Trader's 2005-2006 Cruise Portland to St John to Norfolk

St John Reversing falls

Raft up with Fredericton YC

From June, 2005 to June 2006 we took a cruise that covered the entire East Coast of the United States as well as a portion of the Bahamas. This post summarizes some of the highlights of the first part of that trip.

Bunker Cove, Roque Island

We left Portland in late June, sailing to Northeast Harbor, Roque Island, Grand Mannan (NB) and St John New Brunswick. We passed through the reversing falls in mid afternoon and went into the Royal Kennebecasis Yacht Club. We then spent approximately 10 days on the river cruising as far as Oromocto (about 50 miles above St John), where we stayed at the boat club. The highlight of this portion of the trip was the "Race/Cruise" weekend with the Fredericton Yacht Club on Grand Lake.

Trader from top of dock at Eastport

From St John we went to Passamaquoddy Bay, visiting St Andrews, NB and clearing back in at Eastport, Maine, which is the northernmost and easternmost city on the US east coast. The tide there is 25 feet which is something we paid close attention to! From Eastposrt we worked our way back through Penobscot Bay, arriving back in Portland in early August.

The Cape Cod Canal with family

In Mid-September we started our trip south with an awesome first day sailing from Portland to Gloucester, MA. Crossing Stellwagon bank the next morning we saw several whales.







 After a visit with family on Cape Cod we proceeded west, stopping in New Bedford (MA), Jamestown(RI) and several CT ports where we left the boat for a quick trip home for a Gulf of Maine Research Institute function. We then proceeded down Long Island Sound, through New York City on the East River (with the current at 10 knots plus!) and down the Jersey shore to Cape May. Then it was up the Delaware to Chesapeake City where we spent 4 days waiting out a bad storm.

New Bedford Yacht Club

Victorian House in Cape May

Then it was down the Chesapeake for a week of white knuckle sailing before a 25 plus knot northwesterly. The highlights of that trip were 2 days at St Michaels where we toured the Chesapeake Maritime Museum and a stop at the Solomons where we enjoyed a pot luck supper with the Solomons Island Yacht Club. Finally we arrived in Norfolk around October 15, staying at Hampton and Waterside in Norfolk.