Sunday, May 31

The boys were up early this morning, breaking down camp and preparing for the ride home. Since the USCG was on a mission, Dave made two trips in his boat to get them ashore. By 1000 they were gone and Brenda and I had the island to ourselves again.

We took a break and enjoyed the sun for a while. Weather was nice, sun warm and calm winds. We watched the families of ducks in the cove before going back to the house. I took a short nap and Brenda worked on her puzzle.

At 1500 we heard weather warnings on the radio. NWS was issuing a warning for severe weather. Our wind was picking up and we saw black clouds to the west. We only got a little bit of rain and by 1700 the sun was shining again. Later on I asked Brenda to come outside and enjoy the rainbow that had developed to the south. Beautiful.

I worked in the shop for a while and Brenda continued with the puzzle. We did not get much done outside today.

Maybe the light will get fixed this week??

May 30

Saturday, May 30

Early start today. I went down to the cove early to meet the Boy Scout troop from Bath. Eleven showed up with three leaders. This is Troop 21 out of Bath, Maine. Dave Power brought some on his boat and the Coast Guard brought the rest on their 25 footer.

After getting them landed they set up their campsite for the night. Then we began cleaning up the beach in the cove area. We moved (and cut) logs, disposed of a dead duck, sorted out metal, moved the old submarine cable and cleared many rocks to create a safer trail from the beach.

We broke for lunch and the troop showed up at the lighthouse for a guided tour and some of Brenda’s’ homemade brownies. They were a hit!

While the scouts were at the top we asked them to hold a banner that says “This place matters”. The National Trust for Historic Places asked FOSI to have a picture taken so they could use it on their website. I took the picture and emailed it to them.

www.preservationnation.org

Back at the cove the scouts prepared a bond fire from the stuff they piled up when cleaning the beach. A fire watch was set up throughout the night and the fire was out by morning.

Throughout the day the scouts explored the island, retrieved a washed up lobster trap and a mooring buoy. Most of them got in the water and I believe they all had a great day.

Another boatload of visitors arrived around 1300 and we gave them a tour of the lighthouse and grounds. They stopped in the museum and bought some shirts too.

At 0600 I had my doubts of whether the scouts would show up at all. Wind was blowing hard and the rain was coming down. But, by 0800 things were clearing up and the weather continued to improve. The weather held throughout the night and the boys enjoyed clear skies, a blanket of stars and a half moon. The light is still not on which made the celestial bodies even brighter.

May 29

Friday, May 29

The day dawned foggy and wet. A mist fell most of the morning. I walked to the cove and checked things out and then explored the South trail. The rocks were wet and slippery but the walk was worth it. The trail ends at a rock cliff overlooking the ocean. The foghorn was sounding, the waves crashing and the gong buoy was doing its’ thing. Sounded, looked and felt like Maine.

Later on it cleared up some and I cut the grass around the house again. Brenda cleaned the guest part of the house, straightened out the bed linens, swept up and cleaned the bathroom. The guest side is very nice. There are two bedrooms, a total of three single beds and two queen size blow up mattresses. There is also a small refrigerator, a hot plate, a microwave and the composting “throne”. The plan is to finish off a small area with a sink and offer overnight accommodations through FOSI. This would be an additional source of income for the group.

We are expecting a group of Boy Scouts early tomorrow. So I need to be down at the cove with the inflatable blown up and ready to ferry the boys in.

Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and dry… we’ll see.

I spoke to the USCG in Portland today about the light. Light technician Ben Ellena asked me to check things out. I got inside the light, ratcheted the bulbs around…. But no success. Ben said they had to schedule a trip out here to look into the problem.

Meanwhile… still no light on Seguin

May 28

Thursday, May 28

Our oldest grandson’s birthday. Brendan Gray is twelve years old today and we are very proud. This was the first year that Brenda did not supply the birthday cake. He’ll get one when we return. Dreary day here on the island. A day to relax. Brenda worked on a puzzle and I made the trek down to the engine house to replace the door handle, check out the cove and, of course, bring the wine up!

Later on I did some electrical work in the basement, installed a new handle on the pumphouse door, cleaned the bathroom in the guest quarters, tweaked the internet connection and programmed a new Net 10 phone for caretaker use.

Right now we are sitting in the front room of the house, blankets hung on the open doors to help keep the heat in, watching TV. Yep, I figured out how to get TV coverage. Not a lot of stations, but not bad.

High temp today was only in the mid forties. This set a record in Portland for the coldest high temp on record. East winds around ten knots

May 27

Wednesday, May 27

We had an early start today. Up around 0530 to get ready for our trip ashore. We carried our laundry down the hill and met Ethan at 0700. The tide was running hard out of the Kennebec River and there were many seals taking a nap on the rocks. They wait for the tide to change and then go on an eating feast when the fish are most plentiful. Our ride in to shore was a little damp but not bad.

We put ashore in Popham, transferred our laundry to the truck and went to Percy’s for blueberry pancakes. Dave and Tracy Percy welcomed us to the area and even had us sample some of their homemade cookies. Then it was on to the post office, laundromat, FOSI office, Wal-Mart and Shaw’s grocery.

Back at Popham at 1600 we met Ethan and headed out to sea. Rain was settling in and it was cold, about 50 degrees. Add that to salt spray, wind picking up and an open boat and you can have some idea of our voyage. Actually it wasn’t bad at all. Ethan is a very good seaman and captain. He read the waves well and tried to keep us as dry as possible. We were lucky that it was not raining at this time.

Since the seas were out of the south and the cove faces north, we had a calm landing on the beach. All of us unloaded the supplies and we said goodbye to Ethan. Then began the trek up the hill, actually we walked up the tram. We took the most important stuff and left the wine and some soda down in the engine house. I know… you would wonder what is important or not, leaving the wine. However, some things are more important, like food, clean socks, items to restock the gift shop, etc.

Now, picture this. Brenda and I pushing two eighty pound bins up the rain soaked tramway wearing slippery boots, heavy jackets, and a stupid looking hat. We would push and slide for a while, take a breather and push and slide again. At one point Brenda slipped (at the trams highest point), and we changed tactics. Instead of each of us pushing a bin alone, we did it together. This took a little longer but it was safer and we eventually made it to the top without further mishap.

I’m going to get Dave to give me a lesson on the operation of the tram so we don’t have to do this again!

Someone was watching out for us because a short while after we got everything inside it really began to rain and blow hard. This was about 1730

Brenda worked in the gift shop for a while, we put stuff away, had dinner and settled in for the night. Forecast for tomorrow is more rain and cold. It is now 2100 and we are beat… ready for bed.

OH, buy the way… There is still no operating light on Seguin

May 26

Tuesday, May 26

Another beautiful day. Sun shining and calm seas. The wind picked up in the afternoon. We spent the first part of the day mowing and trimming the lower tram area and the cobblestone trail. We disturbed a few nesting gulls but they did not bother us. Discovered the small duck pond along the trail complete with mom and her ducklings.

This is a nice trail leading to a cobblestone beach, the cobbles are mostly granitic, very hard banded rocks tumbled for eons by the waves. There is also lots of mica in the rocks which indicates slow cooling of igneous rock deep within the earth. These rocks are brought to the earth’s surface by shifts in the crust and erosion.

While we were investigating the beach we also watched a lone lobster boat working his traps just offshore. Pretty work.

Then it was back to the top for a late lunch. Brenda spent the rest of the day cleaning and organizing the gift shop/museum. I went back to the cove, changed some bulletin board info, strolled the beach and cleaned up some flotsam.

Talked to Ethan later in the evening and we made arrangements to be picked up at 7 AM for our day ashore.

May 25

Monday, May 25 Memorial Day

Beautiful day. We awoke to a bright morning full of sunshine and warm temperature. Grass mowing, weed-wacking and raking up were on the agenda today. I mowed the yard and the helicopter pad and then we weed wacked the trail to the cove.

A few guests showed up. Mom and her three kids in a skiff and two couples in another boat. We gave them a lighthouse tour and they walked the trail and enjoyed picnic lunches. One boy slipped on the rocks surrounding the garden but no injuries ensued except for a broken pop bottle.

Heard from the family today and all is going well. We miss them already! My brother, Mark, called this evening and said he was trying to work things out at his job so he could bring his family up for a visit. I hope so!

I was also informed today that I am NOT the boss. Brenda is. And, you know what? She makes a pretty good one. She keeps me going. I don’t know where she gets her energy! As I am writing this she is upstairs cleaning the bathroom. I know she is tired from a full day of work but she just keeps on going…. Like the energizer bunny. I’m glad I brought her along!

Oh damn… I just remembered that she will be reading this eventually……

Still no light!

May 23

Saturday, May 23

Seguin, here we come! At 0900 Brenda and I were at the pier in Popham Beach. Harry and Lawrene Denker met us there along with Captain Howie. The Denkers are from Canada and were island caretakers in 1996. They come back every year to "get the place in shape" for the new caretakers. For many years Captain Howie was the transportation guy for the caretakers.

These folks helped Brenda and I unload all the stuff from our truck. Half of it was loaded aboard Ethan’s center console and we headed out to the island.

Dave Power showed up a little while later. They all loaded up the remainder of the items and Dave headed out to the island with Michael (another former caretaker).

Oh, did I mention that nine foot tides add to the challenge of loading, unloading, etc.

Out at the island Cyndy (chairperson of the on-island committee), met us. Brenda, Cindy and I unloaded the boat while Ethan kept the bow into the shore. Luck was with us, the weather was just right (cloudy and around 60 degrees) with calm seas. We dragged all the stuff off the boat, across the rocks, up the stairs, across the grass, up the tram steps, and onto the tram.

Cindy cranked up the antique diesel and got the tram going. Brenda was at the top to signal when to stop the tram (or it might run off the other side!), and I jogged up the tramway keeping pace with the sled to make sure nothing fell off... Or to put it back on if it did fall off.

Once at the top, Brenda and I unloaded the tram, carried the stuff across the grass and up the steps to the caretaker’s residence.

In the meantime, Dave arrived in his boat with the rest of the stuff (I use the term loosely). Dave, Michael and Cindy brought all this stuff ashore (bless their souls). Once again the tram was loaded and the trip to the top was made.

All in all the "stuff" included 14 bins, six stuff bags, five duffel bags, a TV, a telescope, food, water and a kayak. Most of which made it to the top. (The kayak was left at the cove).

During the next couple of hours Brenda and I listened to directions, instructions, suggestions on everything from the composting toilets to the cistern chapel.... more on that later.

These guys are very knowledgeable about the infrastructure and workings of the light, water systems, island history, etc. Their advice is indispensible and very necessary. Brenda and I appreciate every bit of it!

We then adjourned to the camping area and had lunch. The group then dingied out to Dave’s boat. I brought the dingy back on shore and Brenda and I waved our goodbyes.

An hour or so later a sailboat pulled into the cove. They dingied ashore and walked around. We didn’t see them at the lighthouse and never met them in person. But, around 6 PM Ken Colburn from Green Island showed up with ten people. They decided to take a boat ride and visit the island. We gave them a tour, opened the gift shop, made our first dollar and collected more in donations.

The day ended with a great sunset and we were in bed not long after. Weather today was cooler, cloudy and in the 60’s, calm seas, light winds.

May 24

Sunday, May 24

Brenda was up early and had breakfast ready. Then it was on to the mowing. We went down to the engine house, got the push mower and cut the Cove trail including the camping area. A lone sailboat tied up to a mooring in the cove. After lunch, we returned to clean the public restroom, cut some more grass on the trail to the lighthouse and spoke to the sailor who was now ashore. He is from Portland and took a few days off to sail. He said he was going to spend the night and cast off tomorrow morning.

For a brief time in the middle of the day, the foghorn was sounding. We had a shower pass by and the visibility decreased.

Back up at the lighthouse area I got the riding mower going and cut grass for another couple of hours while Brenda raked things up and prepared dinner. We watched the sun go down as it silhouetted Mount Washington. A gong buoy signaled the end to another day.

Weather today was partly cloudy, a passing shower, then sun in the late afternoon. Air temp in the 60’s, water temp 50 degrees.

Oh yeah…. Light still not working

May 22

Friday, May 22

Brenda and I drove to Portland. Went to the waterfront area and walked around. Pretty nice. They have done a commendable job of revitalization. Many small shops, places to eat, a fish and lobster (or is it lobstah) store, nice folks and great weather. It was hotter today in Portland than it was in Miami!

Our next stop was Freeport, home of LL Bean. Big store, actually about five big stores make up the complex. Then back to Brunswick for the night.

Dave and Linda Power invited us to a cookout at their house in Phippsburg. A number of FOSI Board members were there as well as some past caretakers. Many stories were told. Not sure just how many of these stories ever made it into the logbooks... but they were quite entertaining! Final plans were made to meet tomorrow morning to get our stuff out to the island.

This was another hot day with temps in the mid 80's.

Some info from Seguin

Six miles out to sea, marking the mouth of the Kennebeck River, Seguin was Maine's first island lighthouse. The first tower was built in 1797, a second tower in 1820, and the present granite tower in 1857. Because of its perch atop the island, the 53 foot tower is actually 180 feet above sea level. The original first-order fresnel lens still shines 25 miles, one of only two first-order lights in New England (the other being Graves Light in Boston Harbor).

Seguin has the distinction of being one of the most foggy locales in the US, with over 2700 hours of fog in one year. That's nearly one-third of the year in fog!

Tours of the light are conducted several times a year from the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. These photos were taken from six miles away while trying to steady the telephoto lens on a boat in choppy water.

From: http://lighthousegetaway.com/lights/seguin.html

One week prior to arrival....

Well, the time is close for our arrival on Seguin. I have asked many friends to join us this summer and we will see how that turns out. I have spoken to Ethan, the boat captain who is responsible for taking us back and forth each week.
Our plan is to leave for Maine (we live on Marylands' eastern shore) on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, spend a night on the road and arrive in Bath on the 21st.
So.... the adventure begins!