With the holidays in our wake and a New Year creeping ever closer, it seems a fitting time to reflect on the past boating season while updating ASailingStory’s followers on where we left off.
On a bone-chilling morning in late October, Karen and I motored from a nearly deserted Essex to our winter home of Portland, a distance of about 27 miles up the river. Not knowing that November and December would be a pair of the warmest months on record, we wrapped ourselves in layer-after-layer of clothes until we resembled the Michelin Man. At one point Karen pulled a fleece blanket from her bag of tricks, asking if I wanted to share it. Too proud (some say stubborn) to command my boat with a red fleece on my legs, I responded, “ohh no!”
An hour later I’d swallow my pride and say, through chattering teeth, “ok give me that thing.”
Karen raised an eyebrow before quickly responding, “ohh noo.”
We’d eventually find our mooring off Yankee Boat Yard in Portland. It wasn’t until we thawed out and looked through the below pictures that we realized how pretty the river was.
I’d sneak out to the boat a couple more times before it was hauled, each time enjoying the location more and more. One evening after removing the sails I kicked back in the cockpit and admired the Middletown skyline for nearly an hour. The water around me was mirror-flat, the only disturbance came via collegiate crew team gliding up the river. I’m very much looking forward to spending a few weeks there in the water next season before returning to Essex.
The boat has since been winterized and covered up for a long winter’s nap. We unstepped the mast this year—the first time since building it—in order to buildup its varnish armor and replacing an AWOL wind vane. It also allowed me to inspect the rigging, which looks no worse for wear.
As always seems to be the case, the upcoming winter and spring will afford us the chance to tackle a list of improvements we’d like to make to the boat.
The next boating season is 5 months away. On cold, snowy days like today that feels like a lifetime, but I need only close my eyes and I’m again sitting in the cockpit with the warm sun on my back or hopping into a dew-covered dinghy for a 5:00 ride to shore. I know those warm memories will help winter fly by.
Boy and a Boat 
Reblogged this on globemarine.
Can’t wait to read about your experiences! Teach me!