Great Schooner Race 2010

Good morning everyone. I hope you folks are staying cool today. It is wicked hot here and we are quite glad we are sailing this week. The winds have been quite light these last few days. Swimming has been the order of the day.

The annual Great Schooner Race was held yesterday in Blue Hill Bay and Mary Day did what she does best in very light air. She waltzed her way through the fleet and was at the finish line pretty much unaccompanied. But that is not much of a story really. We just happened to get many lucky breaks and held the breeze while many of the other boats were held back by fluky winds. I can tell you I never stopped looking over my shoulder as schooner upon schooner took great advantage of some of the lucky breaks. The schooners Stephen Taber and Timberwind were like Americas Cup boats match racing to within a few boat lengths at the finish. Congratulations to the Taber of the Coaster class. Heritage took a long tack away from the fleet that payed off big as she took honors in the Leeward Class. And the Victory Chimes remains undefeated in the Three Masted Coaster Division. The competition was no where in sight as she finished.

We had a few extra moments of excitement as the fore sheet got away while running wing and wing on the first downwind leg. And Katie cleared a fouled fore topsail sheet from the tip of the fore gaff with her usual aerial acrobatics. Many thanks to guests Lois and Dudley who brought monogrammed rally towels for everyone.

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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