Sailing South, Dreaming North

Good Morning Everyone. Well my time here in Texas is almost through and as much as this is a special place to be I do miss home, Jen and the kids, the smell of the woods in spring, the schooner. Elissa is an incredibly special vessel, made more special by the people who volunteer thousands of hours a year to keep her is sailing condition. There are very few museums in the country that understand that the preservation of something like a ship has value only when it is used for what it was intended for. Sure there are trade offs and compromises to keep an Elissa or Mary Day inspected by the Coast Guard but without these concessions to the future the past would be sitting idle on one side of the surface or the other. We will be sailing overnight off the Texas coast tomorrow in to Wednesday before we fly home Thursday. I will be sleeping in the cabin that some other mate slept in 130 years ago excited about the adventure but dreaming of home as well. Yards will be braced by volunteers who are living and making history.

I saw this Canada goose swimming in the channel a few days ago and projected my anthropocentric thoughts in to the scene. I wondered when she would be heading home to the North, how alone she might feel, and what a long journey lay ahead. I know how you feel Ms. Goose, a little out of place against a backdrop of oil rigs but enjoying the moment none the less. Have a safe flight…I will see you on the other end.

Have a great 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?

Good morning everyone. Winter is still here in New England though it seems to be taking a rest these days. We have enjoyed a little bit of a thaw. We still have snow covering our field but it is thinning out in the sunny patches. Mary Day rests comfortably in the harbor, bilges dry, cover intact, waiting for the crew to return. Another busy week has passed so I will get you up to speed on everything that is happening here at the global headquarters. Jen is putting the finishing touches on year end taxes. Blockfest 2008 is finally finished. The blocks have received quite the massaging. And while we have the off-white paint out we are starting in on the lifeline stanchions, the davits, and a few other miscellaneous parts. Alex asked me last night how we were doing with our pace. We are doing great but in the back of my mind I know that there is never enough time to do it all. Having perfectionist tendencies is a curse. I want to do it all and know we will never have enough time. There se

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

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