NE Sailboat wrote:

While it can be nice if the weather ( Indian Summer ) is good, I
wouldn't want to bet an expensive vacation on it.

Aside from being cool, it's probably a better bet and ultimately safer than
betting against the summer thunderstorms (which can kill you even if you do
everything right) and fog. One of the best cruises I ever had was from
Rockland to Pleasant Bay, Maine and back in the middle of October. We did
60 miles in 1/8 mile visibility on the last day (before GPS and no Loran) to
get the boat back to its home mooring in time for a hurricane and secured
the boat just half an hour after the wind increased suddenly from light to
35 - 40 knots. Aside from that, we had great weather. The hurricane could
easily have come in August.

The last two weeks of September and the first two of October have always
been the best weather window to plan on here in Maine and some of the most
pleasant cruising weather if you don't consider sitting in a bathing suit
and indispensable part of cruising. The past couple of years have varied
from the usual patterns but the weather seems to be going crazy now year
round. I would still bet more confidently on fall than summer for a good
week.

--
Roger Long