August 9
        
        The trip from Long Cove to Rockland was short and quiet. Our GPS finally quit.
        It had been acting strange since our bout with lightning. Rockland would be a likely
        place to replace it. There was also a Lobster Festival starting the day we arrive. We
        spoke with a local marina who allowed us to use their dock while I replaced the
        GPS and Faith got some batteries for her camera. With that complete we took a
        mooring for the night....one of the last in the Harbor due to the festival. We took
        our dinghy into the town dock and walked into the Festival. It was kind of typical
        with all kinds of good things that taste great but are really bad....fried dough, cotton
        candy, fries, onion rings, sausage, etc. They also had lobster at $9.50 for one and
        $16 for two. We bought 2, a plate full of mussels and some corn on the cob for
        another meal on shore. There was a Navy ship anchored just outside the Harbor
        with a constant flow of people back and forth. The waves from their launch rocked
        us to sleep. 
        
        The next morning we took our time getting started as we only had a 2-3hr trip to
        Broad Cove on Islesboro Island. We were attending a function of the Seven Seas
        Cruising Association (SSCA). We started the engine and got ready to throw off the
        mooring line when I heard a thud and the engine stopped....What now? It didn't
        take us long to figure out that during the night we drifted over a lobster pot buoy
        which got tangled in our prop. When I put the boat in gear it wound the lead,
        lobster pot and buoy all together on my propeller shaft. Well, to make a long story
        short, Jim Sutherland talked me into getting a set of  SCUBA gear just in case. The
        wet suit kept me warm and the gear made it easy to untangle the mess once I had
        everything sorted out. 
        
        The trip to Broad Cove was a nice day of sailing, even after my swim in Rockland
        Harbor. There were already about 10 boats anchored in the harbor. There was
        plenty of room so we picked a spot and dropped the hook. We would stay in this
        harbor for several days. There were eventually about 50 boats that gathered in the
        harbor and joined the pot luck lunch and discussion on Saturday. Friday evening
        we opened our boat to anybody that wanted to join us for cocktails.....actually to
        meet and have some boat discussions. Many people knew one another as this was
        the 10th year this "SSCA Down East Rendevous" was held in Broad Cove. The
        setting was just right for a gathering of this sort. Back to Friday night. We
        eventually had 30 people on board. The boat was setting deeper in the water
        because of the extra weight........you could tell because the water would no longer
        drain from the sink...it was rising! Actually only an inch or so but it was noticeable.
        Everybody had a good time and were thankful for a place to gather for a few hours
        Friday night and make new friends.
        
        
        
        
        
        The next day we all started gathering around 11:00am at the cottage on the beach
        where we would spend all of Saturday eating, drinking and talking about boats.
        Most of the people that attended were living on their boats full time for a lot longer
        than Faith and I. Some for well over 15 years! In most cases these people had sold
        all of their "things", homes included and now spend their lives on the water.
        Summer in Maine or other suitable Northern location and the Bahamas or the
        Caribbean for the winter. Everybody seemed to have a suggestion about where we
        should go for our first winter on Boundless. I think we are still planning to go to
        the Caribbean. The real question is when will we start?
        
        Towards the end of the day Nigel Caulder, a well known author of several technical
        books for cruisers, joined the party. I have three of his books on board. He was
        kind enough to field questions from our group and plan a slide show of his trip to
        Belize for Sunday morning. Most  of the group attended that also. It was fun and
        informative....another place to visit! He also signed my books! Faith and I spent the
        rest of the day cleaning and doing maintenance chores that were due. We were
        going to leave Monday morning.
        
        Well, it's Monday and we're still at anchor in Broad Cove. The high pressure
        system brought 20-30kt winds with gusts above. We decided to wait till tomorrow
        to return to Booth Bay where we'll leave the boat for a little over a week while we
        attend Nancy Smith's wedding and a memorial for my brother. Then it will be back
        to the boat. 
        
        I also think I heard a good solution for E-Mail for travelers...Pocket Mail. This
        should give me E-Mail capability on any cellular or pay phone through an 800
        number. I'll let you know how it works. 
        
        Love to all!!
        Faith and Rudy