Hop-O-Nose (mast up)

We were suprised by the lack of effective internet connectivity in many of the marinas we stayed at along the way.  We are finally in Maine and can start to post some of our experiences starting with Catskill NY, the location of the Hop-O-Nose marina where most of the sailing cruisers have their mast put up after leaving the Champlain Canal.  The following are images from the mast stepping, followed by our trip down the Hudson and our arrival in Manhattan.

This is Sean running the oldest mast stepping crane in the northeast.  Reputed to have been built in the 1890s for work on maintaining the Champlain Canal.  Sean played it like a Steinway grand.  It is driven by the tiny electric motor in the grey box just below his right arm.

Up she goes...

Highly trained and paid, technically sophisticated, experts calmly (well one of them doesn't look so calm) letting  our 1500 # mast  down on to the keel stepping plate.  The brains of the operation is in the background with a pink shirt.  John Hammond was good enough to help the uninitiated put their boat back together!

The brains (white shirt tan pants) and the brawn (blue shirt and shorts) settle the forestay in  place.

The captain connecting the complex electrical circuitry flowing out of the  base of the mass like Medusa's coif.

Barbara raised on the Bosun's chair for some fine tuning .

Barbara putting up the signal flag for drinks all around celebrating the successful mast step  after making some highly technical adjustments to the man-overboard gear on the backstay.

The girls enjoying a well earned respite after a busy day.

The boys (Russ Tracy-who actually knows something about transiting the canal, John Hammond-who actually knows something about sailboats and  Ted-limited in both domains) enjoying the end of the day,,,

Two lovely couples after a long days work,  However, I was surprised to learn that  my wife was a  Romney fan when she broke out her new T-shirt

Aloha Nui! to our closest of friends and partners in messing about with boats, than which there is nothing better...