Captains Log: August 5th

Schooner HARVEY GAMAGE – sailing from Castine Maine to Stonington August 5, 2026

The morning came in fair and clear with light breezes today at Castine, Maine.

Our HARVEY GAMAGE had been alongside the town wharf for a couple nights. Weather had been blustery and rainy. Now it was calm and sweet..

The goodly crew of the GAMAGE turned-to for an early breakfast and a check round the schooner to ensure that all was in order. We would be boarding some folks today for the sail to Stonington not that many miles away. Then the crew ‘singled up’ our mooring lines. We had extra hawsers out on the dock out for the recent blowing weather.

With folks aboard and the safety briefing covered, all hands turned to loose sail and get under way. Soon Captain Asher had her off the dock and we were headed out of Castine. Set the mainsail, foresail and three headsails and down channel our fine schooner sailed.

Along the way we slipped around all sorts of pine and spruce covered little rocky islets. Plenty of gulls wheeling about, spied a few seals on the rocks here and then and we saw a young Right Whale, we think. And a million lobsterpot buoys. Also spied a few sweet coastal schooners off in the distance. The STEPHEN TABOR, GRACE BAILEY and the handsome ANGELIQUE sailing in the opposite direction to ours. Sweet stuff. Whats better than sailing the coast of Mine in a fine sailing ship? Not much.

Winds were light but eventually we made our way to Stonington. Found a good anchorage. And one shared with the aptly named schooner BRILLIANT out of Mystic Seaport. We suspect that she is here in Maine for upcoming schooner races. A fine elegant craft taking folks to sea in class.

We are bound for Rockland and the “Boats and Homes” show, and not to miss Captain Jim Sharps Sail, Steam and Power Museum – a must see when in Rockland.

They day comes to an end with the cook chopping away in the galley and stillness across the cove. And tomorrow is another day.