Skiff's Log for "Hummer"

"Hummer" is an 8'8" skiff built by Charlie Clark at his Boat Shop in W. Tremont, ME (on SW side of M. D. I.), 2002–2003

"The call of God is lke the call of the sea -- no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest August 5.
Finding the Lord Jesus in the process.

2003 – 2 voyages / cumulative total = 4.5 statute miles

1. Manset (Southwest Harbor) to Fernald Point - 4.0 miles

2. Manset (Southwest Harbor) to Kings Point (in an early morning fog) - 0.5 mile

2003 Total: 4.5 miles

Although I had hoped to get right out into the water with the boat, I had to wait for my Pennsylvania registration to arrive from Philadelphia so I could transfer it over to Maine. In the meantime I painted "Hummer" at the Boat Shop at Quietside Campground in West Tremont on Mount Desert Island. Found Charlie later on and he was still working on the oars. We got the boat out into Southwest Harbor on the next to the last day of my vacation and I took her out to Fernald Point (took a couple of hours). My baptism into blue water boating. The wind picked up a bit and some swells took me by surprise and I was fearful not of drowning but of losing the boat! Learned to roll with the swells and was absolutely thrilled. Too timid to take out the camera and take pictures – busy dealing with staying afloat. What a thrill! Learned to respect the sea and fear and better understand the One Who made the sea and governs its changeable properties.

The next day I got up very early so I could get one last voyage in before leaving the island. The only problem: a dense fog had settled in. Took Hummer out and followed the shore line – using the rising morning sun to keep my bearing. The water was very still and the sound of other ships' engines and horns accompanied my brief foray into boating in fog. Didn't think to use my GPS unit – that would come in handy later on.

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2004 – 4 voyages / cumulative total 15.5 statute miles

3. Long Pond (northern boat launch) to Southern Neck - 3.0 miles

4. Bernard (Bass Harbor) to Bass Harbor Light then ½ way to Placentia Island - 5.0 miles

5. Northeast Harbor to Red Buoy (towards Bear Island) - 1.5 miles

6. Bar Harbor (around Bar Island with a visit to the shoals to the east of Bar Island) - 1.5 miles

2004 Total: 11.0 miles

Put Hummer in on Long Pond. Spencer rowed around a bit, as did I, then I put the motor on. Took along while to get it going as I forgot to open the fuel cock. Thrilled to head out into the deep – surrounded by mountains. Getting better acclimated to how the boat handles.

Spencer (in a small red kayak) and I went out of Bernard in Bass Harbor to the Bass Harbor Light and then tried heading out to Placentia Island. Made it about half-way before the wind picked up and a slight chop began developing on the ocean. Saw a huge purple jellyfish floating slightly below the surface. Spencer said something VERY large passed beneath his kayak (sunfish? whale?) – shook him up a bit. Blue water's a blast!

The trip out of Northeast Harbor was a bit of a challenge as the sea got a little rough as we drew near to the red buoy marker on our way to Bear Island.

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2002 aerial view of Somes Sound facing north from the Narrows up through the middle of Mt. Desert Island (see 9. below)

2005 – 6 voyages / cumulative total 41.0 statute miles

7. Manset (Southwest Harbor) to Bear Island - 4.5 miles

8. Manset (Southwest Harbor) to Greening Island (circled it from the south) - 2.5 miles

9. Manset (Southwest Harbor) through Somes Sound up to Somes Harbor - 12.0 miles

10. Manset (Southwest Harbor) to below Kings Point (in an early evening fog) - 2.0 miles

11. Manset (Southwest Harbor) to Northeast Harbor (afternoon fog) - 4.0 miles

12. Eagle Lake (flushing out salt water from motor at dusk) - 0.5 mile

2005 Total: 25.5 miles

Learning to deal with winds, wakes, swells, waves, currents, tides and fog.

First used my bow and stern lights and my GPS unit because of the fog in the trip below Kings Point.

Saw my first seal in Somes Sound, 2 deer on the western shore, Man-‘O-War Brook, up-close and personal with a large sailboat coming right at me, only to turn sharply at the last moment (I looked at its exposed hull as it literally blew by me).

Saw the granite quarry area on the Sound's western side. The Philadelphia Mint was built with the pink granite taken from this area.

Made it into quiet Somes Harbor. Not a busy harbor but picturesque.

Southwest Harbor Master Gene Thurston said that the deepest part of Somes Sound is by the Acadia Mountain plaque (ca. 300 feet – America's only naturally-occurring fjord on the East Coast).

Reached 6 mph (a little over 5 kts) with a 3.5 hp Tohatsu ( according to the GPS unit).

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While boating in the fog down below Kings Point I was instructed by the granite boulders "passing by" beneath the water's surface – similar to formations found on the shore line. Deep. Silent. Mysterious. Beautiful. Ominous. Reminds me of human nature and the Divine nature.