MDI is a goo starting point for cruising the coast. If you get a weather window it is a nice run down to Roque Island and down east. As far as the rest of your cruise is concerned MDI is a good point to start from to cruise back west since most of the cruising areas are on your way back.

Mooring options in Southwest HArbor are a town mooring for about $600/mo or a Hinckley mooring for about $750/mo. With a town mooring you are pretty much on your own. At Hinckley the dock crew check all the boats every day and take appropriate precautions in case of a storm. Another option kight be to rent dock space from Morris over in Northeast Harbor. The protection is great over there, but it is likely a bit more pricey