Angelique is all tucked in for the season. Moored at her berth in Camden at the head of the harbor. We are lucky we sail from such a beautiful and protected spot. Angelique’s cover is on, winter lines have been made fast, chains checked and chafe gear in place. It can be quite cold and lonely aboard during a winter blow, it is best to be prepared rather than caught by surprise in the middle of the night when the temperature is zero and the wind howling, not much fun.
The shrink wrap cover will,with luck, shoulder the winter and spring gales. Under the cover is a great place to carry out maintenance aboard. As soon as the cover is on, outfitting begins for the next season. We give it a good couple of weeks, before the crew departs for their winter professions. A fresh coat of varnish and paint on all the booms and gaffs. The rails and bright work were also tended to. All the work was finished off by a wash down before the water is turned off for the winter.
The floats that create the walkway to get to the vessel are also removed to prevent ice damage. The harbor does indeed freeze, making getting to Angelique sometimes challenging. The ice usually does not come in until late December at the earliest, until then a shoe box like skiff named “Livingston” will be our transportation to the vessel. Poor Livingston, he arrived at the head of the harbor after a summer blow, I think the blow was merely an excuse for the owner to get rid of such an ugly skiff. Livingston’s new career being dragged over the sea wall and on to the gravel beach and sledding across the ice will suit him fine; every boat should have a purpose.
After replacing the quarter deck the fall of ‘05 and the foredeck the fall of ‘06 and spring of ‘07 we have no major projects this fall. a welcome relief. It is not to say that we don’t have a lot of little ones.
Lets hope for some snow.
All the best!
