We’ve traveled thousands of miles, but it’s also nice to enjoy things close to home.
Saturday was a beautiful, late summer day. Sandy had appointments in town, so I took Fregata on my own for a short one-night cruise to Potts Harbor, home to the Dolphin Marina. Malcolm and Virginia Paxton, a lobster fishing family, bought this piece of land on the tip of Basin Point in Casco Bay 60 years ago. They created the Dolphin Marina and Restaurant, a very popular spot that’s day trip distance from Portland.
Several generations of the family still live on the premises and operate the restaurant and marina. It’s friendly and the dock team is extremely attentive.
As I approached, monitoring VHF Channel 9, most of the chatter was motorboaters asking to tie up for lunch at the restaurant.
The marina emptied out at night, and Fregata was one of few vessels left. Nighttime temperatures dip into the 40s F (5º C) this time of year
The reward for an overnigbht stay comes the following day. One of the restaurant staff walks the docks each morning, offering complimentary coffee and blueberry muffins to transient boaters. He then takes the launch out to the mooring field to offer the same to those boaters! A small pleasure, but unique.
