Wednesday
July 21, 2016
We were up typically early for a Wednesday morning, off-island day and had a typical Wednesday morning quick bagel and cream cheese breakfast. We were down the hill by 6:30
like usual so that we could get our stuff together and then have time to sit on the bus stop log and enjoy the early morning peace. We got a special treat when a small, young we guess, seal was startled by us coming down the cove steps and started making its’ way towards the water. I had my backpack on my back, full of dirty laundry, and a smaller daypack on my front with our laptop and some other stuff. I also had an empty water bottle in one hand and probably something in the other too. So, that’s my excuse for totally spazzing and not being able to get our phone out to take a picture. I did manage to get the video camera unclipped from one of my packs and took a video that I’ll try to get posted soon.
It took the seal a couple of minutes to get back to the water because it was a pretty low tide and he/she had been all the way up past the high-tide mark and had to a break half way to the water. Once he/she safely swam away, we went down onto the beach and positioned the dinghy with our stuff at the edge of the water. We didn’t have a lot with us today – two backpacks, a daypack, heavy bag of trash (from the Whistle House workshop), two water cans, and the weeks recycles.
About ten after seven, we saw Ethan come around Ellingwood Rock, heading towards the Cove in the Leeward. Usually he comes over in his smaller boat not the Leeward which can hold up to about 30. A few minutes later than usual and the big boat? Something was up.
We met up at one of the moorings and transferred to the Leeward and were greeted by regular and occasional Wednesday Warriors Julie, Rick, Cyndy, Ken, Kim, and Tom. And another eleven volunteers from Maine Island Trails Association. They were planning to come out last Wednesday and didn’t because of weather but we didn’t realize they were coming today. They were all set with lots of gear and ready to get to work. Using Seguin’s and Ethan’s dinghies, people and equipment transferred to shore in about a half hour and then we headed towards Popham.
Today was the first time we took the Leeward and it was a pretty smooth ride. The ride was slower than the small boat but I was able to stand towards the back and take some video that I hope will be less choppy than some we’ve taken on crossings in the small boat. When we arrived in Popham we first switch to Ethan’s small boat that was moored away from the dock before he dropped us off. Because of the later than usual arrival at Popham, Ethan said that this afternoon he’d go pick up the MITA folks from Seguin in the big boat and bring them back, then take us over in the small boat and pick up any F.O.S.I.L.S. that were still there. That gave us until 3 to get our errands finished.
Heading off about an hour later than usual, we could still complete everything we needed to do by three so we weren’t rushing. We did our usual usual – Cyndy’s to rinse water jugs and leave them in the sun with bleach water, get mail (thanks Jude for our weekly care package from Brevard), laundry, Rogers, Shaw’s Grocery Store (drop off Patty), laundry (Mitchell, move wash to dryer), Shaw’s to meet back up and finish shopping, Plant’s Seafood, and the Bath Natural Foods Store.
After we finished shopping at our last stop, we walked just a block or so in downtown Bath to Beale Street Barbeque for lunch which was really good. It was about 11:30 and the waiter greeted us with a “good morning” and I said I’m going to order a beer, can you come back and say “good afternoon” instead so I would feel better about myself. He did. Our food, and beer, was very good – I’d definitely eat there again. I had a BarbeCuba (combination pulled port, Cuban sandwich) with black beans and Patty had a spicy jerk chicken sandwich with coleslaw. The jerk chicken sandwich had a warning on the menu that said something like “it is really hot, you’ve been warned.” I took a taste and it didn’t seem too hot to me and Patty ate the whole thing and thought the heat built up but wasn’t too hot. Later she changed her mind, if you know what I mean.
After lunch, we walked up the hill and around the corner to the Mustard Seed bookstore in downtown Bath, right next to the Friends of Seguin Island office. We’ve become friendly with Susan who works there, and owns it we think, so we chatted with her a bit and then sat down to use the Internet for a few things. Patty did some research on India travel books for a future trip we hope to take while I downloaded a few pieces of software that I hope will help us manage and edit our pictures and videos more easily.
From there, we hit the Post Office in Bath to mail something we tried to mail last week but were foiled but the lunch hour at the Phippsburg Post Office, rinsed and filled our water bottles at Cyndy’s, and returned to Popham. Down on the dock waiting for Ethan, we talked to “our” lobster guy Jackson who was dropping of his catch about his day, lobstering, the island, etc. He said he’s been lobstering around Seguin for 40 years and until last year never set foot on the island. And last year he didn’t make it past the Cove beach. We invited him to climb the hill this year and come for a visit. I’m not holding my breath but I know we’ll see him in the cove when we order lobster and he’s dropping them into our keeper box.
Ethan pulled up to the high dock to drop off his big group from the Leeward, switched to the small boat, and then picked us up at the low dock which the Leeward can’t pull up to because of the water depth (or lack thereof). We made a quick trip back to Seguin and saw the mooring guy was working on the last of our moorings – replacing the chains, ropes, and buoys. I think he added back the sixth one too which we haven’t had since arriving in May. The new buoys are larger too and look different than lobster buoys which boaters are going to be thrilled about. Tomorrow we’ll have to come down at low tide to pull the old chains and ropes which were left on the beach and then covered by the rising tide but the chain’s so heavy they’ll still be there in the morning.
As we pulling the dinghy up to tie it up and gathering our stuff to head up the hill, a family of five arrived in their own boat and took the novel approach of coming ashore one at a time in an inner tube type float. They had a long rope attached to it so as each person reached shore, someone on the boat could pull it back. Good idea but it did require everyone to get in the water which some liked better than others. We started talking with the arriving family and when they offered to help us carry stuff, just like the folks we met when we arrived last Wednesday, we said that would be great. I ended up carrying my pack and another bag while Patty carried her pack half-way and they carried the rest, including Patty’s pack the second half of the way up. Nice! We could get used to this service.
Up top, we gave them a tour and showed them the museum after they graciously gave us a few minutes to put away the cold stuff. Shortly after, another couple from Providence, Rhode Island arrived on their own sailboat on their way south. Patty spent some time unpacking and putting away some new merchandise in the gift-shop that Cyndy brought over with her this morning. I helped a little with some high up displays and then we relaxed for a while. While the family was still sitting on the lawn by the tower, we noticed a gull, Yogi we’re pretty sure, was hurt and sheltering in a small space between the tower and our kitchen. He appears to have a broken wing but didn’t let us get close so there didn’t seem to be much we could do. We’re hoping he’s just stunned and will be ok tomorrow but we’re not so sure. He has been missing from picnics the last two days, which we had noticed but thought he was busy elsewhere on the island. Later he moved to the edge of the grass and Patty threw some bread near him. He didn’t seem interested, and does not look very good L.
While ashore earlier in the day, we noticed flags at half-staff at the post offices in Phippsburg and Bath so we lowered ours also. Patty found a website when we were in town that will notify us by email when we’re supposed to lower it so we hope we’ll be better informed if (when) we need to do it again. It’s becoming too common unfortunately.
My sister messaged me on Facebook to let me know my brother-in-law Jeff from Virginia will be visiting us tomorrow with his three kids. Nice surprise. We look forward to seeing them and hope to have time to visit with them in the couple of hours they’ll be here as part of Ethan’s group.
We ended up having a late, light dinner of sliced fresh bread and melted brie cheese. As on most Wednesday’s, we ate a big meal for lunch and weren’t super hungry so the bread and cheese was just about perfect.
Visitors – 11 (plus 10 MITA volunteers and six F.O.S.I.L.S. Wednesday Warriors)
Favorite Moment(s) – meeting a family of visitors on the beach when we returned from our day off-island and having their help carrying our clean clothes and provisions up the hill.
Sunrise – 5:05am
Sunset – 8:07pm
#Seguinisland #seguinislandlight #seguinislandlighthouse #maine #LifeOnTheRock
