. . . watch it from the shore, that's what
Jeff Brown will be doing. Bruce (my new idol) got this idea yesterday, since he feared a quick descent to the bottom-o-the-cove if we just threw Jeff in the water and dragged him out to the mooring. He has to sit in the straps for a few days, for the electric pumps to do their work. He normally has three solar pumps but Bruce made that sort of waterfront-skeptical face that I am learning to recognize in these old maritime types, and I trusted his judgment. Was just abut to give up when he shows up at the house and outlines his plan: why not bring it down to the town dock, where there is going to be a celebration for
Emma C. Berry's big 150th-birthday weekend--and the 50th anniversary of the Historical Society, and the two old things could attend the party together.
So that's what we did.
Here's Emma all refurbished and coming down the Mystic river to Noank, ready to go through the bridge. Louisa Watrous took this great photo.
Louisa was also standing on the original railway where Emma was launched when she took this photo.
And from the sublime to the fairly-ingenious: here's Jeff getting towed down to the Town Dock:
and here's Bruce sliding Jeff into his temporary party spot (the sunbathers were mildly amused. You can see the
Argia going by in the background.)
Party time! Emma C. Berry is to the left. And the weather is perfect-- they're both ready for their close-ups.
I just hope Paul doesn't have a cow. We couldn't find him to ask if this was okay, but I've got oatmeal cookies ready, to soften the surprise. Paul was on the crew of the
Berry when she was sailed from New Jersey to the Seaport after she was donated in 1969. This is a very big day, and I'm so glad Jeffie gets to be part of it.
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