What happenned to Earl?
Catacaos
Graham Shaw
Wed 15 Sep 2010 13:38
and marine radio were all
giving warnings to batten down the hatches, board up your houses, lock up
your children. And then there was nothing. And I mean nothing: a little
wind, a
little rain, in fact Gray slept through it - well he sleeps through most
things. After spending all day stripping the boat down including removing
the boom, you could say we were a little disappointed, but then again very
happy we
did not have 100 knots of wind for 12 hours if not more. It was a good
exercise to dimantle the boat, also just brings to light a lot of jobs that
need doing!
We ended up spending a few days in Bath, with the waiting for Earl, which
was a lovely little town, they have a beautiful maritime museum which was
great fun, including a pirate ship for little ship mates. The museum is set
on a former site of a wooden ship yard, the ships they use to build were
increditable, the infrastructure amazing.
We stopped at Fort Popham at the mouth of the Kennebec river (Bath is at the
top of the river), which is an unfinished Fort
with lots of dark rooms to get lost in. There's a lovely beach to stoll
along with
some very stange wooden structures, we think they were beach huts of a
sort?
Next to Freeport, which is the huge shopping mecca of the east coast. Only
about
a hour short of arrival, Gray went into a heap of a quivering wreck, doubled
over in pain. Normally what happens is I run, well metaphorically, to his
assistance give him lots of drugs and send him to bed, as we have lots of
strong drugs now. Well of course you have to take into consideration we are
in Maine, lobster ground, just incase in the previous blog didn't mention,
you cannot leave the helm for two seconds without getting wrapped up in a
pot or
two, Freeport just being one of the worst we have come across, plus shallow
water a few rocks here and there and of course 20 lobster boats running
around you. Stressful situation. Poor Gray was left to fend for himself
after some drugs admistered, Lucas thankfully was in helpful mode, plus I
manage not to burn lunch. Picked up a mooring as Gray was too ill to help,
Gray was still not improving on the medication, so we decided to get ashore
and seek help. Another ambulance called as at this point he was in no fit
state for taxi ride, as he put it I JUST WANT DRUGS, I am a little worried
how drug dependent he is becoming. Lovely ambulance people arrived and
within minutes Gray was in a comatose state, then they took him away.
Lucas did not get his second ride in a ambulance, but we got to follow it.
Half hour later in the hospital in Portland, Gray happy on fentanol and
morphine, you have to think what all the fuss was for? It is just a shame
you cannot carry morphine on board the boat, it would have saved a lot of
hassle and time, let alone the pain Gray had to endure - poor boy. Now we
have even stronger pain medication, for the next episode. I have to say all
the hospitals we have visited in the US you really cannot fault, they have
been super.
With Gray still struggling we decided to do some short hops down, until he
was better. We had arranged to meet up with some friends we met up in
Cranberry Islands: Amy Steven and Miles, whose home is in Newburyport. What
a lovely place, Amy cooked up a storm for us and we met up with her neice,
Sam
and friend Scott. A lovely evening, but I'm afraid we need to work on
Lucas'
house training. Gray managed his first beer in many weeks.
On Steven's suggestion we trained up to Boston instead of taking the boat
around, what a fab idea. We had a great day, Lucas of course loved the
train ride, and was even offered to go and sit up with the train driver.
Boston
is a lovely city, lots of atmosphere, friendly people, lots of history. We
did the Freedom Trail around the city, which is not one of the England's
proudest moments, the beginnings of the American Revolution. We ended the
walk
at the USS Constitution, then of course we had to try out the local Italian
food, which went down a treat.
The following day Amy, Steven, Miles, Andy, Scott, and John and Andrea and
their children
joined us for cocktail hour, had great fun with everyone, I drank far too
much wine. John is related to the Touzels in Jersey - small
world. Henry, one of Andrea and John's children, is Lucas age, also a
little
blondy had good fun in the park the previous day, so it was nice for Lucas
to have someone his age to play with.
The following day we had to leave. Off to Gloucester with Scott along for
the
ride down, then he was going to train back. Not a lot of wind for sailing
but it was nice to have some company on the short trip. Gloucester is
famous
for lots of things but the one most people know is that it is where the film
"Perfect
Storm" was set.
The pictures are mainly of Boston, Fort popham and surrounding area. I found
out
what Father Christmas does the other 364 days of the year - he works for the
Great lakes and dredge company!
