What Matters for 2012

As the New Year's celebration approaches, I believe it is important to focus on supporting organizations that truly need our help.  By living on a boat, my family has been able to drastically lighten our footprint on the earth and enjoy Boston Harbor [which has improved an impressive amount].  Although this year I gave a donation to Fairy DogParents [http://fairydogparents.org/ ], which has nothing to do with Boston Harbor, another worthy organization is Save the Harbor / Save the Bay [http://savetheharbor.org/].  Save the Harbor / Save the Bay is "made up of thousands of citizens, as well as scientists, and civic, corporate, cultural and community leaders whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and the marine environment and share them with the public for everyone to enjoy".  As I approach the New Year,  it feels great to make a donation to an organization that looks out for the things I care about.  


On a separate note, the baby swan is molting...

Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat

The last couple days have been very windy and, therefore, the boat has been rocking a lot.  It's funny, since I've been living on a boat, I notice the weather much more.  On a boat you can guess that there is a storm coming hours before based on how choppy the water is and the "look" of the sky.

As we were rocking up, down and side-to-side, I kept on thinking of the song Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat from the musical Guys and Dolls.  Therefore, I thought I would share it!

Stormy weather rolling in...

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Our first Christmas Eve on a boat - definitely not where I though we would be a year ago!  We have a miniature tree with nautical themed ornaments!

For 10 days we were living in a hotel.  A couple of weeks ago a person at the marina realized that the hull of the boat was starting to corrode.  This is because there is electrolysis in the water [ "the decomposition of water into oxygen and hydrogen gas due to an electric current being passed through the water" ].  The boat had to be taken out of the water so that it could be fixed.  Luckily the hotel was right down the street from the marina - we had close to the same view of the harbor from the hotel as we do on the houseboat!  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Magnificent Moon

Haul out the Holly!

It has been quite the eventful week!  Ruby, our dog, fell into the harbor.  We were leaving the boat late at night and while she was jumping off of the boat  her back legs didn't make it onto the dock.  She went completely under for a couple of seconds and I truly thought she was not coming back up.  Luckily, between her strength and getting pulled up by the leash, she got out. As some of the live aboard's say, "She has been christened"!

Not a fan of falling into the water!  

On a completely separate note...
The USS Constitution and the USS Cassin Young are gearing up for the holidays!  Both look absolutely beautiful!

USS Cassin Young w/ lights 

USS Cassin Young

USS Constitution w/ a Christmas tree on it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  What a beautiful, sunny day!

Who doesn't love relaxing in the sun?

We had some special visitors!

Swans

Seal

Day at the Marina

Everyone's preparing for the cold months!  Many people are winterizing and shrink-wrapping their boats, which is quite a long process.

A typical day at the marina: 

Early in the morning a fishing boat passes by [with tons of seagulls swarming it!]

Taking a nap...

When a tanker enters the harbor you see at least one helicopter hovering above.  

The State Police were out in force while the Blue Angles were flying 2000 ft. over Boston Harbor on Thursday! 

Ruby loves watching all the "action" at the marina!

A massive tanker exits the harbor as the sun sets...

The Last Battle of the Cassin Young

Here is an interesting article about the history and fate of the Cassin Young currently docked next to the USS Constitution: The Last Battle of the Cassin Young.

Stormy Weather

It certainly is stormy weather!  

Pictures of a stormy day! 

Sunrise.  No rain...yet!

And the fog rolls in...

Fog + Rain! 

Ruby does not want to go outside...

Still not sure why the Boston Fire Department visited the marina! 

Not a fan of the rain...

Sunrise, Sunset

This morning I woke up at 6:30 - exactly the same time that the sun was rising!  A large tanker quietly passed by just as the sun was peaking through the buildings on the other side of the harbor.  Very peaceful for being such a large ship.  

Photos by Martin Gordon 

Halloween Visitors!

Happy Halloween!  Today the marina had some special visitors - swans!  There were two adult swans and one baby swan.  They swam to the dock and we gave them some bread.  Such beautiful birds!

First Snowfall

The first snowfall on the boat - definitely didn't expect it to happen at the end of October!  We didn't get very much snow, but there was a dusting when we woke up this morning.  It melted quickly because of the strong sunlight.   Here are a couple of pictures!

Action and Adventure!

The movie R.I.P.D. was shooting a chase scene the other day. In order to get all the shots they had to use two helicopters. These helicopters were SO close to us - it felt like we were under attack!

Helicopters in the distance

It is the time of the year when people (who don't live at the marina year round) pull their boats out of the water. As of today the slips on either side of us are empty - very spacious and beautiful views all around!

I'd Rather Be Sailing

It was quite windy yesterday!  There were so many sailboats in the harbor - probably the most I had ever seen in the harbor at once.  I immediately thought of this song when I was watching them glide through the water.     

"I'd Rather Be Sailing" from A New Brain by William Finn

The Ghost Fleet

A beautiful sunset always makes up for a stormy day!  It was so foggy yesterday that I couldn't even see the boats on the other side of the dock.  However, the marina had a visitor yesterday.  When I looked outside my window I saw a little nose sticking out of the water - it was a seal!  

Sunset with the USS Constitution in the background

I would also like to share an interesting article about abandoned tankers (some of which look just like the tankers that pass through Boston Harbor on a daily basis):

"The biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history lies at anchor east of Singapore. Never before photographed, it is bigger than the U.S. and British navies combined but has no crew, no cargo and no destination  -  and is why your Christmas stocking may be on the light side this year"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1212013/Revealed-The-ghost-fleet-recession-anchored-just-east-Singapore.html#ixzz1bMyUzL00

Here is a video about the Ghost Fleet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f63x8co2da8

Up Above

Oh my!  It has been a while since I last wrote a blog post - but, I'm back!  

I know I write a lot about the water [obviously!], however, tonight I find it fitting to write about the planes we see from the marina.  Tonight my dad is leaving for England to see his mother who is very ill and for the first time my mom and I can literally see him take off.  Very often we sit on the top deck of the boat and watch the planes jet out into the clear sky - a beautiful sight.  It is amazing to constantly see planes land and take off at such a close distance.  So tonight, at 10:55, my mom and I will watch for an American Airlines plane bound for London.

Also, here is a picture of the harbor when we took the Salem FastFerry on Columbus Day.  If you have a free day you should make an effort to take the Salem FastFerry - such a great way to see the beautiful harbor!  

A Stormy Weekend!

A very stormy weekend, indeed!  Tonight, however, the sky was beautiful!  The sun decided to make a short appearance!

On Friday the largest tanker that enters Boston Harbor decided to pay us a visit.  The GDF Suez Cape Ann tanker is responsible for delivering natural gas to Boston.  It is, therefore, quite dangerous!  Helicopters were flying over head and numerous police boats were surveying the harbor, not allowing people to exit the marina via boat.  It felt like we were in some action adventure movie!  

After seeing this tanker pass through the harbor, I strongly support wind turbines.  Some say that they are eye sores, which they may be, but wind is safe and more ecological!

Beth and the Beautiful Sky

I'm currently in a production of Little Women the Musical with the Wellesley Players.  Yesterday we went to the Orchard House, Louisa May Alcott's home, to perform a preview of the show.  It was absolutely amazing to see the house.  The Alcotts were way ahead of their time.  Louisa [Jo in the play] was so capable and confident.  May [Amy in the play] was an artistic genius - her drawings on the edges of her window are magical.  Anna [Meg in the play] was quite the "theatrical" - she met her husband in a play.  Then there is Beth, the character that I'm playing in the musical, who actually died before the Alcotts moved into the Orchard House.  One thing that I find fascinating is that we share the same birthday: June 24!  

In the musical, Beth's final scene is on the beach with Marmee and  Jo.  In this scene she is very close to death and makes an effort to convince her family to move on with their lives and not have her hold them back but simply remember her presence.  I believe she stays strong until the moment she is wheeled off the stage and takes one final look at the ocean and the sky.  She knows it is the final time she will see such a beautiful sight. 

This morning I woke up at 6am for school, right when the sun was about to rise, and when I looked outside, I was amazed.  For, the sky looked just like what I picture whenever I'm exiting of stage in my final scene. It's amazing how much emotion you can feel by looking at a beautiful, peaceful sky.  

Come see Wellesley Players' Little Women the Musical at the Arsenal Center for the Arts Black Box Watertown MA - running October 7 thru October 16th.  www.wellesleyplayers.org

A Little Bath Tub!

The last couple of days have been SO foggy.  Lights from the boats passing through the harbor create a magical glow at night!

Now the sun is coming out!

Today I saw two enormous tankers.  The first was The Green Cove - a car/truck carrier.  It was very tall!  The second was The SCF Yenisei - an oil products tanker.  It flies the flag of Liberia.  The SCF Yenisei makes the harbor look like a little bath tub!

SCF Yenisei entering Boston Harbor

SCF Yenisei

SCF Yenisei with plane taking off from Logan in the background 

The Green Cove - very foggy!