Bowing towards Winter

Good morning everyone. Well we have finished the sailing season in very fine fashion. Notice the bow-in winter configuration and the lack of sails on the spars. I won’t try to gloss over the amazing wonders, and challenges, that have given this season its unique twists. A few short sentences can’t sum it all up. I have been marveling with wonder at the amazing people and places we have been. While I will miss the bay very much I will also tell you it feels good to be ashore back with family and friends. These last few cruises were certainly challenging with weather systems moving through like a ball in ping pong match. The foliage is like nothing I have seen along the coast in years. My jaw hung open Saturday as Jack Frost’s magic spread far and wide across the entire Camden Hills. A photograph just couldn’t capture it all. The foliage on the drive from Camden to Appleton is astounding. So life here is good… no, great! We have just a few very busy weeks to get the boat put to bed before the crew head home.

I will say it several more times in the coming months but here goes anyway… Thanks! Thanks to all of you for your patience and your support this summer. For those who made it aboard… we enjoyed seeing you. For those folks who traveled elsewhere, we missed seeing you and look forward to sharing some memories through the blog in the coming months.

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...

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A Golden Windjammer Anniversary

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...

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