February 21st, 2009 by Sean
Walking along the river in Savannah yesterday morning I discovered this really interesting looking sailboat among the Mississippi style river boats . There was a sign on the side that read “OPEN, FREE” so I decided I better check it out. Turns out it was built in 1989 in Brazil as a private yacht, and motored to Savannah to be rigged. After it sat at the Palmer Johson yard, for years that probably encompassed the stay Rick and I had at the same marina in 2001 on the great loop aboard our boat The Belevedere, it was revived. Even after reading an article about the organization that finished and now sails this beautiful boat name “Peacemaker”, I’m not quite sure what they’re all about, but it was a privilege to have a look at it. There was even a woman throwing pottery in the galley as people toured through the cabin. She assured me that she has never tried it while underway. Savannah is one of my favorite southern cities and I always wish I had more time to spend there. As I write this, I am in Fort Lauderdale, staging for my next move. Rick and I are headed to the Caribbean for a week and I don’t imagine I’ll be spending much time behind the computer, so we’ll get back to you when we can.
February 20th, 2009 by Sean
I spent a few days this week in the D.C. area catching up with friends and surveying the scene. Arlington and Georgetown have a lot of character. James Pollock was a great guide and graciously gave me a place to stay at his apartment that more resembled an up north cabin with tons of touches of Fishtown decor. It was cool to be able to check out a lot of the local spots I’ve been hearing about from my east coast friends. I was even treated to dinner by Jeff Reineke, just back from a trip to Leelanau County.
February 15th, 2009 by Sean
I’m of the philosophy that any journey should begin and end in Fishtown. Seven years ago Rick and I departed on the Belvedere and did the great loop, a circumnavigation of the inland rivers and east coast of the United States. Coincidentally, my travels take me on a similar route in reverse direction. As I type this I’m sitting in a friends apartment in West Bloomfield, but hours ago I made sure that my starting point Leland. It won’t be long until the iceboats will have to be put away from their parking spaces along fudgie beach, the big banks of plowed snow in front of reynolds beach will be melted to a small mass of dirt, and Fishtown will be alive with people walking the docks. So that means it also won’t be long till I’m back in Leland refreshed and ready for another summer. Until then, you’ll be able to keep current on where the rest of us dissapear this time of year.
February 13th, 2009 by Sean
It was just warm enough, just calm enough, and just clear enough to light a fire on the beach. Today was one of those days where its so clear that the Manitous appear to be just off shore. As the sun set, the clouds cleared and the stars came out. For some reason I can always spot the little dipper before the big one. Orion is in a strange spot in the sky this time of year. Other than that all was quiet and there doesn’t appear to be one cottage light illuminated along the entire beach.
February 12th, 2009 by Sean
You never quite know who will just pop up out of thin air. Everyone comes back to Fishtown, but its not always real consistent. So it wasn’t completely out of the ordinary that I would get a random call that a friend is flying in for a February Fishtown vacation. It’s an even rarer occassion to catch old friends Berkeley and Jen out in Traverse, so it was a fine evening to catch up over dinner at building 50.
February 10th, 2009 by Sean
It may still be February, and the winter not nearly over, but we’re definately getting a reprieve from whats been a long and harsh winter so far. It was 55 on van’s beach and the landscape resembled something in the Carribean with rock formations being substituted with ice that has been transformed into blow-holes for the blue-green rollers churned up by gusty south winds.
I took a break and watched the waves and talked to Susie Lederle who along with her husband Nick are the only permanent residents of Fishtown. They’ve lived in their modest fish shanty in the heart of Fishtown’s south bank for over 20 years and always have the best stories.
In Fishtown one of the resident otters was dining on what appeared to be a duck, on an iceflow in the harbor, as construction workers continued in to the sunset on the harbor project, taking advantage of the unseasonable weather.
I caught the sunset on the best deck in Fishtown, with a cold New Castle, wearing a tee shirt, in February.
February 10th, 2009 by Sean
February 9th, 2009 by Sean
After spending most of the day on the computer, it was a good idea to get out and drive out into the county. Jacobson road takes you into the realm of another generation. Without any cherries to be shaken off of the trees it looks kind of like a frozen desert. Its real quiet, but then there’s the occassional farmhouse lighting the way. The Happy Hour was a good pit stop on the way to Fishtown.
February 8th, 2009 by Sean
Walking along the river in Savannah yesterday morning I discovered this really interesting looking sailboat among the Mississippi style river boats . There was a sign on the side that read “OPEN, FREE” so I decided I better check it out. Turns out it was built in 1989 in Brazil as a private yacht, and motored to Savannah to be rigged. After it sat at the Palmer Johson yard, for years that probably encompassed the stay Rick and I had at the same marina in 2001 on the great loop aboard our boat The Belevedere, it was revived. Even after reading an article about the organization that finished and now sails this beautiful boat name “Peacemaker”, I’m not quite sure what they’re all about, but it was a privilege to have a look at it. There was even a woman throwing pottery in the galley as people toured through the cabin. She assured me that she has never tried it while underway. Savannah is one of my favorite southern cities and I always wish I had more time to spend there. As I write this, I am in Fort Lauderdale, staging for my next move. Rick and I are headed to the Caribbean for a week and I don’t imagine I’ll be spending much time behind the computer, so we’ll get back to you when we can.
