Boats, Boats and More Boats

I'm writing this morning from the Harbor View Marina in Baltimore, a huge marina and condo development offering a panoramic view of the harbor. It's quiet here this morning, but the docks are gradually filling with boats for the TrawlerFest show and tomorrow morning we hope it will be crawling with people shopping for their next boat. But first, back a couple of weeks to Newport and the brokerage show there.  

In retrospect, the two day trip from Salem down to Newport was not a bad one, despite forecasts of seas that seemed a little higher than normal. Entering Newport harbor to anchor out the night before moving into our show slip, we saw an AIS label (automatic identification satellite) pop up on our computer screen. Yes, it was our friends from last winter's dock in Jacksonville__ what a nice surprise, although I had thought and hoped they perhaps might be around for a day or two. Emails exchanged, then phone calls and by the end of the week, there was lunch and a couple of nice dinners together, including one on board their boat overlooking Newport's shoreline. Other friends from NH also visited the show and we had another nice meal out with them and their RI friends on Saturday night. There were a couple of receptions for exhibitors as well, so it we had a busy social schedule and a lot of fun. 

We waited most of the day scheduled for the show move- in until our time slot came and went. It was clear things were running behind schedule, despite the best efforts of the organizers. We had an interesting hour or so, moving slowly around the harbor, looking at the beautiful boats that fill Newport Harbor. And finally it was our turn to move into our slot in the raft.

The Raft

Imagine about 55 boats, tied stern to the dock, beam to beam and almost bow to bow__ that's the raft. It doesn't sound unusual to you boat show regulars, but let me tell you, it was something else to be part of the scene. By 5:30 pm, Carry On was finally situated, but as we left for dinner out at 7 pm, the big sailboats were still being wrestled into place in the twilight. 

HIgh Tea

We were surrounded by lovely boats. Off our bow were two unusual and beautiful offerings. High Tea, built in the 30's and presented in Bristol condition, and WanderBird, which we saw last year in Ft Lauderdale at TrawlerFest and most recently while on a boat ride around Marblehead Harbor with friends one evening when the New York Yacht Club was in town.

Master Stateroom, WanderBird

WanderBird was finished in just 2004, a custom boat built in the US at an enormous cost.  The estimates I heard ranged from $8-12 million. Tragically the owner for whom the boat was built died in a crash of his private plane shortly after the boat was completed. She is now in an estate and has been available for charter and up for sale for some time. What's interesting to us is the philosophies embodied in her design__ she has dry stack exhaust, paravanes for stabilization and even two ample twin berths in the master stateroom. No center island queen here! The list of specs is intimately familiar to us, as that's exactly what we have on Carry On, albeit in a far less luxurious embodiment.

The Newport shows were blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather this year. From the set up days through the end on Sunday, it was clear, cool and crisp with sunshine sparkling off the water. We felt there was a lot of traffic from not just brokers as we had expected, but also from individuals, some of whom seemed to be in buying mode. 

The raft began to break up Sunday after 5 pm when the show closed. As we were planning a 6 am departure Monday morning, we were watching carefully as it became clear that most of the boats were not leaving as previously advertised. We finally decided it was all going to work out whatever, however and began looking at the scene with interest as docks were moved, boats pushed out and redocked with the aid of work boats. Of course all of this was more fun due to the graciousness of a gentleman who served wonderful heavy hors d'oeuvres in a tent on the dock with a great view of all the proceedings!

Paul's Next Boat

One of our amusements was looking at the fabulous boats in Newport Shipyard as we came in and out of the dock area. The boat on the right particularly captured our fancies. Her name is Scheherazade and we really don't know how long she is, but that's me standing in the middle by the jackstands, so you get the idea!

We did make our 6 am departure for a long day to Port Jefferson at the eastern end of Long Island, thanks in part to the help of a delivery captain who stayed on board with us during the show. He was a great help in putting Carry On in position to go the night the raft broke up, and we enjoyed swapping stories with him and sharing laughs __ a great diversion for Paul and me.

Now we're focusing on getting ready for the show which begins here tomorrow, but more coming soon on the rough trip down and TrawlerFest in Baltimore!

September Already

It seems as if I start almost every post by declaring, "it's hard to believe, but..." , but that's what I'm going to say again in regards to how fast the summer here has flown by. We're leaving Salem in just a few days, heading for the Newport Brokerage Boat Show which starts a week from today. Boat interest, not just for Carry On, but boats in general, seems to have been at a low last spring and over the summer, but we're hearing reports that boats may be beginning to sell. We hope so and even as I'm writing, a crew of three is detailing the exterior of the boat__ cleaning, polishing and buffing__ to make us "stand tall" for the show in Newport. Needless to say, Paul and I are working on the inside, clearing and cleaning, so much so that I'm afraid we may be so empty that we'll rattle underway!

It's been really nice to spend an extended period here in our home territory, watching the New England summer develop and lately begin it's wane into fall, seeing friends and getting back to some of our old favorite routines, even if it's just temporary. We know the resident "fishermen"__ the blue heron, the night heron we see occasionally, even the green heron I saw catching a crab on a piling one early morning. Mostly though, I have enjoyed the ducks and through them, marked the passage of time. 

Swimming Practice

In June, we first noticed the mother duck and her eight little ducklings. A friend warned me not to get too attached because certainly some of the small creatures would disappear due to predators. Although I'm still not sure what species those might be, he was right. In a few weeks, half the ducklings were gone. 

Often I would see them swimming in formation off the dock, sometimes the mother frantically trying to keep her children close by. It seemed there was always one who was under the dock or striking out on his own. The ducklings grew quickly, and one morning I came home from a walk to find the mother and four babies  resting on our swim platform. 

Adopted by Ducks

Over time it became clear that Carry On was the haul out of choice for the mom and her brood, and it has been a delight to see them roosting off our stern. 

For us, the summer has been a busy one, and although we have looked a lot of real estate and even thought we had found something suitable, we are still without a land home. We are at peace with the idea of renting for a while if Carry On sells before we find the perfect place, and  we, our friends and our realtor here will keep our eyes and ears open as we head south and do the things we need to do. Those things include the Newport Show and then the show at TrawlerFest in Baltimore, Paul's talk at a Business Process meeting in Florida at the end of October and then a move to Fort Lauderdale if the boat is not sold. So it may be yet one more trip down the waterway for us, another winter in Florida? Who knows? Stay tuned!

Almost Grown Up