PORTLAND (AP) – Recreational boaters and tourists have lamented the fog and rain this month. But they’re not the only ones. Painters, pavers and construction workers also cursed the intermittent showers.

Last week’s six-day stretch of dense fog, which blanketed the state’s coast, left just about everyone craving a few rays of sunshine. Some relief was expected Sunday, with drier air and sunny skies. But more rain was expected by midweek, said Tom Berman of the National Weather Service.

All told, the National Weather Service recorded 18 fog days in the first three weeks of the month. Ten of those days featured dense fog, with visibility limited to less than a quarter of a mile. July’s average is five days of dense fog.

There are a number of factors, but one is colder water after a harsh winter. “Because of cold ocean water, we receive more fog and more dense fog at times,” said Tom Hawley, another meteorologist.

Tugboats were at a near-standstill last week.

Brian Fournier, president of Portland Tugboat LLC, said the low-visibility weather stranded four cargo vessels inside and outside the harbor over the past five days.

Delays in entering and leaving the harbor have reached 24 hours.

“It’s a nuisance,” Fournier said. “The fog drains you, especially working in the fog at night – that makes your job that much more difficult.”

The inclement weather continues to affect tourism.

Larry Legere, a shoreside operations agent with Casco Bay Lines, said July ferry business is down 16,000 riders from last year because of the foggy and generally overcast summer.

“I’ve been in this business 32 years,” Legere said. “(The fog) is as thick as summer people talk about back in the 60s and 70s.”

Legere said three sightseeing trips had to be canceled because of the weather. The company’s popular Bailey Island cruise was canceled after only two customers showed up. The $18 round-trip tour normally gets as many as 150 passengers.

It has been tricky for boaters venturing forth. Last weekend, three boaters were stranded on a small Casco Bay island after they became disoriented.

Coast Guard Lt. Carl Hinshaw, operations officer for Group Portland, said his crew has embarked on at least one search and rescue mission a day around Casco Bay since then.

“I think the bottom line is that when it gets foggy, you just shouldn’t go out,” he said.

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