Friday, July 31, 2009

Rockland and Matthew's Last Blog



Ahoy it's Matt and this is the last blog of the season. Yesterday I woke up and had cereal for breakfast. Then we motored over to Belfast. I played my DS and drew a little more. Then I drove the boat for a will. Soon we arrived in Belfast and I put all the lines on the boat. The harbormaster had use running across the deck to get the fenders on the right side. Then we took the laundry up to at the top of the hill. Grandpa and I went back to the boat to and swabbed the decks. We went back to the laundry mat to check on Nana. Nana and I went back to the boat and when we were close to the docks we meet Dick Burns, a man Nana went to college with. When we all were on the boat we chatted for awhile while drinking lemonade. When Grandpa got back we went to Mr. Burns’ lovely house after getting lobsters. I went to their beach to get water for the lobsters. After having some drinks and cheese, Mr. Burns and I killed lobster in the out door boiler filled with seawater. Then I found a lucky stone and Mrs. Burns gave me a piece of sea glass. Then we ate the lobster and it was my first full lobster. Then Mr Burns gave me a marble thing and Nana and Grandpa a wooden tray with a picture of a moose on it. Then we went on a walk and someone on the dock said that jet skis were chasing the coast guard. Then we went back to the boat and there was some wackos running around on the docks. Then I went to bed after putting my laundry away. Today I woke up and we had oatmeal on the boat for breakfast. Then a family of Amish or more likely Mennonites walked along the docks. Then we left Belfast. I drove for awhile. Then got out the yellow bag of demons. Then I played my DS for awhile and drove the boat through A lobster pot field outside of Rockland. Then I put the lines on to the cleats. Someone was on our slip and they moved. I played with the marble thing. Then we went ashore to get the crate for Hoolie. After we assembled the crate we went to lunch at the Rockland Cafe. I had spaghetti and Italian sausage, mmmm. Then when we left it began to pore. We went to the Grasshopper Shop to get Dad a birthday present. When we got back to the boat out of the rain. I played my DS. Then had ice cream and soda. After that I played my DS. I called home to see when Dad had left. He left around 3 and is supposed to get here around 9 or 10 o'clock. Then I played with the marble thing and got the two marbles in the holes. See you next season, this is Matt signing off, bye. PS This was an awesome summer and hope you had fun reading the blog and Grandpa will still be blogging.

I used the quiet time in the morning to refill the water tanks. The water in Rockland has a off taste so we avoid water from there but Belfast is okay. With full tanks we started towards Rockland. There was no wind and no waves so we motored south and found a favorable current too. Altogether, we headed south at 8.5 kts and made Rockland in three hours.

The first order of business was to buy a crate for Hoolie so we can feel comfortable leaving him alone in the boat when we have to go out without him. He’s still a puppy and perhaps will settle down in the future, especially after he’s “fixed” but we needed an immediate solution for our cruise. We returned to the boat, inserted Hoolie and headed off for lunch.

Soon it started to rain lightly and so we hurried back to the boat. Not too long after that, the heavens opened up for the next four hours! We put in the rest of the enclosure for the cockpit and, safely dry, we watched the rain. We served wine and cheese using the serving tray made by Dick Burns with an outline of a moose, hence known as our moose tray. You can tell Dick is a sailor, the tray is just the right size for two and the fiddle edges keep everything on the tray. I did find a weather window for Hoolie so I didn’t have to get into full weather gear!

Matthew’s dad is due to arrive tonight to take Matthew home Saturday. We will sorely miss Matt. He’s been a big help on the boat and is learning more everyday in the running of the boat. Now Nana will have to use the motor hoist while I’m in the dink putting on the motor. We’ll have to put out all the lines and adjust the fenders ourselves. I’ll have no helper in the morning when weighing anchor. Most of all, we’ll miss having Matt around, always cheerful, always full of fun – and complaining about his “yellow bag of horror” (math homework over the summer). We’ll miss you Matt.

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