[VIEXILE]

Growing up in Maine, I watched the wealthy virtually take over the waterfront from the landside. Last time I was in Rockland Harbor, NYYC had "reserved" all slips, dockspace and moorings at the Moorings docks (I think it''s called the Moorings restaurant, not the charter co.). Nothing else available. This isn''t somewhere, after several hundred years of occupation, that you want to drop an anchor. NYYC never showed up while we were there, but apparently still paid for all the space, and it was held empty at their behest. Had I not been familiar with the harbor master, and taken his mooring, we''d''ve been running Muscle Ridge Channel at night in bad weather. Been there, etc. Anchoring up there at night (even in a "clean" cove) unless you have necessary local knowledge, is usually a bad idea with those tides. Now you can''t get to the land from the water. Guess I''ll stay offshore. Make your reservations well in advance. Rolex Regatta this weekend, BVI Regatta next. Ahh wee.