Constance W.
Yelp
June is a fabulous month to sail in Maine. Waters are uncrowded. Cool weather, brisk breezes. If you luck out like I did, you might have an entire week of fabulous weather!
I have been sailing all my life and was skeptical about signing up for a windjammer cruise. All those other people, and would I get enough sailing in, or would there be just lots of stops in towns with shops, etc., etc. Well, I did my research and narrowed it down to just one Schooner, the Lewis R. French. It had everything I was looking for: A lovely mix of interesting middle aged to senior clientele from all walks of life and locations around the world, a Captain who really knows his boat and these waters, and has knowledge of hundreds of out of the way anchorages that he can choose from depending upon how the wind blows, an excellent crew, including two young women who double as bakers and cooks on board and who make the best meals in a small galley you have ever had, comfortable berth(small but comfy and as long as you put everything away and bring a soft duffle to put under your berth while not in use, you will have plenty of room), beautifully maintained boat( I mean the varnish was gleaming, the galley spotless, and the heads(bathrooms to you landlubbers)were immaculate, a chance to take the helm(which I did), a chance to do absolutely nothing but eat, lie in the sun and enjoy the sound of the waves lapping against the hull(did most of the time), lovely passengers who conversed occasionally during the day but were happy to go off with a book as well, and best of all, no worries at all. All that said, the trip more than exceeded my expectations.
I like that the French has five single berths. Many of the windjammers have only doubles. And the French does not charge a single supplement as some do. There are no noises such as radios on board. No smoking, and no excessive imbibing of alcohol. This is not a party boat. Yet, people bring beer or wine if they like to have with dinner or just before. I did not see anyone overdoing. By ten o'clock people seemed to pretty much take to their cabins.
6:30 am coffee, juices, and freshly baked muffins were available on deck for early risers. ( I would sneak up on deck and grab some goodies so I could have breakfast "in bed", I am not civil until I have my coffee alone), 8:00 am the "real" breakfast is served, which consisted of either blueberry pancakes, french toast with fresh berries, tarragon eggs, and the list goes on and on.
Lunch was served on deck and you could eat where ever you liked. We were served hearty chowders with fresh baked bread and fabulous salads, followed by decadent desserts such as chocolate/expresso brownies(my personal favorite!!) Dinners were either served on deck or down in the galley. Fun either way. Sometimes it was nice to just eat on deck. But the times we sat below as a group were great fun because we had some terrific musicians on board. We were serenaded by violins and guitars and some beautiful signing voices(not mine).
Dinner, by the way, was also fantastic. We had stuff like stuffed pork, fish, fresh veggies and always, fresh bread, outstanding desserts(including ice cream we made on the boat one evening(hand cranked and all, the old fashioned way). The lobster bake was held on a small private island and was unbelievable. I had only two lobsters but there is no limit. If I had not been so clumsy with trying to wrestle open the little beasts with my two beach rocks, I might have eaten even more. But I know the tricks to it now and will be prepared for next time.
You do not have to be a sailor to enjoy sailing on the French. Captain Garth and his crew will teach you as much as you want to know and will let you participate in sailing the boat as much as you like. There are no deadlines, no places we have to be(other than for meals -which you really do not want to miss).
I made lots of new friends. Some of them have been coming back to sail on the French for decades. I can see why so many people on their passenger list are repeats from previous years. They come from all over the world to sail on the French. One couple was from Australia. Once you have sailed on the French, you will never want to sail on another boat. They have earned this loyalty year after year by putting our safety and comfort first. Garth and his wife Jenny own and operate the charters. They have a darling little boy named August who is already quite the sailor but rarely goes on the cruises. The age limit is sixteen and is quite nice for those adults who wish to be with grown ups as either a break or a preference in general.
. I am lucky. I live only an hour and a half up the Coast from Camden (the home port of the French), and can go whenever I like, that is, if I can get a berth. I am going back in September for four days(could not get a single berth for another six day since they tend to fill up fast). I am also going back next year. I am addicted. See you on the French.