Last All Hands was in April, when I flew up from PR to NYC and was driven by my sister to Mystic Seaport for a final interview. 2 1/2 hours, but they made me an offer. Didn't accept it till I'd checked out Thompson's Island the following week, but that was not for this summer - maybe next year.9/2So early in June, Peg flew up and we left the yard in East Boston a bit before dawn on a favorable tide with the moon showing, and little stirring in the channel, heading for the Mystic Seaport Museum, where I had an 11-week contract to run the forge as "shipsmith". Before we got out of Boston Harbor, the rising sun was making wonderful reflections on the tall downtown Boston buildings. Little wind, and beyond Boston light what there was was unfavorable so we kept motoring, must have had a good current, because we even managed to get through Cape Cod Canal on the favorable tide, and pushed down to Hadley's Harbor in familiar territory near Woods Hole for the night. Next day wind and tide were against us and we were even worried for a bit that we wouldn't find diesel to replenish us, as a new marina in RI didn't bother to sell fuel. On to Newport, a little later than we had liked, but got filled up and some good advice about where we could anchor overnight. Off the next morning and through the Race into the Sound comfortably before the tide came roaring out, anchored in a very nice protected hole on Fisher's Island, just across from Mystic.
Morning saw us nosing into the marina in Noank where I'd bought Apogee 5 years ago. Managed to get grounded temporarily before we even got ashore. But the proprietor was very intrigued to see the boat again, pulled us off easily, discussed moorings for the summer, and got us a cab to New London, Peg to go back to NYC, I to Boston to fetch my car and peapod.
Mystic Seaport Museum (MSM) has been a successful experiment. I find it too Boutiquey to be True, but it packs them in. It has good staff and marvelous research and is a very pleasant place to work. Although there was some conflict--perhaps mostly in my mind--between "production" and education, in practice there were few problems. One was my immediate supervisor, who knew nothing about blacksmithing, and about the same about supervising. Sometimes needed supplies were not forthcoming. Some of the 'interpreters"--the Seaport employees who talk to the public while we are working on our products--tend to slide into misinformation occasionally. On the other hand one of the Seaport's interns was an apt student, smart & fun. There were a couple of other metalworkers who manned the forge on my days off, one of whom thinks we ought to get the Seaport to run a blacksmith school next summer - well within its mission of maintaining craft skills which are rapidly dying out.
I've avoided making waves up to the last gasp, but as the last week came on I wrote a letter to my supervisor saying exactly what I thought and I may yet get fired. (My last 4 days start tomorrow.)9/11Disasters have abounded as usual. A minor leak soon after my arrival in Mystic turned into a major repair when the Travellift sling at the shipyard slipped off my keel and pulled out all my rudder pintles, bent the prop shaft, and split the tiller. The Yard has been most responsible, taken it seriously and done excellent work. Not cheap unfortunately. Eats up some of the MSM earnings, but it's still been a profitable summer in both dollars and people. Mostly new people, but good visits from some of my old "HANDS". Also, quite surprisingly, I've responded to the physical challenge and picked up a lot of plain strength that I just didn't have when I swore off single handing last spring. I'm abrogating that promise and going back to sea. Maybe I'll have a crew, but to sea, with or without.
Mizzen mast disaster. Had the mizzen mast down to make room for the Travellift, hoisted it again when I was back in the water. But when I went to raise the sail (9/8), it stuck about 3/4 of the way up. No getting past that place. Up I went with bars and pliers, found the dimple in the track OK but the sail wouldn't pass even after a second try - And due to leave in three days. How can they dooo this to me? So release the after and mid shrouds, and let the mast down on a tackle from the traveler, pulling gently by a spare main halyard, which has to be there to raise it up later. Down, remove the track and take it ashore to MSM's machine shop. Found a heavy bar and a couple of willing holders of ends - Tap, tap, and it's straight - But I haven't a spare slide to try it. Do I dare? What else can I do? Do it. Out with it to the boat. put in the million screws that came out yesterday. Straighten the horror of lines holding it up, down, over through and into. Up the main shrouds at least three times to untangle - rig another tackle at the base to haul it forward to its slot. All went smoothly, not fast but no trouble. Tired right out of my tree. I didn't have jazz enough to mount the mizzen boom. Got to it at daylight though, and tried the sail before b'fast. It worked, wonder of wonders - Murphy's day off.
OK, all set. Undo my anchored mooring of two anchors and a barge that's grounded out. Muddy lines, muddy decks, muddy Peter. Quick halfway wash - groceries, pay check, sixteen goodbyes. Fell into the sack at dark.
As I write this, I'm waiting for Peg to arrive from NY on the train - an hour late - to scoot off to Boston to put all you guys out one more time, leaving the car with peapod on top in the MSM parking lot to be retrieved and driven to Boston next week. And then off to PR, first week in October, subject to weather, acts of God, and enemies of the King.9/12Underway for the 2:15 drawbridge opening, with 3 other boats also coming out and 1 going in. OK, circled, followed them out. RR bridge closed till a train went over, then swinging around, and we all headed through. Diesel on the way down river, across the Sound to anchor again in the hole on Fisher's Island. A big schooner out of Bermuda - here for the schooner races? - anchored right by the buoy, and a small sloop a little further in. We dropped the hook between them. Nice breeze, early supper, since we planned to head out at 2 am for favorable tides at the race and generally good winds predicted to help us along the RI shore. Full moon. In the sack by about 7:30.
Moonlight very bright as we started the engine on schedule and headed out for the forest of lighted buoys along our course. Strong tide, not much choppy water. Once out of LI Sound, we up jig and jigger and were soon sailing comfortably along the coast. Dawn showed very gradually with light in the east that could have been urban light pollution from Jamestown and Newport, but soon proved to be genuine daybreak with good sun and pleasant breeze. In fact cool enough so we kept sweaters, watch caps and foul weather gear on the whole day. By 2 we were in the mouth of Buzzards Bay with the wind dead against us and an adverse tide. We pulled in behind Penikeese I. to wait out the tide. We'd already had a 12 hour day. A couple of hours later, with full sail and engine we tacked across the bay a couple of times, but realized we'd never make the Cape Cod Canal by the 6 pm change of current in our favor. So down with the sails and blast ahead with the engine, and eat supper en route.9/13Dark by the time we entered the canal with red and green lights to guide us through the channel. Big fisherman and small sloop passed us going in; a few boats went by in the opposite direction. Not out the other end till about 9 30. A long day. Ready to anchor in the lee of the breakwater when we got down to 20' on the fathometer. Weary as I was, there was a disaster to be managed; as we dropped our anchor, the chain tangled in one of the many lobster pots around us. That took another half hour before we could settle down in an uncomfortable swell that smoothed out in the course of the night.
At least we didn't have to adjust to the tide through the canal. Up at 7:30 to get underway by engine for Boston, directly against the wind. Familiar coast, threaded our way through quantities of lobster pots. Breakfast under way. Worried some about vibration in the engine. Even stopped and got a little seaweed off the screw, but that doesn't seem to have stopped the beat. Put up jib and jigger after a while and that improved our speed some. Off Scituate sailed around a race that was just starting. Coming into the home stretch, with Boston skyline visible beyond Nantasket. Minot's Ledge light in sight. Sunday pm boat traffic heavy in the harbor from Boston light and Nixon's Mate. Pulled in behind a working boat in the lee of one of the islands for supper and early sack after another long day.9/14Ferried Peg across the main channel and snuck up to the Airport Water Shuttle wharf, and headed up river to Bang Corp. yard, 400 Meridian St, E. Boston, MA 02128, which will be HQ until I head south in about 2 weeks.So get in touch with me now through Stan Kaplan, if you want to be crew for the trip to or through the Caribbean.
