Friday August 28, 2015

67 degrees w/ 2 mph winds

Day 106

Sorry, I have tried for two hours to get my computer to let me on the internet and then when it did, it was supper slow...so no photos...will try again in the morning on a separate blog.

Beautiful morning again, boats are already out and about…making up for that week of fog we had.  Coffee on the front porch enjoying the view!

Breakfast…we are now looking at our pantry and it’s time to start using food up that we have brought to the island…so Oatmeal it is, with some fresh blueberries from Anne and a piece of toast with strawberry jelly.

Grass is dry so it is time to mow, maybe for the last time…and I put another coat of paint of the pump house boards.  We started the mowing and was hurrying so we would be able to clean up and be ready for the first group of visitors.  Simply because it’s Friday and beautiful I figure we will have a bunch of folks today.  Since it was still high tide, Larry went down to help Brook with helping the visitors out of the dingy.  Usually they arrive at 11:30, it was 12:15 and no one was coming up under the tram.  Finally a man and his two kids came.  I’ve learned to ask if they are in their own boat or if they arrived on the ferry.  They had come in their own boat….we went up the tower and finished the tour and still no other visitors.  About fifteen minutes later another older couple arrived…in their own boat.  Larry finally came back up to the top….guess Ethan isn’t coming.  We continued to have groups of four to six groups in their own boats. 

One of our visitors heard Larry say we had taken several sunset photo’s of Mount Washington…she is involved with some organization and wants me to send her one so that they have the view from Seguin…I think this was pretty neat.

Continued mowing between visitors.  Grabbed some cheese and summer sausage about 3:00.  Larry was looking out while eating and yelled at me to come outside, I was washing dishes…anyway, he saw a flock of birds out at sea, hovering and diving…we were told if there isn’t a lobster boat around that meant there were whales….I grabbed my camera and we stood waiting for about fifteen minutes…I really think there was one, but they never surfaced…the birds continued and at the same time they were traveling sideways…as though they were following a moving whale.  Then we heard voices…they were reading our “Population” sign….more visitors..5 total. I need to finish the Helipad and I will be finished.

I found some time to sit….just sit on the porch and look out…read alittle, drink ice tea, look out, read alittle more (I do know that the word “alittle” should be separated, but that’s not how I say it, so I told folks early in my blog that I was going to write like I talk).

The book I was reading was, “Lighthouse In My Life”, by Philmore B. Wass.  At the end of the book it said: The era of manned lighthouse stations in Maine, which began in 1791, the first lighthouse station was established at Portland Head, will soon end.  Within the next 100 years, sixty more were added and by 1907, the last station was built, total was eighty-five.  By the 1930’s fewer than seventy Maine stations remained in operation.  In 1986 sixty-two were still operating and by 1987 nine light stations remained manned…all to be automated by 1990.  A story that began in 1791 with the construction of Portland Head, then Seguin in 1795, will end 199 years later.  There will no longer be lightkeepers dedicating their lives to the safety of those who travel on the sea.

Thankful that “my family” were one of those who were lightkeepers…and that I was able to come back to this island, Seguin, and walk in the footsteps of my father and mother, that I had the privilege to close my eyes at night as my “little nightlight” shone over the sea to guide those out on the water.  That I was able to wake daily and take in the views, sounds, and do my part to help this great group of volunteers who give so much to keep this treasure standing tall and proud… Thank you “Friends of Seguin Island Lightstation”!

7 pm….Since we had such a late lunch decided we didn’t need or want dinner.  Shower and get comfortable!

FULL MOON tonight, bigger and brighter than last night, the reflection on the sea is grand.  Fireworks were going off over to our East…somewhere near Southport or Boothbay Harbor…beautiful.