A Lot of Work and a Little Play

Good morning everyone. Just so you don't think that all we do is work around here Jim Dugan caught the light just right to prove that the crew gets a few minutes off every couple of days. We launched our 1930s vintage Herreshoff livery tender yesterday and the crew took a wonderful sail on the dying afternoon breeze. The schooner sails in 10 days. But who's counting?

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Comments

Unknown said…

I assume your ca. 1930 Herreshoff livery tender is the boat better known to Mary Day passengers as "Rosie." Where does the term "livery tender" come from?

You sail a week from Saturday. Only seven days now but I'm still counting the days until July.

May 15, 2009 at 11:25 AM

Unknown said…

Whoa - I just realized I mis-spelled "Rosey." My apologies to Miss Rosey whoever she was or is.

May 16, 2009 at 3:22 PM

Anonymous said…

Have a good season, have some fun, make some money, and make some friends. Thanks for the hard work played out to keep the Mary Day in such pristine condition for us to enjoy. Thanks for the Tomato Bisque recipe, made for a good supper with a grilled cheese sandwich, it's about 48degrees outside.

146 days till sail, but who's counting!

"Livery" is old English referring to something that is "attached" to something else in it's service, delivering services or material, (one reference). A livery stable has work horses belonging to a specific thing or company which bear the company logo. (One reference.)

May 18, 2009 at 4:37 PM

Unknown said…

As of this moment (10:34 am CDT May 19, 2009) 47 days, 5 hours, 24 minutes, 27, 26, 25 seconds and counting. But I'm not wishing my life away. Plenty of other stuff to do - it's just not on the Mary Day.

May 19, 2009 at 8:38 AM

Dan Stuart said…

My how time flies. It has been a while sice I checked your blog. Amazing to see all that you have accomplished in the last few weeks.
Good to see Rosey under sail. Fond memories return of my first acquaintance with her last summer.

May 23, 2009 at 12:44 PM

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

Sailing Vacations
A Maine Windjammer

Search This Blog