DOWNEAST RALLY, 2024

Written by Tim Zimmermann, Laughing Gull

I am a new Salty Dawg, with ambitions to sail with the Dawgs to Antigua this winter, and across the Atlantic to the Azores next summer. So I thought it would be fun to join the Downeast Rally, to experience the Salty Dawg vibe, see how a Rally unfolds, and meet some Dawgy boats and their crews. 

The Downeast Rally starts with an early July passage from Hampton, VA to Newport, RI. That’s a modest 3-4 day offshore leg, and a good way for newer cruisers to spend some time at sea, and gain some experience. From Newport, the fleet sails north to Rockland, Maine, and from Rockland there is a mini-cruise through Maine waters. 

It’s a nicely varied itinerary, but I had already singlehanded my Able Apogee 50 Laughing Gull north of Cape Cod by the time the rally was scheduled to depart Hampton, so I planned to meet the fleet in Rockland and enjoy the mini-Maine Cruise part of the rally. A number of other boats also met up with the Rally on their own timing, and I thought the flexibility to join (or leave) according to your own plan was a very nice aspect of Salty Dawg culture. “We are not a flotilla” was a phrase I heard more than once. Instead, the Rally provides structure (with a Rally leader--a role handled with grace and skill by Jen and Adam Landa on Solmate), an itinerary, and weather forecasting support. Beyond that, each boat is making its own choices and decisions, which is exactly how I like to roll. 

My first experience meeting the other Rally boats and crews was at a Happy Hour at the Rock Harbor Pub and Brewery. It was loud and lively, and even though many of the Rally sailors already knew one another, they welcomed newcomers like me. It was a very friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming crowd.  

From Rockland, we sailed to Pulpit Harbor, North Haven, and anchored in a cluster. Some crews went ashore to hike. Some played Mexican Train on Carole Brisson’s Carosy after dinner. The active Rally WhatsApp group kept everyone updated with advice, photos, and plans. As a frequent singlehander I am not a natural joiner, but this was a Rally that was easy to be with.

After Pulpit Harbor, we (mostly) motored to Belfast, at the mouth of the wonderfully named Passagassawakeag River at the northern end of West Penobscot Bay. I had never been there before, and discovered a jewel of a town that is home to the very active Front Street Shipyard, and lots of interesting restaurants and shops. The Dawgs dispersed throughout Belfast, some meeting up at the Front Street Pub, others heading to a local music festival. Again, lots of camaraderie, and opportunities to get to know one another better.

The last stop I made with the Rally was beautiful Buck’s Harbor, yet another new destination in Maine for me. I was determined to sail, and Laughing Gull managed to drift along at 2-3 knots for a good portion of the passage, courtesy of a light breeze and a strong ebb tide. Dinner in Buck’s Harbor, a lobster feast, was a messy and lively highlight for many. About 25 Dawg’s sat on a deck overlooking the harbor, eating, drinking, and chatting, while the sun slowly set and a full moon bathed the harbor in soft light (though no dawgs howled). It was the perfect coda to an enjoyable introduction to the Salty Dawg style of rally-ing. I look forward to more.