Hove to off Swan Point – Page 24 – and sailing as slow as I can….

Another beautiful weekend

We had a good thunderstorm last night, dropping a 1/4 inch of rain. Perfect timing as the day cleared up after dawn with the fresh westerlies.

Went out for an hour or so this morning; no visit yesterday as the Privet demanded my attention. Light and variable today, backing from SSW to NW. Sailed down to Sloop Point (all of a half mile from Swan Point) and spent a pleasant half hour reading while hove to on Port. This should be one of the last sails of the season as Sjogin’s summer refit beckons.

Also enjoying the iPhone camera. When conditions are right the pics have a certain quality I find pleasing. Just another tool.

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Tack!
Time to tack. With the west winds, the Bay’s down about a foot or so.

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Happy Skipper
Don’t drop it! Going to need a wrist strap for the new device.

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All done
Done for the day, ready to warp around the end of the dock and put her away. One of these days I’m going to drop a line doing this and need to get the main up in a hurry. Such hubris. At least the sail cover’s not on.

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The Gale
Joe, Annie and Bob heading out for a day on the Bay.

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Here are a few garden pics from the last few weeks:

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Nice show from the Kousa Dogwood this year. Still needs a bit of pruning.

… Last Rugosa roses
Last of the Rugosa blooms. I’ll let some of the hips mature and prune back the rest to encourage a second bloom later in the summer. It was a great year as the rainy June spread out the blooming times. Happy bees and such.

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A iPhone photo of my good friend Kent Mountford. As mentioned before, when conditions are ideal, the results can be quite good.

More pics on Flickr as always.

Went out for a sail after work today.

Nice breeze, about 6 to 10, gusting to 15 out of the ENE. Bob McHugh joined me for an hour’s tour of the upper Bay. Saw a few A-Cats at their moorings as the next BBYRA race is this Saturday out of Mantoloking.

I left my regular camera home so all of the following were taken with a new iPhone.

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Hove to off Mantoloking. Flat water, good breeze, perfect control. We just sat there as the houses drifted by.

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Bob
Bob enjoying a pleasant evening’s sail.

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Quest
Quest returns to her rebuilders for a mid season primping.

iPhone video

Here’s a first time video taken with my new device. Flip killer? Possible; it’s very simple; no adjustments, just point and shoot. Not ideal for all conditions but very watchable. (Not necessarily in this instance but the video quality’s pretty good.)

Back on the Bay

Here’s MaryAnn, ready for the second round of the Season tomorrow at Island Heights. She’s tied for first.

Taken with my new iPhone. Not too bad; click for a larger image.

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Tug action two weeks ago. One of the local dockbuilders moving stages. Nice to have a bit of a commercial “harbor”. There also a couple or crabbers that use the Pond. Reminds me of one of the tiny villages in Riddle of the Sands

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At rest
Went ashore to see if I could grab Tom for a quick sail. No such luck.

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I did grab a sail with Captain Joe on his boat The Gale. Went down to Reedy Creek and back in light and shifty westerlies.

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Happy Hydrangeas. Another iPhone pic. Video possibilities….hmmmmm.

Went to the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic this past weekend

We’ve been going for years, even to far Rockland, Maine. It’s been in Mystic for the last three years which seems just about perfect. Wandering around the Seaport while looking a beautiful yachts and honest working craft is a delight.

Here’s a link to the Flickr album.

Or the day after tomorrow but in any event some choice pics from our annual pilgrimage:

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The Seaport catboat Breck Marshall seen through Brilliant’s rig.

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Elf
Elf, the 1888 racing yacht followed us up from Philadelphia. Perhaps we’ll see the new Maid at the next WBS.

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That’s Thad Danielson’s Sea Harmony in the background. I think that’s a Fish Boat on the left. Anyone know?

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Aida
Aida, one of my favorite Herreshoff designs. Simple shoal draft ketch built in the 20’s?

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Egret sharpie
Egret, a Commodore Munroe sharpie. She’s rigged with sprit booms on her two sails. Very handy rig.

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It works!
Refreshing amongst all the varnish. An old but very functional crab skiff. It takes a lot of work to maintain that patina.

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Shane and Scot Bell, WoodenBoat Forum Moderator and a very patient man.

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The Clan
Photo by Steven Bauer’s camera.

Speaking of the Forum, here we are with a couple of dozen of our closest imaginary friends. This was the third time Doug and Carter hosted a party like this. Thanks all.

Sailing with the Dingo

Lived up to my tag line this past Saturday morning as Shane and I sailed truly as slow as we could. Steady half knot breeze, gusting to 1. Dry to start, then a light drizzle. All in all a useful way to spend a few hours.

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My one-armed helmsman, Shane Eyre. Out sailing in a VERY light breeze along with a touch of drizzle for atmosphere. Dressed for the occasion but still a bit damp.

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Caught fondling the varnish.

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Still fondling the varnish. It was great to have him on board, we had a nice little sail in spite of the conditions. I gave him the grand tour of Beaton’s, pointing out the various Herreshoff’s scattered around the yard.

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Running home in the rain. Almost missed the landing; needed a bit of rudder sculling to finish the job.

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What a treat to have his Dingoness on board. I think he makes the seventh WoodenBoat Forumite to sail on Sjogin

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On the porch, in the Cloud. Our correspondent keeping up with his public. I may have done a terrible thing and pushed him to start a blog. The world will never be the same.

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of Springsteen fame.
Channeling his inner Bruce: “… the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin’ fortunes better than they do.”

Bruce Springsteen: 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) 1973

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Lust
You can just make out the drool on the edge of Shane’s beard. He’s watching the uh….keel of our fine young waitress, Miss Mary Margaret.

He’s now had a sail on Tidbit with Forum friend Joe Foster and is in Guilford, CT with “mum and dad”. We’ll see him at the WoodenBoat Show this weekend.

See the thread linked to below for his continuing hi jinks. He’ll be here another few weeks before returning to Oz. Based on what we’ve seen, Shane should be a regular visitor to our shores.

More pics on Flickr.

A visitor from the Antipodes

Shane Eyre, a long time virtual friend on the WoodenBoat Forum, has gone walkabout from Western Oz and is our guest for a few days. He’s been here five weeks and is visiting the East Coast contingent of the Forum. Here’s a link to the Thread.

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Gnome, sweet gnome. The famous “Wild Dingo” (Forum name).

Hope to go for a sail this morning. We have a narrow window before the next front comes through. If nothing else, a walkabout at Beaton’s.

More later.

The Maid swims!

Julia and I went to the launching of the new Silent Maid last Sunday at the Independence Seaport Museum. Master boatbuilder John Brady has built a new Maid to the 1923 Francis Sweisguth plans. We drove down with Kent and Nancy Mountford. Kent’s parents owned the original Maid in the 60’s.

Owner Peter Kellog had asked all available former Silent Maid owners, sailors and friends to join the Museum in the launching a new Queen of the Bay.

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Silent Maid aweigh. The hull’s planked in Spanish cedar.

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A Toast
Julia toasting a very dry bilged new boat. She be on the Bay this summer and hope to grab a sail. We both sailed on the Maid when Sally owned her. In fact we were in a Benjamin Mendolwitz photo of her under sail south of Swan Point.

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Start of of new career
The Maid in the inner harbor at the Museum. That’s the Great White Fleet Olympia in the background.

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Elf
Also in the basin was the 1888 Elf, up from Chesapeake Bay. She’s been recently restored and the oldest American racing yacht. We expect to see her at Mystic next week for the WoodenBoat Show.

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Garvey
Even this perfect little garvey was dressed for the occasion.

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Last fire?
Last fire of the season? Last Sunday morning was cool enough for a quick fire. With more rain and gloom forecast for Saturday, we may see a Solstice fire.

E-Scow action

The local fleet was out this morning for some tune up racing just south of Swan Point. Nice breeze out of the ENE about 4 to 8. Reached out and eventually hove to off Sloop Point, just SW of Swan Point. Managed to be near the weather mark for some close up viewing.

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ENE wind
With the wind out of the ENE, it was easy to turn her around, pin her to the piling, raise sail and pull her out. The jib’s backed and the helm’s up so she falls off after a bit of pulley-hauley.

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Trim...TRIM
Trim…TRIM…TRIM!!! On the way to the start.

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All the E’s on the Bay now use asymmetrical spinnakers. Neat drag race.

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Bill and his Sea Sprite. There are several of these practical and handsome boats around this end of the Bay.

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Ghost and her cousins. The last of the new rowboats has been sold. Stay tuned for rowboat races this Summer.

Off to the Silent Maid launching in Philadelphia tomorrow afternoon; pics to follow.

Another Chamber of Commerce weekend.

After a week of seemingly endless rain and gloom, the local Chamber of Commerce has again arranged for beautiful pair of days. Managed my usual short sails Saturday and Sunday. A lot more traffic yesterday but had a nice building sea breeze.

Finally started to hack back the holly hedge. It seems to thrive in damp cool conditions. All of the perennial’s are competing for bed space which is as it should be. Unfortunately the Bindweed seems to like these conditions as well and needs attention. All in all a nice Spring; not to hot (sorry Julia) and just enough rain.

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What may be the last fire of the season as it was cool and damp enough Saturday morning.

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At rest
After Saturdays sail. The jib’s backed so it doesn’t flog and the topping lift’s set up to take the drive out of the main. She lays quietly against the dock this way and won’t bang about.

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Running home
Running for home.

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Joe and the Gale
Friend Joe and his boat The Gale moving along nicely in light air.

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Original is closest
The original is in front. The first one sold was rowed home by her owner and daughter.

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Barberry and Poppies and Iris in full glory.

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Lush
Overgrown hedge to the right before shearing. The bright pink flowers are coral bells.

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Julia at dinner
And here’s a pic of Julia enjoying supper on the porch. The season’s begun.