Summer's Around the Corner

Won't be long now. Here are a few scenes from last weekend-

The Endeavor going out for a sail-


A big sportfisher steaming down the fairway-


The dragger, It Ain't Easy, leaving the Town Pier headed for New Beige-

Jake in his 23 Parker (sorry for the lousy picture from my iPhone)-


Dogs on the Miss China-


Ducks-

Cormorant Rookery

I went out in my boat this past weekend to view the cormorant rookery at the end of the east jetty. There were a lot more birds and nests there than I have seen in previous years. And I noticed that they were building nests much closer to the waterline. I fear that these nests will get washed away in a heavy southerly wind. We'll see.

Here are some pictures of the cormorant rookery I grabbed on saturday. Click on any picture to enlarge.-

Figawi 2008

The drunken wannabe sailors finally made it over here saturday with the help of light winds. I went down to the docks to have a look and wasn't impressed in the least with the crowd. A lot of people I know are against the Figawi race and the fact that it is held on the Memorial Day Weekend. I heard reports of several drunk people falling overboard and puking all over town. Nice.

Anyway, I took a few shots of the event.

Before the onslaught-


During-


A few participants coming up on the Boat Basin under threatening skies-


Entering the Boat Basin-


Let the drinking begin-


The main beverage of choice-


Flags, masts and rigging-



The mosquito fleet all lined up-

Silver Fox

The western rigged sea clammer, Silver Fox, came in at some point during the overnight and tied up at the end of the Town Pier. I have never seen her in here before. This time of the year, you can see the sea clammers working off Sankaty and Siasconset.

Karen Lynn 1

The little western rigged scalloper, Karen Lynn 1 from Boston, was here during the recent blow. I'm not sure what license she has but I'm thinking she's a day scalloper. Day boats are only allowed 400 pounds of shucked scallop meats per day. Here are a few pictures of the Karen Lynn 1 I took this afternoon-

Notice the net drum in her stern. She can be converted over to dragging as well as scalloping-


She tows one 8' or 9' dredge. Note the cutting house on her port side-



And note the second steering station. It looks as though there is a control for the winch as well. This makes it easier to run the boat if you are alone. She may have been a lobster boat in a former life.-

Sunrise

Beautiful sunrise down at the waterfront today. I arrived just as the sun was coming over the horizon-



The town clock-


Reflections-


A Cormorant silhouetted agains the early morning sky-


The Miss China resting on the calm and quiet harbor-

Gale

We are right in the middle of a non-spring. The wind will not stop blowing. Today, it was blowing a gale. Station Brant Point had the gale warning flags up all day-


Looking across the main channel. Note the two-masted sailboat holed up in the lee of First Bend-


A center console getting tossed around like a cork in the harbor-

Lady B

Not a whole lot going on down around the waterfront lately. We're back to our typical spring weather. Cold, windy and rainy. It looks like the lousy weather pattern isn't going to end anytime soon.

The Morro Bay is still moored to the east face of Straight Wharf while her crew works on the range light towers down at station Brant Point. She was taking a beating as the easterly wind was pushing her up against the pilings. She's all scraped up now even though several fenders were put out to protect her.

The little western rigged scalloper, Madi J, is also at Straight Wharf riding out the blow while her crew tends to mechanical trouble. My brother, Dan, told me that last night during the storm, her bow line parted and she ended up sideways in the slip. The crew was able to get the main engine running and straighten her out. Not an easy thing to accomplish during a gale of wind and only one screw to work with.

I spotted a nice lobster style boat laying against the Rope Walk restaurant today. She looks like a 32 BHM but I'm not sure. She's homeported in Harwichport, MA. Here are a few pictures of the Lady B-




Notice the station midship and the pot hauler. I would think that there should be a steering wheel there as well.

Here's a closer look at the station with the controls-

Scenes From This Morning

Nice morning this morning. I was poking around the waterfront early and grabbed a few shots.

The Morro Bay-


Moorings waiting for the onslaught-


Two cranes-


Low tide!!-


Horseshoe Crabs mating and laying eggs in the sand down at the cricks-



Don't you hate when this happens when you are trying to haul your boat at the boat ramp? I think it's time for the Town to rebuild the new ramp so this won't happen to anyone else.

Morro Bay

A couple of alert readers of my blog advised me of a Coast Guard vessel which arrived here yesterday while I was over in America. I went down to the docks early this morning to have a look. She's the 140' Morro Bay, a Coast Guard ex-icebreaker.


Click here for information on the Morro Bay


Here are a few shots of the Morro Bay from this morning-

Fuel Tanker, Great Gull

The fuel tanker, Great Gull, is here off-loading product. She is moored at the fuel dock in the Boat Basin. All of our auto gas and home heating oil comes to Nantucket via this vessel. I remember years ago all of our fuel was barged here towed by a tug. Every time you see the Great Gull here, you know the next day or so the price of fuel will go up.

Here are a few pictures I took late this afternoon of the Great Gull-