Schooner Adventure Takes A Major Step!

The sight of the schooner Adventure sailing again is finally getting close to reality. On Tuesday she made her way up the railways for installation of a motor,new spars and sail rig. 122' length she was built in nearby Essex and launched in 1926.She was the last of the dory fishing schooners and worked the Grand Banks until 1953. In 1954 she was sold and refitted for the Maine windjammer trade. In doing so cabins replaced her fish hold and her engine was removed. In 1964 she was sold to Captain Jim Sharp and continued her windjammer duties until 1988 when Captain Sharp donated her to the city of Gloucester.

"Adventure" lines up.

She begins her trip up the railway.

Moving up at a snails pace.

Look close at the keel,it's crooked!

Almost out.

Blocking up the keel as clumps of mussels drip down.

Large chains haul her up.

Rudder

Stern view.

Next to the "Adventure" the Tea Party ship "Eleanor" gets her new copper bottom.

A mini trawler goes by!

Two Days....Seasons Apart!

Friday was in the 50's while Saturday it snow all day. But the snow never stuck, the good kind of snow unless you're a snow plow driver. Friday afternoon I took Molly again to Good Harbor Beach and it was sweat shirt weather. All the while I see trucks all rigged up with their plows on the streets.
Last Summer the 110' Coast Guard Cutter "Grand Isle" departed Gloucester for what was suppose to be a eight week $1.6 million refit in Baltimore. As it turned out as much as 85% of the hull had deteriorated and had to be repaired. Seven months and $2.7 million later she was back in port.



Molly

Molly's shadow!

Moonscape!

"Underwing" fuels up.

Snow falls on Buswells Pond.

"Grand Isle" back home.

Paint Factory

"Miss Carla"

These boats are rigged for Tuna.

Lobster pots waiting for Spring.

Harbor Cove

As the snow falls.

Gull atop the rigging.

"NO Fishing"!

Memorial plaque.

A Salty Solution!

The whole trick is to deliver fresh fish to the market. With many different types of boats there is basically one way to assure the catch is fresh and that's ice. The smaller "Day Boats" simply gut and pack the fish in ice, a tried and true method to preserve it's freshness. It's a little more involved when the larger or "Trip Boats" are concerned. Most "Trip Boats" have pens below for the different species of fish and as the fish are caught they are layered with ice. A trip lasting more than 5 days great care must be spent to assure the fish doesn't spoil. But one "Trip Boat" in town has a different solution that has amazing results. The "Miss Trish II" uses brine ice made of seawater which doesn't melt as quickly. It actually sticks to the fish as they are packed into 400lb vats while the fish hold is refrigerated. This method works so well the quality of the fish after a 7-10 trip you would think it was just caught!


"Miss Trish II"

Nick moves Redfish at Fishermen's Wharf.

Dumping pollock.

He didn't spill one fish!

Working the sorting table.

Vito Jr. attempts to sing!

Hauling up vats.

Unhooking vats.

Vats pile up.

The "Miss Trish II" trademark!

Summer & Winter !

Here's a collection of past and present. A few recent shots with photos from 2009 to the present.

Moon over Good Harbor Beach this week.

Reflective creek.

Helo over Eastern Point Light 5/18/09.

"Spirit of Massachusetts" 7/25/09.

City Hall 2/17/10

Gull checks me out 7/20/09.

Prepping dory 8/15/09.

Shove off.

Dun Fudgin Lobster Shack taken this week.

Gull flies by Paint Factory 2/13/11.

"Janaya & Joseph" 2/13/11.

Orange haze over Boston 2/21/10.

Late Afternoon !

On Saturday I went around the waterfront from the Cape Ann Marina to Niles Beach.


"Nha Trang" has been a fixture for the past two years at the Jodrey Fish Pier.

Not much going on.

Novi hull.

Boston Whaler commercial design.

Birdseye plant door.

Chair

USCG cutter "Grand Isle" gang plank.

Late afternoon on the Fish Pier.

Crowded dockage!

"Traveler" reflects the setting sun.

Stainless steel tankers on the Fish Pier.

Fresh fish!

North Shore Art Association

Rocky Neck

Boston on the horizon.

Niles Beach

Sunset through the trees.