Hunt for Red Lobster/More on the Cruise

Spirit of Zopilote in Camden, Maine. Click on any image for a larger view.

The harbor at Camden has its own waterfall.

Camden is the epicentre of windjammer cruises in Maine.

They start 'em fishing young in Maine.

We make our way through the tricky—and today foggy—passage into Seal Bay, one of the nicest anchorages in Maine.

In front of North Haven, we spot the Nordhavn 47 Bluewater owned and cruised by good friends Milt and Judy Baker.

In Seal Bay, between Hay and Davids islands, is our intended anchorage.

The pin is pulled on the mighty anchor aboard Spirit of Zopilote.

The experienced captain's routine: Once the anchor is set, plan the route for the next day so the departure can happen at any time—with outbound waypoints at the ready.

Great fun to raft up briefly with the Fleming 55 Pursuit and to meet Gary Jobson, a guest aboard. Next week he'll be off to Sable Island to make a documentary on the iconic island off Nova Scotia's coast.

Bluewater enters Seal Bay and sets her anchor nearby.

Judy Baker prepared a magnificent feast aboard Bluewater. So good to renew acquaintances.

Spirit of Zopilote on the hook in Seal Bay as the fog begins to close in again.

The single 300-horsepower Cummins NT855-M dominates the engine room and easily propels the 165,000-pound trawler yachts at 9 knots.

Joan at the helm as we begin the approach to Southwest Harbor and the end of our cruise.

Bruce called ahead to Grumpy's so Grumpy and wife Stacy would have fresh lobster available for departing guests.

Could there be a more fitting conclusion to Hunt for Red Lobster?

Hunt for Red Lobster/The Cruise

Yes, there is fog in Maine. (Click on any image in the blog for a larger view.)

Joan Kessler keeps eyes and ears open as Spirit of Zopilote carefully crosses Penobscot Bay.

Bruce Kessler often gets all the credit for the circumnavigation with Zopilote and the now 18 years of cruising with Spirit of Zopilote, but. in reality, he and Joan are very much a team, an inspiration for other cruising couples to see in action together.

The light guarding the entrance to the large harbour at Rockland.

Our itinerary took us to all the nicest places on the coast of Maine: Southwest Harbor, Frenchboro at Lunt Harbor, Buck's Harbour, Camden, Rockland, Seal Bay on Vinalhaven Island, and back to Southwest Harbor.

Yes, there is fog in Maine.

Lobster boats—and lobster pots—are everywhere.

For inland sailors, to see so many pretty work boats in action was a special treat.

OK, OK, here is one more.

Clipper-rigged windjammers offer cruises out of many ports in Maine.

Spirit of Zopilote and windjammers anchored in wonderful Buck's Harbour.

Maine men at work. It is said women make the best deck hands on lobster boats.

Hunt for Red Lobster/The Eats

In the course of a week cruising in Maine with Bruce and Joan Kessler aboard Spirit of Zopilote, we had a chance to eat at all their favourite restaurants in their favourite harbours. The excellent lobster dinner above took place in the Lunt Harbor Dockside Deli. Three photos also following. Click on any image for a larger view.

In Buck's Harbor, we dined in the elegant Buck's Harbor Restaurant, where humour abounds:

The dish is called Lazyman's Lobster. So fresh, so sweet, so tasty!

The Admirals had their say: Bruce and I had to share a divine chocolate mousse.

Another Lazyman's Lobster Roll, this one at Camden Deli in Camden.

Fish and chips to die for, in Atlantica in Camden.

Also at Atlantica, the first Maine scallops of the season.

More Maine scallops, in a dish called Bikini Bottom (Can you see it?), at Café Miranda in Rockland.

Haddock fish cakes, at Café Miranda.

In the evening in Rockland, Bruce and Joan took us to In Good Company for a memorable meal:

Because woman does not live by seafood alone, the tenderest beef tenderloin dressed with a dollop of blue cheese.

Who knew there was halibut in the Atlantic? Served with style at In Good Company.

The best app yet: Roasted garlic with melted brie on a freshly baked baguette.

On our first evening in Maine, before we met up with the Kesslers, we struck out on our own—with the help of Trip Advisor—and discovered a lobster shack called Travelin' Lobster:

It didn't look like much . . .

. . . but the lobster was ever so sweet.

Hunt for Red Lobster/Introduction

Spirit of Zopilote preparing to depart Southwest Harbour, Maine. Click on any image for a larger view.

We’re cruising Maine waters aboard Spirit of Zopilote, the perfect passagemaker developed by Bruce and Joan Kessler after their circumnavigation of the world with the original Zopilote, a custom Delta 70.

The Kesslers circumnavigated the world with the original Zopilote.

SoZ is a gorgeous 62.5 feet overall, the prototype for a line of ocean-going trawler yachts built by Northern Marine in Anacortes, Washington.

Here’s an introduction to the Kesslers, as published in Soundings:

http://www.soundingsonline.com/features/in-depth/234429-a-hollywood-scripted-trawler-tale

Flags of the countries visited by the original Zopilote.

Here’s a great deal of information about the yacht, as published in PassageMaker Magazine:

http://www.northernmarine.com/documents/PM-Spirit_of_Zopilote.pdf

You can see our location by following the track of Spirit of Zopilote here:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/shipid:439375/mmsi:367183330/imo:0/vessel:SPIRIT_OF_ZOPILOTE

Bruce Kessler enters and departs harbours and anchorages driving from the flying bridge.

Joan Kessler, first mate and deck boss, explains how things are done aboard Spirit of Zopilote.

Bruce and guest return to the mother ship in Buck's Harbor.

Even after a circumnavigation and many miles in his wake, Bruce still likes to have a checklist at the helm.

Bruce discusses ways to improve the interface between GPS and chart plotter with Ben Ellison, the electronics guru, who visited in Camden.

Plaque plays tribute to the original Zopilote: "May her spirit live on."

Hunt for Red Lobster is the name we have given this holiday as the Admiral and me have not been down to the sea for fresh seafood for too many years. We aim to make up for the omission over the next two weeks, first in Maine, then on Grand Manan.