following along unknowingly going into "THE BASIN" about two hours after high tide. As you can see the next couple of pictures it's like white water rafting with your C-Dory

Almas Only starting into the rapids going into The Basin

Alma's Only making a left turn past the first large boulders etc. I'm looking at this like do I want to do this

We are starting in

damn the torpedoes

P1010668

We are in THE BASIN

rocky to put it mildly,

Looking out the back of the boat at the way we came in waiting for high tide tomorrow at 1:00 pm. Beautiful here with lots of meteor showers, even phosphorescence in the water at night, seals and ospreys around.

P1010672

Now what?

P1010674

P1010676

The view out the back of the boat anchored with Island Trader and Knot Flying rafted up to us. Kind of spooky at night. The incoming tide pushes you into the middle of the pool a little anchor line goes slack and you do slow motion 360's like it's a movie in slo motion. The house was unocuppied during our brief visit.

Alma's Only in the distance looking over Hunky Dory's rocky predicament

The morning after just like glass

Almas Only and Cresent Girl Rafted up in the basin Widget and Hunky Dory in the back round

P1010685

my GPS showing our route in to the basin it looks as though we should have went straight on the way in which is the way we exited more of a straight shot. The following from The Maine Guide book: "The Basin is a magnificent tidal lake cut in the west side of Vinalhaven Island. Here you will find a scattering of little islands, depths as great as 111 feet, and good swimming. The only problem is a narrow, crooked, and obstructed entrance through which the current usually rushes like a millrace. Entering the basin is not recommended except for the most daring of gunkholers. Rarely does a year go by without a grounding here. But others have done it. According to local lore, schooners used to winter over inside The Basin. The best time to enter or leave is within an hour of high slack tide. As if the current weren't bad enough, a rock sits directly in the middle of the entrance. The channel runs south of this rock and immediately branches at a small island. Once safely through the channel, you can enter The Basin either to the left or right of the small island, but the right branch is wider. Another rock lies to the southeast of the island. Head southeast past the island, keeping the rock to port, then turn slightly to port, rounding the rock and heading east into The Basin. Anchoring options are plentiful. So are the rocks. Be careful."

about two more feet to go of the ten foot high tide

Exiting the basin getting ready to make a hard right and follow the other boats out. About an hour or so before high slack current still running pretty good

we just popped out I think Cresent Girl is following us Dun's wife Becky really loved this part of the trip

Cresent Girl bustin out of the Basin

Cresent Girl out and Island Trade the last to run the gauntlet