Ah we are finally home after two weeks for touring around New England. We had such a variety of activites and wonderful meetings with friends, which I promise will be shared right here. 

Our last weekend in the North proved to be so sunny and warm, 82 degrees warm. There was really only one thing that could be done while in the lovely town of Portland Maine, and that was to board a schooner and let her sail.

"O", like my father, well and most of the men in my family, love sailing and making tall ships. Over the course of our journeys we boarded many of them but today we set sail on beautiful Casco Bay on a schooner called the Windameen.

Once we left the pier it was time to raise the sails and catch the wind.

Quickly "O" got up to help Tommy hoist the sail. Hand over hand with hard pull down. 

With such team work the sails were quickly up and we were sailing wonderfully with a warm sea breeze moving us along.

And now it was time just kick back and enjoy the ride.

For a moment I shut my eyes to take in the smell of the water and the breeze on my face. When I opened my eyes the boy was gone. How do you lose a boy on a boat? When I looked to my right, the boy was now piloting the boat with Capt. Kirk standing right beside him. Yes, his real name is captain Kirk. His parents didn't know he would grow up to be a sea captain when they named him Kirk but its worked out in the end hasn't it? 

Captain O

With the shadows getting long and the breeze quieting down, it was time to fold the sails as we headed back in to dock the ship.

If ever you find yourself in Portland Maine with beautiful weather, please consider taking a schooner trip out on Casco Bay. Windjammer Sails with the Portland Schooner Co. were just fantastic. The staff and crew were incredibly kind. Portland Schooner Co. offers a varitey of sailing opportunities including two hour sails, private charters, and overnights. I also found them to be very reasonably priced. Pack a lunch or dinner and head on out to the bay.