yacht Club is really a men’s social club built around the water.  We needed some oil for the next oil change and Gil from the Yacht Club came out and brought us back to shore and then took us to the Napa Auto store.  All of the guys that we met in the club were great; welcoming and friendly and funny.  On the way back from the Napa Store, we saw that the town of Saco was holding an antique car show so Gil dropped us off.  It was cool as they had music from the 50’s and 60’s blaring and we got to see some really cool cars.  We also got to eat some great hotdogs.

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This was the coolest…A&W Rootbeer and fries and an original speaker from a drive in movie theater!!

After finding a place where Rick could get a haircut, we walked back to the Yacht Club, and Gil ferried us back to the boat.  Near twilight the fog rolled in.  It still amazes us how fast it rolls in and,  just as fast, rolls out!

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Click here to see our location in Portland Harbor, ME

The next morning we left for the ‘big city’ of Portland, ME.  We had been to Portland twice before and were looking forward to seeing it again.  The ‘old port’ of Portland has cobblestone streets and lots of restaurants and bars.  In fact, the dock hand told us that Portland has more bars than any other town!  I believe it.  We spent 2 nights at the dock and it was one of the more rolly places we have stayed.  We enjoyed Portland but were glad to leave and get back to ‘horizontal’!

DSC04178a                                                              A monument to the lobstermen 

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                               Some of the cobblestone streets

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  This was, apparently, a former platform dock that was left to fall into the water, next to our dock

We left Portland this morning, July 27, to come to Boothbay Harbor.  More on that in our next blog!