Hunt 29 Harrier “Paramita” Makes the New England Mini-loop.  

A Chronicle by Hunt Commodore and Owner Mike Bouscaren

My wife Deedie and I enjoy summer months on Paramita out of Northeast Harbor, Maine. Above, Deedie relaxes with morning coffee after a night on board anchored at Roque Island.
This June I took Paramita on the “mini-loop” from Portsmouth, R.I. up the Hudson River, the Erie Canal, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to Montreal; then returning from Sorel on the St. Lawrence up the Richelieu River and Chambly canal into Lake Champlain; and finally down the Champlain Canal into the Hudson and back to Portsmouth. 

 

- Croton Bay, Hudson River

Covering 1000 miles over nineteen days and 99 engine hours, I and my four rotating crew slept on Paramita every night, either at marinas or on anchor. Typically we’d have evening meals on shore and all others on board. I brought propane cook stoves, and we removed the aft bench seats to make room for two folding bicycles and extra gear, and replenished grocery supplies just twice. In researching this trip in advance I found we’d have to pass through sixty locks, some lifting Paramita higher; others taking her lower. Without exception we found lock operators willing to accommodate Paramita right through, even when we were the only boat ( even in the seven huge St. Lawrence locks ), although commercial traffic always had priority. We took just one layover day in Montreal to ride our bikes and enjoy the city. 

Brother Tony in the Erie Canal locks

    

 “Nice Little Boat !”

Paramita received many compliments for her good looks, the most amusing being “Nice little boat…” which we heard at least three times !  Well, alongside the trawlers and larger pleasure craft this may have seemed so to observers, but we never once felt crowded for space over the nineteen days, so long as we kept things tidy on board

 

- best to keep Aphrodite at a safe distance ! 

Leaving Montreal we were blanketed in fog. The split screen gps/radar view on our 15 inch Garmin unit kept us out of harm’s way:   

 

On my return to Portsmouth, the superb team at Hunt Yachts serviced Paramita in preparation for her next cruise Downeast to our homeport. After a few days onshore and a half-day spin from Portsmouth to a mooring in Scituate, Ma. harbor, I solo-ed Paramita the following day all the way to Northeast Harbor, Me. in less than nine hours’ running time – conditions were so friendly we went offshore from Cape Ann to Monhegan Island        ( saw no land or other boat for three hours ), thence along Vinalhaven, Isle au Haut, and Merchants Row into Blue Hill Bay and home, where Deedie came to greet me !

   

Many thanks to the Hunt team; especially Brad, Lat, Robert and Brendan !!

- Mike Bouscaren July 8, 2013