Round Pond has worked it’s magic on us and our stay has extended. Between the sea food, quiet harbor, beautiful surroundings, and friends, if it weren’t for other committments further east, we could sit here for a month.

The weather has been varied and the light wonderful.

We have been teased with overcast and just a hint of fog.

Gardens are in bloom, a dry summer has been quenched with a bit of rain,

and the flowers are showing their appreciation.

Dave and Jaja Martin have taken pity on exsailors and inivited us for a ride on their Wharren cat. With 32 feet in length, 18 foot beam, and a ton displacement, the motion is surprisingly soft and performance better than you might expect given the small sail plan and gaff headed mainsail.

We enjoy short tacking up the channel and observing the surroundings from a more intimate perspective than we are used to these days.

Jaja and Dave Martin are ex-cruisers who swallowed the anchor after experiencing the charms of this fair region.

Dave is a master craftsman, photographer, and author, who builds boats here while Jaja runs the YMCA summer sailing program amongst many other things.

Lobstering is not an easy life. Prices are low, the cost of fuel high, and the work rough. One of the lobstermen who stopped by to chat had just replaced his 300 HP John Deere diesel, the same model as we are using in the FPB 64s, after 32,000 hours of  operation.

With a view like this you can see where it is hard to take our leave.

But the horizon beckons, and just as soon as we free this lobster pot from the port stabilizer, we are off.