Schooners Happen

"Mom, driving a boat is alot easier than this!"
Good morning everyone. OK, just so you don't get the impression that every plan works, we had one of those days. I was supposed to be down at the harbor at 0800 to switch out our summer mooring lines for our winter mooring lines. I was also planning to winterize and haul yawl boat "ARNO". I pulled ARNO's trailer out and began greasing bearings and checking tire pressure only to discover that the leaf springs on one side were "pooched". That means "not so much", which also means it ain't gonna happen with out a big push. I loaded my truck with all the necessary implements of destruction and headed for the local trailer supply store (we actually have one of those here).

So went my plans to be at the harbor at 0800 and after a good half hour of "I love people like you at the trailer supply store it was 0930 before I reached the harbor. It is true that time and tide don't hang on long for anyone. So I missed that tide in addition to having to wait a couple days to get new springs. On the way home the bracket which holds the leaf springs (which is now a little loose) decided to drift back 1" on the frame. What is 1" you ask? Since I can't see out of the rear of my truck cap I check my mirrors frequently and quickly noticed the left trailer tire smoking as the tire rubbed against the wheel fender. Oy Vey!! What a sailor can't fix with a piece of line probably can't be fixed. Thus goes the life of a windjammer captain some days of the week. Push though I may there are some that keep coming up "not so much."

Sara has been great at organizing the crew and getting lots done. The bulwarks continue to get sanded. The mast heads are now painted and the main rig is tarred. Hannah and Elisa spent the better part of the day tarring. I love the smell of pine tar. Mary spent the day prepping varnish in the galley. The spars are ready for varnishing and paint tomorrow. Thank goodness the crew are getting something done.

Jen's day (yesterday was her birthday...did I mention dropping the cake I bought right on the floor at the check out counter with a line of onlookers staring in disbelief???) was salvaged only by the kids taking a horse back riding lesson at a local farm here in our little town. The kids loved it.

We decided that the best present we can give each other is the gift of time so giving Jen a chance to see the kids shine on horseback was the best birthday present of all.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

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

Fall Maintenance

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

Oh Captain, Oh Captain, Please Don't Rumba!

Good morning everyone. Another 6” of snow fell this weekend and we took a few hours to enjoy the wonders of winter here in New England skiing in the woods. The full Wolf Moon on Saturday causing astronomical high tides plus a 1’ tidal surge brought by the low pressure system meant we had tides over the bulkhead in Camden. At low tide just the opposite happens and the tides dip well below normal. I was able to step to the docks from the beach and get aboard the schooner on Friday after work and all was well. I had an interesting email this morning from a wonderful gentleman looking for a vacation to replace a now defunct “windjammer” sailing experience that formerly sailed in the Caribbean. He sent us a very humorous swashbuckling note, complete with colorful pirate party images, wondering if we might be able to fill the void, complete with canons and limbo parties and would the captain be leading the rumba line? I regretted to tell him that we probably did not offer the booty he was

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