Friday, August 18, 2017
Today’s forecast is reminding us a lot of our first 5 weeks here, cold, wet and windy. There are supposed to be 5 overnight guests tonight and 2 on the campground but looking at the forecast, there is a chance they will all get to the island this morning but won’t be leaving until Sunday. I will try to get verification from Ethan before putting the cookies in the oven for the guest quarters.
We needed to bring water up the hill this morning and Brian had found a piece of metal and a stone wall off the Cove Trail yesterday, so we are going to check out his find and then walk up with 5 gallons of water, typical morning. When we made it down to the cove, it was surprisingly calm, just dark and gloomy. If going by the conditions now, there would be no reason not to have people arrive, but we also have been watching NOAA and The Weather Channel, and we know things will be changing quickly.
Brian showed me the metal pieces he wants to dig out as well as the stone wall. This will keep him busy today but the bugs were getting me and the water was more important so up the hill we go. Once that was done, I needed to pass the vacuum one more time in the guest quarters but the vacuum hose was clogged and Brian gave me a lesson on how to use the air compressor in the Whistle House, no more clog, so much easier than a bent wire hanger. The place is now spic and span which will guarantee no one will arrive. But Ethan did finally text me saying there would be no visitors transported by him today.
By noon, the rain was here and the winds were picking up, it was going to be a lazy day on the island, maybe I will finally finish knitting Brian’s sweater. Brian arrived back to the cottage around 1pm soaking wet but he reports he unearthed 3 pieces of large metal that he believes are part of the old diesel engine in the campground, he also unearthed about 50 feet of a man-made stone wall down there as well.
Around 2:30p, I was sitting at the desk playing Solitaire because I am now the reigning champion but I can always better my time to make it harder for Brian to beat me. I looked out the window and sure enough, there are people in the front yard in a torrential down pour. I go out on the porch to say hi and find out their story. They are 3 kayakers from Fort Popham and wanted to go up the tower and then have some lunch, really! The winds were gusting over 20 mph and the white caps on the bay were impressive, and it is downpouring out. Ok, Brian takes them up the tower and gives them a chance to go through the museum, their plan is to leave Seguin with an ingoing tide up the Kennebec River, doesn’t sound like the perfect plan but I will assume they know what they are doing and wish them safe journey.
Over the course of the day, there were wind gusts up to 27 mph from the northeast, with a wind chill of 52 degrees, and 1.07 inches of rain fell. We were bundled up and the space heater was going for most of the afternoon, yep, this is summer in Maine!
Guests today – 3
Guests total – 2085
USCG – 6
