Kittery and Portsmouth

After we got back from hiking in Vermont we spent the weekend at Kittery, doing a few boat jobs (including the engine and generator service) and also exploring Portsmouth, across the river and the local area around Kittery Point Yacht Yard.

Memorial Bridge

We took the dinghy over to Portsmouth and parked up just under the Memorial Bridge which connects New Hampshire to Maine, it was only opened in 2013 to replace a similar vertical lifting bridge in this spot that existed since 1923 - it's a really interesting design and cool to watch it lift up to allow boats through. Portsmouth is one of the biggest towns we have been to and it has a great mix of tourism, arts plus historic buildings. There's lots of music venues, a concert was setting up alongside the river and we even saw outdoor book reading on the glorious sunny Saturday afternoon we spent there.

Wharf in Portsmouth

Tugs on the Piscataqua River

Returning back to the boat for a BBQ that night and the next morning I took advantage of the free bikes and the yacht yard and went to explore Fort McClary State Park and a great farmers market in the village.

BBQ time at Kittery

Askari in Kittery

There has been a fort protecting the entrance to the Piscataqua River for over 275 years, the original was owned by the Pepperell Family however it was confiscated as the family remained loyal to the British. The current fort is named after Major Andrew McClary who died in the revolution at the battle of Bunker Hill in Boston. It is worth a visit for interesting paintings and information about the history plus the grounds and stunning views of the harbour.

Fort McClary

We discovered new styles of mushrooms at the farmers market at the North Spore Mushroom stall and made a fantastic lunch with local sour dough bread - yum!!

Maine Mushrooms!

Lunch!

Monday morning Andrew got up early, while I slept in a little, and we headed 'Down East' - that's what it's called in Maine, apparently as you sail down wind and more East than North through the Gulf of Maine.

We loved Kittery Yacht Yard and Jason the manager was just fantastic - we would certainly recommend this as a place to leave or store your boat.