Skip to main content

Busy Windjammer Family

Image
By

A chilly morning once again as cold weather returns. 2 degrees above and the familiar squeaking snow was under foot as I walked out to empty the ash bucket in the early morning darkness. The stars are just amazing, yes, diamond like. The almanac predicts a series of storms moving in from the southwest these next few days but I don’t see it in this morning’s heavens.

Kaitlyn finished the schooner firewood yesterday. Yeah!. She has been working diligently after school each day to get that pile off the ground before the almanac is actually correct. Thank you Kaitlyn. Jen and I spent yesterday in the office pounding away at the keyboards trying to get our year end chores done. I am glad the year end only comes once a year.

Today is our crazy day of the week. Winter schooner life is about family time. Jen will be back in the office for the day. I have to get aboard the schooner this morning. For better or worse we have clustered several after school activities in to one afternoon. School gets out at 1 o’clock and then it is few minutes rest before dance class for Courtney and swim class for both. Jen usually puts a crock pot on to simmer for the day and we will eat only minutes before it is time to get ready for bed, get a nights sleep and start it all again tomorrow.

So may this picture of summer windjamming get us all through the day. Hold these thoughts in your mind; sails set flying, sheets eased, we are heading “down east” through the Merchants Row surrounded by granite islands covered with spruce, you are at the helm of 90 tons surging along under a pile of canvas as the Camden Hills disappear in the background. Blue Hill Bay and Acadia lies ahead. The aroma of fresh rosemary focaccia bread wafts up form the galley. Holy cow...did you see that seal pop up right next us! I think it was as surprised as we were. Windjamming at its best. We are living a very beautiful dream.

Photo by Jim Dugan.
Labels:

Comments

Michele B said…
I close my eyes and I see it just as you describe it. I am no longer in an office cubicle, with a computer in front of me. No, I am at the helm, at one with the wind and the salt spray. Soon, the lunch bell will ring and we'll go below and feast on Mary's soup and mouth-watering cookies. Thanks for the memories. :) SIGH
January 25, 2007 at 5:27 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hail Mary

By
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...
28 comments
Read more

A Golden Windjammer Anniversary

By
Happy Birthday Mary Day! 50 years ago today Mary Day slid out of the shed at the Harvey F. Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol, Maine marking the beginning of a whole new chapter in the history of the windjammer fleet. The Gamage yard had not launched a schooner since 1933 and Mary Day was the first commercial coasting schooner launched since 1938. That also makes her the first commercial coasting schooner launched in the second half of the 20th century and the first schooner ever launched for the windjammer passenger trade. There may be a few more firsts in there but that doesn't really matter. What is most important about this celebration is the fact that Mary Day was launched today and began her career touching the lives of thousands of people. This schooner was built by people, for people and has never done anything else but bring joy to peoples lives. She has become a legendary windjammer here along the Maine coast as part of the largest fleet of commercial coasting schooners...
1 comment
Read more