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It was a blustery day, unseasonably cool for June even in
New England with the threat of rain. While it's in the 90s on Hudson Bay in Canada, it
reached only the mid-50s here, with a strong northeast wind. We
arrived and met at the Winter Island (Salem) launching ramp -- across
Salem Harbor from my home -- at 10:00 am, with the tide high in an hour. |
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A small-craft advisory flag was blowing straight out
beneath Old Glory on the nearby flag pole as we readied Mike Sullivan's
"Carpe Diem" for its first launch under his
new ownership. Mike
brought along his son, Paul, and his son's friend, Peter. We were
met there by Alan of Atlantic Charters to lend a hand. I was
available in the capacity of non-active advisor (still
strapped and wrapped
while the broken bones heal) and event backup-photographer. (Peter
was also taking photos.) Mike, worry not: no set-backs! |
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The mast-up worked nicely. Alan had never seen one
before, wasn't going to use it until I recommended it highly, told him
that I'd considered "stealing it" before selling "Carpe Diem" to use on
"Chip Ahoy"! He readily admitted later that it made
raising the mast much easier. |
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With the wind blowing at a pretty
steady 20-25 mph, the mast was again
upright -- after resting horizontally in my backyard for over a year. |
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The rigging and final preparations begin. |
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Mike Sullivan (left) and yours truly (the walking
wounded). At least I was helpful in directing some of the rigging
intricacies. |
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"Carpe Diem" slips into the water, after over a year
land-bound. |
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Tying it up to the dock. I
didn't even walk down the dock, it was rolling and buckling so much. |
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Alongside the dock. No, that's not Humphrey
Bogart's "African Queen" -- it's a tourist cruise boat, and its
off-loaded passengers looked like it hadn't been a fun trip in
small-craft winds and lots of rolling.
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The "African Queen" imposter pulled in and tied up at the least
opportune time, making it more difficult to maneuver out from the
dock. The plan was to pull "Carpe Diem" out to the front dock,
where the tourist boat just docked to discharge its passengers, who
hurried up the dock to solid ground. |
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With Alan at the helm, he made adversity look easy.
The launch went very well, especially considering the weather
conditions. |
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A crowded "Carpe Diem" motored off into the rolling harbor on its
way to find its mooring for the first time, at about noon. Just as
good I had no intention of being aboard.
I no sooner arrived back home across the harbor in
Marblehead when the crew arrived. The harbor launch picked them up
out at the mooring, but wouldn't take them back across the harbor to
Winter Island; it was too rough. At the Village Street dock, they
walked up the hill to my house, then I drove them around to the Salem
launch ramp, their vehicles and the trailer. |
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