Up (and Down) the Lazy, Crazy Rivers

cmw2559
Sep 16, 2023
2 min read

Immediately after leaving Boothbay, Brio turns west and heads up the Townsend Gap to the Sheepscot River. This is an exciting passage. It is narrow and it twists and turns. Those are important ingredients. But it also has a swing bridge, which opens to allow boat traffic to pass on either side of the center.

We hailed the bridge tender as we rounded the corner. She told us our timing was perfect if we hurried up. She was just opening the bridge and we could pass though at this time. You can see the boat coming towards us on the other side.

So we pushed Brio through to the bridge, then slowed her down to reduce our wake as we went by. One always radios back on 09 to think the tender for letting us through. Bridge etiquette.

Once through, we twisted and turned up to the Sheepscot River, around various islands and headed downriver to approach the ocean to Harmon Harbor where we spent the night.

and

This is the view at the entrance to Harmon Harbor. Once through the surf, the harbor opens up and is quiet. But at high tide, these combers roll right over the rocks and into the harbor. It means that at high tide, we were rocking with the incoming rollers. Once the tide dropped, our rocky protection became effective again and the harbor quieted down.

In the morning, we left, carefully obeying the one nun that helped us get into the harbor safely the night before. Up we went on the Sheepscot, going through Ebenecook Harbor and then crossing over through a tight passage to go behind Barters Island. Once again, we discovered another swing bridge.

This one is smaller and more modern. On its eastern end was a post office for people on the island.

Up the Back River we went, carefully minding the twists and turns in the channel. At its northern end, we joined the Cross River. From there, we headed east to The Oven Mouth.

Charlie had an invitation for us to use a mooring. But first, we wanted to go through the Oven Mouth to the broad lagoon on the other side. The Oven Mouth is a narrow (of course) passage with a good tidal rip.

Rocks were close by on either side.

Once through, we still saw evidence of the tide.

The lagoon is surrounded by trees. It is held in a preserve owned by John Malone of Liberty Media fame. He had a couple of beautiful boats tied up at his dock.