Skip to main content

Clear as a Bell


Good morning everyone. The light in the sky and on the islands is so clear this time of year. I know this was a favorite time for Mary and she is up there smiling as the inevitable changes come with the seasons. While the temperatures are certainly cooling off that same cold air makes everything seem bigger and so much more clear. Click on the top image and notice how the bell bouy to the left looks so tall and the Graves ledges look so dark and ominous.The clouds look darker, the green look greener, the bay looks stirred up as the light is refracted by the cold dense air close to the surface. A whole new definition to, "Wow... that's cool!" It really is cool.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Comments

Michele B said…
I'm working from home today. It's raining outside, and the noises of the city are all around me: abulance sirens, car horns etc. Looking at those beautiful pictures you posted makes me wish I were back on the beautiful Mary Day with the sounds of water lapping on the side of the boat, the splash of a fish, and the call of a bird. Instead of car exhaust, there's the smell of the ocean, smoke from the stove, and something wonderful being made in the galley. Thanks for the wonderful pictures and for the equally wonderful memories. They will have to keep me going until next year. Abrazos, Michele

Popular posts from this blog

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