Gloucester ( forget the "uce")

Yesterday we left very early and sailed down the coast to Gloucester, pronounced "gloster". It was a beautiful day and a long one too..85 miles. To get to Gloucester from Portland Maine, you can either go outside Cape Ann to the east of cut inside taking a shortcut on the Annisquam River. I chose the latter because I did not want to get near the twin lighthouses on Thacher Island. Ever since we sail by these scary looking deserted monoliths 2 years ago, I have had nightmares about the place. It's like my own personal version of the "Ring". Not sure what it is, but to me, these look like 2 large columns marking the gates to hell and if I can steer clear than I know I'll be better off.

The trip down the Annisquam River was interesting. Plenty of current and plenty of drunken boaters out enjoying Labor day. The channel was very narrow in many places and I saw the depth get down to 7.5 feet at one point. There was one fixed bridge, an opened railroad bascule bridge, and another small bascule bridge right before Glouster. The last 2 bridges were only 40 feet wide at most, however we made it through unscathed.

We settled in on a town mooring, BBQ'd some yardbird, and then went on an evening dinghy cruise around the harbor. We eventually we to town and walked around for an hour or so. Glouster is a very large commercial fishing center, more fishing trawlers and fish packing plant than I have seen anywhere so far on our travels.

Today we are off to the cape cod canal, if we hit it just right the east-west current will be 4 knots. Last time we came through I recorded a speed over ground of 13.2 knots.