The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-06-01
The Spring Cruise of the Yacht Club.

The Spring Cruise of the Yacht Club.
As Memorial Day came in the middle of the
week and the club usually starts on Saturday.
the opportunity seemed to be good to make the
cruise four days instead of the usual three. But
the weather was too bad for the sailing of
fleet cruising simply for pleasure, and 1t be-
came no more possible to visit Wiscasset at
the time set this year than last. Thick fogs
and almost continual rain, except at the start
and the last night and day kept the fleet al
most half the time At anchor in tho first port
visited
The start was made about 1-2 o'clock Satur-
day afternoon with one Of the strongest winds
one often EXPERIENCES in the harbor, blowing
from the southwest 1t blew so hard that q
boats crew from one of the yachts was glad TO
be taken in tow by the steam launch and tow
ed to their vessel. The squadron starting was
composed of the Oracle, Commodore Senter;
the Sparkle, Capt. Martin, and the Bonita,
launch, the Winona, was also with them at
the start. The three named were joined the
next morning by the Idle, Vice-Commodore
Owen. who sailed down in the rain and fog to
join the fleet, and these four then kept tc-
gether till the end OF the cruise Some other
yachts, which were expected, somehow were
missing. The Tempus sailed somewhere else,
perhaps TO Boothbay. The Laila, Fleet Capt.
Woodman, and the Ivanhoe, Capt. Bailey, ran
down to Chambers Cove Saturday night,
which would have been the rendezvous, had
the wind been less favorable, and were not on
the cruise. Rain began Saturday night about
~ an ~
intervals, but all the time with thick fog, and
the wind continued all Saturday night aud
gave the yachtsmen good Harpswell roll for
their slumbers. Potts Harhor had been
reached in one and half hours. The Addie,
Capt. Farbishs yacht, was then before the
fleet, bat sailed back to the city the next mora
ing. A rainbow Sunday afternoon gave some
hope of good day Monday, but the day was
as bad as Sunday had been. The yachtsmen
however, by no means kept their cabins. al
though there was the usual pleasant visiting,
and old adventures we're gone over again, 50
that the cruiser of a voyage or two was faia. to
believe that he had been on all, and had wit
messed all the incidents. Places in the vicinity
were visited, HaskeIls Island, the mill dam,
the Auburn colony, that is the IN ccapisd
houses, and other spots. The base ball and
foot ball clubs of the Bonita Joined by the
others, made fine sport, aud there we're lively
boat races By the officers and crews Of the
Bonita and Sparkle. The bowling alleys were
open in the evening. and the sport was kept
up till late hour.
A starry night Monday brought no fine day
Tuesday. The morning was clouded and there
wore some showers. Tho prevailing wind
Monday was southeasterly, and the same wind
Tuesday morning, but about 10 o'clock the
feet weighed anchor for Freeport which they
reached about half past II O'clock A pouring
thunder shower here about half past O'Clock
was preceded by a fall of hail AS large as
peas, and another shower came about half past
O'Clock but lovely night as well as forenoon
Wednesday gave fine chance to enjoy the
beauties of this charming harbor. There
were boat races here also, the Idler
joining in. The inventive yachtsmen here
riyalled the old Greeks, or the modern college
or professional clubs, by some famous jumping
matches, in one Of which one Of the captains,
dressed Cor the contest, came down suddenly in
a sitting posture in a mud puddle Freeport
Corner was also visited by some of the club.
Here some Of the members Of the squadron, if
they must leave to be present at the great boat
race of the Point of Pines, it was pleasant to
salute on their departure with CUR.
Wednesday brought fine day with light
southwesterly breezes. The yachts made sail
about 81 o'clock for Diamond Cove. which
they reached about II, and we had dinner
The Clarence, Capt. Jones, sailed IN with
party of ladies and gentlemen playing banjos
and singing, and they circled round the yachts
two or three times with music. About the
yachts started again and reached their. Moor
ings in nearly an hour, met and ssluted again
the Winona on their way ont. The yachtsman
who sails on the cruise from year TO year
misses cid faces and old yachts, but be is glad
to chronicle the spirit of adventure still active,
and he greets with pleasure new yachts and
No