You may have noticed the "Links of Interest" on our web site.  Well, the link to the Penobscot Marine Museum is now a lot more interesting.  The museum has added most of their photographic collection online.  There are over a hundred images of the American Eagle to view there.  Both launchings - 1930 and 1986 - a few fishing pictures, and more recent sailing pictures.  Among the neatest are a number of shots of the Piscitello brothers (who sold me the vessel) holding the wheel at the relaunch celebration.  The new steering gear hadn't arrived yet, so they are holding the wheel while seated at the stern. 

      Still if you want to see us in color you'll have to come sailing instead.  The mastheads are varnished, the rigging tarred, and the masts already scraped and oiled.  We're scheduled to haul out on our railway next week for painting and annual inspection.

     Hard to tell which cruise to feature this month, so I'll start with the first one:  Memorial Day Weekend.  It's usually the first weekend of the year when boating starts around here, a chance to explore our part of the coast on an admittedly brief cruise, complete with typically wonderful schooner fare, the first lobsters of the season (you don't think we have them every week at home in the off season, do you?),  and our on board cozy heating system to keep you warm down below overnight.  

We're ready; are you?  Board Friday night the 25th of May, return Monday late morning, May 28th.  $595 per person; actually $535 pp for returning guests, $565 for newbies. 

     There's a considerable number of former American Eagle crew after 25 seasons windjamming so it may not be a surprise that there's only one new crew member this season.  As Matt and Nola from last season leave their winter sandpaper and paint brushes to head west for a summer adventure in Alaska, Andy and Adam return from a few seasons ago to take over the galley and deck. 

     Since he was here last, Andy has cooked on board sailing vessels in more oceans than I have ever seen.  He reportedly ran out of flour in the South Atlantic two weeks from landfall and caught a bonito in the Caribbean and served it for dinner.

    While we were visiting Campobello on a New Brunswick cruise, he was awarded two very fresh salmon while we were visiting Campobello on a New Brunswick cruise.  The last we saw of them were in fish cakes, blended with home made bread crumbs and lobster. 

     That's Adam with the sunglasses during a race with the Virginia.  Adam's good at ultimate frisbee, spent a college term in Thailand, and has been working on several schooners since he was a deckhand on board in 2008.

Ralph's Food Shot 

     I'm putting in two this time as Ralph's going to the Galapagos this summer and won't be archiving our daily fare as he has consistently for a long time.  These plates make a nice contrast: roast herb-crusted pork roast with squash, homemade biscuits, and green beans.. or baked salmon with mango chutney, tossed greens and seasoned foccacia.

Postcards

      Not everyone can celebrate birthdays or anniversaries on board, mostly because we're only underway four months out of the year.  Steve spent his birthday on the Lady Washington out west on a breezy day with a lot of others.  He and Vicky will be back aboard the American Eagle in the fall. 

As some smart aleck said, "the Lady Washing Machine, a fine vessel."

         Margaret sent us a card from Egypt, but it hasn't arrived as yet.  She did provide us with a picture of a raft-up on the Nile.

          We're having a scheduled raft up on our schooner gam cruise June 10th.

Old Pictures 

     If you've been reading these newsletters for a while, you have come to expect some old picture and an explanation of why it's related to your experience aboard.  Here's one from 1950, except it's me.

          I gave up the pipe quite awhile ago, but I've retained the fondness for checked shirts.

photo courtesy Bob Tassi

Shary yesterday got a reservation phone call from Afghanistan and from Hawaii this afternoon! 

Until next month,