Windjammer Ice Scupltures

Good morning everyone. Below normal temps again this morning but the promise of a warm sunny day; temperature is forecasted to soar right up in to the 20s today. A friend left 2 snowmobiles in the yard a few years ago and we fired them up yesterday for a ride around the field. Sawyer and Courtney loved it. “Mama, daddy, can we do it again.”
Yes, Jen jumps right onto the snowmobiles just a quick as I do. Go Mama. Today Sawyer has his first big ski race at the Camden Snow Bowl.

There is a winter festival in the Harbor Park in Camden this weekend. I was marveling at the sculptures in the amphitheater. On display for all to see were these crystal clear hand carved ice statues. After admiring what the human hand can so delicately create I went out to check the schooner. All dry in the bilges. Cover in tact. Harbor froze over out to the yacht club. As I walked back up the beach from the schooner I couldn’t help but notice the ice sculptures on the beach created by a different hand.

Enjoy this beautiful day. Be well. Do good.

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Hail Mary

My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui

Swimming Anyone?

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Good morning everyone. The sun has been kind to us these past few days and the crew has been spending much time aloft prepping and painting the mast heads and tarring the rig as part of our annual fall maintenance schedule. They were a little silly on tar fumes by the end of the day hence the rat board dance moves. Am I the only one who is reminded of Willy Wonka's little friends at the sight of the crew in their tyvek suits? Schoona-loompas? The smell of tar, after all, is what we sailors live for. Extracted from the stumps and roots of pine trees through dry distillation pine tar will cure what ails you especially some skin conditions and any emotional maladies from being too long away from the sea. All we know for sure is that Mary Day’s rigging is kept hail and hearty by coats of tar mixed with boiled linseed oil. Notice that I specified boiled linseed oil and not raw linseed oil. Tar mix with raw linseed oil will not “kick”. Don’t ask me how I know this… just take my wo

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