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Last year on Thanksgiving there was a flock of turkeys outside the house, perhaps picketing for chicken as the other white meat of choice (see December 2010 newsletter). Late morning this Thanksgiving, as the turkey was going in the oven, what did I see out the same window but two white tail deer, nibbling on our lone apple tree.
Which reminds me, dear readers, to wish you all the happiest of holidays and a new year of fun and adventure.
Cruise News
The Gloucester trip may be full as of this week, but there's room on most every other cruise on the schedule. On board adventures range from a two-day getaway in June to our fall frostbiting last four day in October.
Sailing is a big part of what we offer on our voyages around the Gulf of Maine
Photo courtesy Jeff Bonds
There's always time for a hike out to the end of the bowsprit
Photo courtesy Jeff Bonds
And a wave from the pulpit
Photo courtesy Jeff Bonds
There's often a chance to see wildlife in unexpected places, such as this active osprey nest on a huge mooring buoy right in the middle of Rockland Harbor
Photo courtesy Jeff Bonds
Crews News
I'm not the professional photographer like Greg Gettens, who leads a wonderful photo workshop cruise in June, or Nola Logan, who has done nearly all the cooking on board the last two seasons. The crew bring a lot to their jobs on the schooner, whether playing the fiddle or mandolin a little, and they are recognized for their progress. Here's a picture of Matt of the deck department opening his mail after a July cruise and holding his first Coast Guard license as Nola looks on in wonderment.
Photo courtesy Jeff Bonds
And a Launching
picture courtesy Sam Foss
Katie breaks the water bottle on the stem.
If you've been following these newsletters for a while or have wandered around the shipyard here while waiting for us to get underway on the first morning of a cruise you've seen quite a lot about the ten-year winter project: rebuilding the 1935 tug Cadet. We put her in the water in the company of about 200 on November 26th:
picture courtesy Bob Parker
The engine ran, she didn't sink, and we had a bit of a party.
picture courtesy Al Pease
This was her first time afloat in at least 20 years. The rest of the work list for her will be done as schooner projects permit this winter.
Another Race Picture
picture courtesy John Foss
I know we're getting a bit far afield with these images that don't seem to have anything to do with a windjammer cruise on the American Eagle, but let me provide you with some context. This is the schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud in October, 1930, racing the Canadian schooner Bluenose for the Lipton Cup, for "the fastest fisherman in the North Atlantic." She was managed and usually skippered by Capt. Ben Pine (who renamed our schooner in May 1941). In this picture the Thebaud is seven months old and Marion Cooney who was the rigger and sailmaker for both this vessel and the American Eagle is on board.
The race that day was called off by the Race Committee when the high flyer marker buoys were swept over sideways and hard to find in the rain, seas, and 40 knot winds. The Thebaud won the series and her trophy is now on display at the Maritime Heritage Center in Gloucester.
Have a great winter and please send us a postcard,
