There, we finally stopped sailing earlier this month.  Although every day underway has it's magic and memorable moments, the day we come in for the winter is unique among the other 364.  The transformation from a floating home for guests and crew to laid-up status is a bittersweet event.  Three hours after docking and the goodbyes, the sails were stowed away ashore, small boats on the lawn, the deck stripped of boxes, liferaft, davits; the storm anchor and jack o' lantern on the dock.

pumpkin carved by Jack Ellis photo courtesy of John Harper

It certainly helped having crew, relatives, guests, and old crew (Gerard and Eric) right in the middle of it all.

photo courtesy of Jesse Robert Gifford  Stuart

        By the end of the week the cover was on, the masts greased, the rigging tarred, and we were already missing Andy's cooking three times a day.  The woodshed is again full; we'll be sailing again in only 29 weeks! 

photo courtesy of Mikael Carstanjen

          The 2014 adventure to Gloucester is pretty much booked up, but there's space for you on almost every other cruise on the new schedule.  Remember if you sail with us on two consecutive trips, you may stay aboard between them while we do your laundry.  If you are at all interested in a charter, do keep in mind that we won't bump anyone already signed up to make room, so get hold of us now for any group plan for next season.

Crews News

          Scattered;  to Connecticut, Oregon, Colorado, Somerset County here in Maine, and one the intercoastal waterway heading south as of this morning.  That leaves Johnnie and Brad to work with me for the winter.  

          The cabin soles have their three coats of varnish, the tug is on the railway for its fall makeover. 

          We're  having a small but expensive section of our shipyard dock rebuilt, complete with a crane, excavator, steel sheet piling, and two pile drivers.  Should be done in another two weeks.

 Galley Update 

Postcards from shipmates 

      Feast or famine; none in September, four this month...And yes, there is a Maine connection in all of these cards...the senders are guests signed up again for 2014.  The first is the destination of the Way of St. James, a pilgrimage route since the 9th century.

          And another pilgrimage of sorts

          Cruiser Aurora built in 1900, took part in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 and the October Revolution in 1917.  Her fourteen six-inch guns were removed and set up ashore during World War II for the land defense of Leningrad, armor plate made in England, new welded steel hull below waterline in 1987.

          The Elizabeth II represents the type of vessel that brought the first English colonists to America in the 1580's.  She was designed by William A. Baker, who designed the Mayflower II, and built in Manteo, NC, in 1983 by the legendary boatbuilder O. Lie-Nielson who built yachts here in Rockland.

 Lost and Found 

      Anyone recognize this very nice wool blend serape before we raffle it off at coffee break?  It appeared in the main cabin towards the end of the season.