Rockland, Maine: Lobster Trap Christmas Trees

It's an art form that developed when plastic-wrapped wire traps replaced the iconic wooden lobster traps.  They stack high - and green is one of the common colors used.  This one in Rockland was featured on the Discovery Channel.  You see some on lawns too.  Like this one at a fisherman's house on Main Street in Friendship.
(click images to enlarge)

Another BB 14 - Eastern LI

This boat - built in 2006 - was listed for $36,500 on Yachtworld.  Looks to be very nicely done.  North River 2, of course, is 25 years old and has got some bumps and bruises.  But L Francis Herreshoff included it in his Sensible Cruising Designs collection.  And I have certainly cruised it - seven years on the Hudson - with two trips a year to City Island beginning and end), lots of sailing down to NY harbor from its George Washington Bridge marinas.  Plenty of hours under sail and lots under power pushing back up against a 3 knot ebb - almost all of it diligently recorded in the log books

Issuma - frozen ice boating

The Food Court Allelujah Chorus

Mendelssohn would be delighted, don't you think?

Pescadotes: Buzzards Bay 12 1/2

My Herreshoff obsession began in 1995 when I first saw a couple of 12 1/2's bobbing in the harbor at Pleasant Point Gut, Cushing.  That led to my purchase of North River - which I was told by Sterling Yachts (now deservedly out of business) was a 12 1/2.  It wasn't.  Close - but not the right measurements.  Excellent boat but no pedigree.


Now, of course, I have North River 2 - a Buzzards Bay 14, designed by L. Francis Herreshoff (no doubt about NR 2's provenance).  I call it a stretch 12 1/2.  14' on the waterline rather than 12 1/2', same 5' 9" beam, same 700+ ballast.
water color by Joe Warren at Pescadotes

Lunar eclipse - solstice 12.21.2010

02:45
image: Ben Berry

Christmas Time is Here

It's part of a new program by the Transit Authority called Holiday Pines on Lines.
credit: Tina Fineberg/NY Times

The Wreck of the Lady Mary

Lady Mary

AMAZING STORY by the Star Ledger which commissioned a major investigation of this fatal accident in which 5 of the 6 men aboard the scallop dragger Lady Mary  were lost last November off Cape May.  Video below.  Multi-part article with excellent graphics HERE. by award-winning journalist Amy Ellis Nutt

Reporting began in January 2010 after the U.S. Coast Guard finished its investigative hearings.

For the next seven months, Amy Ellis Nutt and Andre Malok made dozens of trips, to Cape May, Philadelphia, Atlantic City and North Carolina. Those interviewed included: the co-owner of the Lady Mary; the boat’s sole survivor; family members and friends of the six men who died in the sinking; scallop fishermen, especially those working within six miles of the Lady Mary the night she disappeared; the divers who explored the sunken wreck; officials from the Coast Guard and the rescue crew who saved José Arias; and the dock manager for Hamburg Sud, the shipping company that leases the container ship Cap Beatrice.

Back River December 2010

Back River

Katabatic Winds of Antarctica - NYTimes.com

Katabatic Winds of Antarctica - NYTimes.com: "h"

Grace: a replacement engine found in Falmouth

Grace - 18' Lyman - 1957

It's been worrisome since the moment a bit before sunset that my venerable 1957 Graymarine Model 100 straight six seized up and died at sunset just off Black Island in the Muscongus Bay where I had to be rescued by Barrett Lynde of Gay Island Oyster Farm.  But today, with the help of Russ and Joel we picked up a replacement.  A Graymarine  Model 112 flathead six with dual carburetors.  We loaded it (675 lbs.) onto Jeff Marine's pickup and brought it back to Thomaston for winter transplant surgery.

The engine came out of this 1953 Chris Craft - which spends summers on Sebago Lake.  It will now be re-powered  by this Hercules engine - the original equipment.  

Hercules

1953 Chris Craft

Russ and Joel

Wing Systems

Wing Systems

The Crystal Ship - one for Charlie Crist

I guess it is really over for Charlie Crist and the Republican Party now that he has pardoned Jim Morrison.

Issuma: Winter on Lake Ontario

Rochester, December 2010

Winter has arrived.  Especially in buffalo which got its first "lake effect" blizzard.  Not far from there is Rochester where Issuma was hauled for rigging work after a slow and picturesque trip up the Hudson through the Erie Canal, and then the Oswego Canal.  check out the pictures on Issuma's  blog, to the right.

The Wave - Susan Casey

This is an ad, but it's got some great footage.   And it's a potential gift.

Three Boys Feared Lost Are Found in Pacific - NYTimes.com

Three Tokelau Islands boys spent 50 days at sea

Three Boys Feared Lost Are Found in Pacific - NYTimes.com
A more detailed account is here.

Matt Brown: Pemaquid Point from Little Thrumcap Island

Thanks to Susan and the kids for this woodcut by Matt Brown.
Little Thrumcap is about two miles southwest from Pemaquid Point, across the mouth of John's Bay.

Pemaquid Point from Little Thumcap Island, John's Bay, Gulf of Maine

Senior Citizen Completes Solo Circumnavigation of City Island

On my first day of Medicare eligibility I rowed around City Island.  Why?  Because I could.  Engaged in every man's favorite activity: watching other men work while I did what I pleased.  Below are my 8 ft Walker Bay skiff and some of the workmen and working boats I saw.

My boat - NR2A

all quiet at the fuel dock

Island Current - Daily 8
AM, Nightly 6:30 PM

Hudson Beaver

City Island Bridge

Howard H -  wood work boat still working in NY harbor

Big Bird in his skiff

View Larger Map

Issuma: low bridge, everybody down - northbound on the Erie Canal

Issuma threaded its way - the wrong way - northbound in October - on the Erie Canal.  When we were kids we learned the Erie Canal song - Low Bridge - Everybody Down.  HERE it is. 


Tugster and Bowsprite were there

 And why not hear Suzanne Vega pay tribute to that good old mule Sal.

Like a white winged dove - Stevie Nicks - 1983

Edge of Seventeen

Jon Gelman Photography: Maine Lobster Fishing Port

Jon Gelman Photography: Maine Lobster Fishing Port: "Captured on a D700, 1/5 sec., ISO 200, f/18, 195 mm, HDR."

Buzzards Bay 14 for sale

Not mine.  But one just like my North River 2  - built at the Boat School, Eastport Maine.  Details HERE

Issuma: bound for Toronto, her winter port

Richard Hudson and Issuma are northbound to Toronto for the winter- on the inside.  The route is, I assume, the shortest: Hudson River -Erie Canal - Oswego Canal - Lake Ontario.  Tugster and Bowsprite did a leg of it - up to Catskill, where Rosemary Ruth will winter and, hopefully, find a buyer.

Issuma and Rosemary Ruth rafted up in Catskill

Richard and Gabriela - loyal crew

Next summer Richard hopes to head east - and north.  Maybe Greenland - if all works out.


This spring he started out in the Rio Plata - Uruguay and Argentina, and made his way north - single handed the great bulk of the way to New York.  From there it was northbound, up the Labrador coast and over to Baffin Island.  All photos by Will Van Dorp

The Hudson River

What's the hardest thing about learning Chinese?

Tones or characters?  I give up.

John F. Kennedy - the Staten Island Ferry

thanks to Bowsprite

John F. Kennedy

Commission Date: 1965
Builder: Levingston Shipbuilding, TX
Length: 277′ (84.4m)
Width: 69′ (21m)
Draft: 19’1″ (5.8m)
Gross Tonnage: 2109
service speed: 16 knots (30 km/h)
crew: 13
Passengers: 3500 / (40 vehicles, pre 9/11)
Propulsion: Diesel Electric 600 volts DC
Engines: GM-EMD-567C16 (x4)
Horsepower: 6500 (4.8 MW)

The Big Oyster: WNYC interviews Mark Kurlansky

New York City was the Big Oyster - the oyster capital of the world.  Oyster stands used to dot New York like push cart food vendors do today.  And the selfish were local products too.  Here is Mark Kulansky the brilliant author of The Big Oyster, Cod, and Salt to talk about it all on WNYC.

Columbus Day - new moon - high tide on the Back River

Pescadotes: Open Ocean Storm

from Pescadotes

Waiting for Judge Jesse: In Food Court, Restaurants High and Low Are Equals - NYTimes.com

In Food Court, Restaurants High and Low Are Equals - NYTimes.com