The fleet was gathering and anchoring off the breakwater in Rockland Harbor, in preparation for Friday's Great Schooner Race.
It was a beautiful night.
He asked us to come out.
(When your tall, confident, independent 15-year-old who has only been gone for four days calls and wants to see you, well, your heart lifts a little.)
While he ate our leftovers, he filled us in on his adventures (which include going aloft, twice, untethered, while underway).
Snatches of sea shanties in three-part harmony drifted over from the Stephen Taber and each schooner fired off its cannon.
(Add cannons to Wilson's list of phobias.)
Friday morning was a beauty, too. The schooners jostled for position by the starting line, off the lighthouse at the end of the breakwater...
...then spread out across the bay as they caught the wind.
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| The Schooner American Eagle making Owls Head |
One can only imagine what it must have looked like a hundred years ago, when Rockland was a hub of shipbuilding and lime transport and the harbor was crowded with vessels like these, and much larger than these.
We're hanging on to a bit of history here.
You got some great shots!
ReplyDeleteI was on the breakwater Thursday night and got some nice ones of the 'raft-up.' Then I got some of the race on Friday, too.
I like your picture of the Lewis R. French in the shadow of the other schooner. I got some shots of that myself but I wasn't sure which schooner was casting the shadow...didn't see a name. Do you know which it was?
From your angle, I'm thinking that your boat might be in my photos.
Really nice photos/post.
Brian
Hi Brian,
DeleteYou got some great shots too! Love your paintings.
The schooner to the right of the French was the Mercantile. Our boat was just off the Merc, the little blue one on the right. And it was the Victory Chimes blaring the Wagner, by the way. :)
Thank you! I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteThe race itself was fun to watch but the views Thursday night with the clouds and sunset were fabulous.