Chris had to travel for work, and my only condition about where we stayed while he was away was that I wanted to be on a dock. If nasty weather rolled through while I was on anchor or a mooring, it’s unlikely I’d be able to reset the anchor or pick up the mooring alone — and when things go sideways, it’s usually because the conditions are already gnarly. So we decided to get a slip at the Brewer South Freeport Marina.
As much as I love anchoring out, I have to admit I feel a little spoiled every time we stay at a dock. It’s nice to have Starlink on all the time, run the microwave, turn on all the lights, and have the water heater going without worrying about power consumption. Easy access to trash, laundry, and shore is also a luxury — especially without having to launch the dinghy every time.
After we settled in, we had lunch at Harraskeet Lunch and Lobster before heading into Freeport proper to visit L.L. Bean and the outlets. We’re not big shoppers, but we decided it was finally time to buy a comforter and real winter jackets. I love my Patagonia, and it’s been (mostly) great for cruising down the coast, but last winter reminded me that it’s not quite sufficient for a New England winter.
I also couldn’t resist the Lindt store and came away with more truffles than I care to admit — including some flavors I’d never seen before like pumpkin spice.
We found a pretty little trail that turned out to have a surprising elevation gain on our morning walk, and another morning we stopped into the South Freeport Village Market for a really good breakfast.
South Freeport is a busy working harbor, full of lobster boats, ferries running out to the nearby islands, and plenty of recreational traffic. Even with all that activity, there weren’t many people staying aboard. Throughout the week, boats came and went from the face dock while waiting for their haul-out dates, and it feels far too early in the season for that.
There were some beautiful sunsets during the week, but the highlight was an amazing foggy morning where the low fog rushed past in swirls that rose and fell, lightened and thickened. The fog, combined with all the working boats, made it feel unmistakably Maine.
Whenever I’m left alone on the boat, I go on a massive cleaning spree. Partly it passes the time, but honestly it’s also just easier to clean when it’s only me onboard. Windara is spacious, but you’re never very far from being in the other person’s way, and it’s much easier to tear everything apart when you’re not trying to be considerate of someone else’s space. The laundry here was inexpensive, so I took advantage of the opportunity to wash all the bedding.
Being on the dock also gave me a chance to tackle some power-intensive projects. I fully charged the dehumidifiers and thawed and deep-cleaned the fridge. Our freezer builds up ice over time, which makes it less efficient, so ideally it needs a monthly thaw. Since it takes several hours to get back down to temperature afterward, it requires a lot of power, so I don’t do it as often as I should. This was also a good excuse to completely empty the fridge and make sure nothing questionable was hiding in the back corners.
Chris got back from his work trip Friday afternoon, and since he still had the rental car, we went for a late lunch/early dinner at Maine Beer Company. I enjoy their beers, so it was fun to visit the brewery and try something new — their seasonal coffee stout, “Fall,” was really good. It felt a little like playing hooky on a school day, but work was slow enough that we decided to take advantage of it.
Today, we drove out to Orchard Ridge Farm for some early-season apple picking. It’s one of my favorite fall traditions, and even though it’s still a little early, it made me happy to be able to fit it in. Afterward, we tackled a grocery run — always easier with a car — and once everything was put away onboard, we headed back out to hike the Cliff Trail in Harpswell. It turned out to be a beautiful hike with more elevation gain than we expected and some wonderful views along the way. On the way back, we stopped for an ice cream at Pammy’s (the peach was SO good!) before dropping off the car.
Tomorrow we leave Casco Bay and begin the journey home. I’m so glad we got to spend time exploring here, and now there are even more places on our list to visit next time.
