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Windjammer Cruises - Part 2
Knitting Cruise in Maine, aboard the Isaac H. Evans, historic Windjammer Sailing Ship
Written by: Dominique Gaherty
Dominique learns to not only sail a ship but to do a bit of knitting and lobster cooking too.
Back on the boat, I settled in for my first night "below deck". We were at the dock all night, so there wasn't too much motion and I actually slept pretty well. In the morning, I awoke to the sound of footsteps above my head, as I was quite literally, just below deck. I ran right upstairs in my pajamas, lest I miss any of the action, or more importantly any of the food. Ah, the food. Eileen, the chef, was originally from Massachusetts, where she ran an upscale wholesale bakery for many years. As Brenda said, when she sold that business, Brenda was lucky to get her. Well, we all were. This was Eileen's first year cooking for the Isaac Evans, but with any luck it will be the first of many. Not much can beat waking up to the sounds and smells of freshly brewed coffee mingled with sea air (especially if you are like me and you find it hard to comprehend starting your day before your first cup of coffee in the morning). Some things that can beat though: Fresh blueberry pancakes made from Maine blueberries, zucchini bread still warm from the wood burning stove, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit. Need I say more? Don't expect to lose any weight on a Windjammmer Cruise. Not if you like home cooking anyway. Hey, maybe I've been living in Manhattan too long, but this was paradise, and I'm one of those people that when they say their mom is the best cook ever, it's the truth. I don't know mom, you've got some stiff competition here.
I could probably spend the rest of the article discussing the food on the trip, suffice it to say, it was great. Sandwiches or soup and scones for lunch, pasta and fresh seafood for dinner, always extra snacks available. Everything homemade, everything creative. One night of every cruise is a lobster bake and, for many, this is the highlight of the trip. Imagine unlimited (yes, we had leftovers) fresh lobster, clams and mussels, steamed on a beach under a bed of seaweed. Add to that, fresh corn on the cob, melted butter, champagne, and then smores for dessert. All on a remote island watching the sunset. Yes, this is for real and yes, I was relaxed and no, I did not want to come home. But I digress. We left from Rockland Harbor in the fog on Friday morning; it was chilly and misty and I was grateful, for once, that I had the foresight to pack a hat and gloves. We then headed due east across the Penobscot Bay to the Fox Island thoroughfare between North Haven and Vinal Haven Islands. Dick, one of the passengers who also happened to be a regular on these Windjammer trips, was steering. Captain Brenda admits freely that the knitting cruise is one of her favorite trips because Dick comes along (his wife knits) and does most of the steering while she sits back and knits, calling out the occasional order to the crew. I should take a moment here to address the Captain and crew who rarely get a full day off in season, as most trips board the same day the previous trip returns. So, while it may seem like quite the life to sit back and knit while one of the passengers steers the boat, or even quite a life to spend every day on a sailboat, it's work. Albeit rewarding and interesting work, but work nonetheless, physically and mentally challenging and exhausting at times too, I am sure.
Finally, the fog lifted and in an instant we were basked in sunshine. Initially, while it wasn't rough sailing, it was hardly calm either and I certainly needed my sea legs. With the sunshine, came instant calm and, after a while, it felt as though we were virtually standing still. I guess we really were! Captain Brenda decided we needed a little help so Chris, the first mate, jumped down into the "tug and grunt," to give us a little push and soon we were clipping along at a modest four knots.
Once we were moving, it was time for me to start knitting. Beth Collins, from UniqueOne Sweaters and Yarn in Camden, was the knitting expert onboard. She's a great teacher, from helping me pick out yarns and needles in the morning before we left, to teaching me how to knit, pearl and cast on. Before retiring to fulfill a dream of running a yarn store, she was a schoolteacher and what a loss to the teaching profession. She's patient, kind, knows how to explain things simply and she makes you feel like you really can accomplish what you set out to do. Best of all, those dropped stitches? She can always pick them back up again for you! Knitting is actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it and I think the thing that takes the most practice initially is maintaining the same level of tension across the stitches. But I was like a wind up toy, get me started then let me go, I couldn't put my knitting down for the rest of the weekend. I was bound and determined to finish my scarf (and I almost did). All the while I was wondering why I felt the need to buy a new book on my way up to Maine? I still haven't started reading it, but I do have two new scarves to show for my trip!
We moored for the night in a small inlet off Vinal Haven. After the lobster bake, which was even better than promised. We headed back to the boat to (surprise, surprise) keep knitting. Well actually, I kept knitting, along with Annie, one of the other guests who was helping me when Beth wasn't around. I should clarify, however, that there was plenty to do besides knit. Relax for one thing, star gaze, read and talk with new friends. Whatever appeals to you. That is the beauty of these windjammer vacations: they are really what you make of it. There is a large cooler on deck for any extra food or beverages you want to bring. It is not uncommon for someone to bring an instrument and sit around on deck and play. For me I just really enjoyed all that time to do absolutely nothing, but relax. On any cruise the degree to which you participate or not is entirely up to you. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated from cooking and doing dishes, to raising the sails and the anchor.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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