Maine Adventure Sails Blog

Maine Coast Maritime Heritage - 1977

This 2008 work week we had a surprise visitor from the past.  Not our past, but the Riggin's past.  Dave, a man who helped rebuild the Riggin in the mid-seventies, came to do similar work thirty years later.  He crewed on the Riggin for Dave and Sue Allen, previous owners in the Maine windjammer fleet, their first summer.  Everyone in the pictures has more hair and fewer wrinkles, but the smiles are the same. 

Her first sail after the 1970's rebuild.  Photo credit Dave Pearson.

Several more pictures are posted in the Riggin Launched as Maine Windjammer photo album.

Annie
Thank you for these treasures, Dave!

Riggin Work Week - 2008

Each year we host an annual work week.  This was our fourth, sponsored by the Portland Time Bank and Association for Maritime Preservation.  We had a record number, 240 volunteer hours!  Thank you so much to all of you who came from Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maine to help.  We worked hard, laughed a ton, enjoyed the sun shining on our pasty, winter- white faces and ate really, really well.  Now our crew is all saying, "Hey, Annie, what happened to the big lunches you got us used to?"

There are a few reasons we organize work week, not the least of which is we can use every set of hands available to help get these vessels ready for our summers.  Every year there are more actions on the to do list than there is time to complete them.  Just like every "to do" list, ours on the schooners is, well, very very long.  About two weeks before our first sail date, things that haven't gotten done this year, move to next years list. 

In addition, we have passengers who are interested in what goes on behind the scenes.  They want to see what happens before the last shiny coat of varnish is smoothed on, the final piece brass is polished to a golden hue, the unruly lines are flemished and tidy.  While, when we are sailing and here on the blog, we do talk about all of the interesting pieces of wooden boat maintenance, we don't talk much about the sheer volume of work, and by work I mean sanding and painting, that has to happen in a really short period of time.  One passenger who has sailed with us 35 times, but who had never been to work week, was impressed with the sheer volume of details and work that is involved with maintaining these Maine windjammers.

These two pictures are of volunteer Tom learning about how to caulk the peapod from Capt. Jon.  Photo credit:  Elizabeth Poisson.

Annie
Just wait, those lunches will be back in a few weeks

Affordable Travel - Rockland, Maine

Rockland, Maine has been judged one of the top ten budget destinations in the world!  If you are thinking that a vacation might not be in the cards for you this summer, take note that there are still affordable vacations out there for budget travelers.  And who isn't a budget traveler these days? 

At a time when fuel, food, and even the price of postage are more expensive than ever, an affordable summer vacation may seem to be slipping out of reach. But there are still plenty of places, both in the U.S. and abroad, where travelers can enjoy beautiful beaches, outdoor adventures, wine tastings and spas, and unique cultural experiences--without breaking the bank. Pauline Frommer, series editor of Pauline Frommer's Travel Guides, has selected ten top budget destinations, from romantic getaway spots to family faves to exotic destinations for adventurous travelers.

It's worth noting that a windjammer vacation uses very little fuel and is therefore somewhat immune to the volatile cost increases that we've seen in other industries.  If you haven't taken an adventure with us yet, this just might be your year!

Annie
Only two more weeks until we are sailing

Red Pepper and Eggplant Potatoes

Recipe by Anne Mahle.

Click recipe title for printable version or At Home with Annie for an archived copy of the e-newsletter.

Red Pepper and Eggplant Potatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 potatoes or 6 cups, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red pepper or 1 1/2 cups, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 eggplant or 2 cups, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, or 1 tablespoon, minced
1-tablespoon salt
1/2-tablespoon fresh black pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil and then the potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring infrequently. Add the peppers, eggplant, garlic and salt and pepper and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about15-20 minutes more.

Serves 4-6

Two-for-one:Red Pepper, Eggplant and Potato Frittata   

If you’ve got leftovers of this dish, you already have yourself another quick meal. If you are serving lots of folks in your family, plan ahead and double the Red Pepper and Eggplant Potatoes recipe. Serve with a green salad and fresh French bread

1/2-tablespoon butter per person
3 eggs per person, scrambled
1/2 - 3/4-cup Red Pepper and Eggplant Potatoes per person
1/4-teaspoon salt per person
2 tablespoons goat cheese per person

Pre-heat oven to 350º. Heat a medium or large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Melt the butter and add the Red Pepper and Eggplant Potatoes. When heated through, add the eggs, salt and pepper and stir gently. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top and put in the oven for 5-15 minutes depending on how many folks you are serving. Slice into wedges and serve immediately.

Copyright 2006 Baggywrinkle Publishing

Replacing Decking

Our decks are 80 years old and you might need a little work if you were that old too.  We've got the wood to replace all of the decks, laying in wait for a big winter project.  Another big winter project I should say.  Meanwhile, we still have work that is necessary to maintain the decks we have now. 

The process goes something like this:  Reef out caulking that looks suspicious.  Fix the butts ends of the planks that shatter when you do this.  Replace bungs, which are round plugs that fit over the metal nails holding everything together.  Fix the decking that shatters when you do this.  Caulk with cotton first, then oakum.  Pitch the seams. 

Here's Julie a veteran crew member, pouring pitch.  The last part of the process.

There are a couple of pictures of Danny, who's worked for us for 6 years, more on than off, spinning oakum for the deck in the new photo album.  A process by which you take a fat "worm" of oakum and turn it into a skinny worm.  Many of our work week volunteers helped spin oakum one rainy morning.  They all came back to the house for lunch smelling of linseed oil and pine tar.  Ahhh, perfume to a sailor's nose.

Annie

Blogging - Just Barely a Clue

We are now on Facebook, My Space, Twitter and Linkedin.  We get Digged and Stumbled Upon.  We have message board, our own photo albums on Photo Bucket and Flikr and have an account with You Tube.  I've been blogging for a year now and while I have a much better understanding of what I'm doing, most days, I still barely have a clue.  My biggest accomplishment is that I now do know the difference between the message board vs. the blog and between Technorati vs. Google, something I couldn't grasp a year ago.   But, honestly, I'm still thinking in terms of picking up the phone rather than Skyping someone.  Yep, I'm old-fashioned and we run an old-fashioned business where we still like to have face to face and voice to voice conversations.  And yet, when it comes right down to it, blogging is fun and it keeps us in touch with people in a different way.  Thank you for being our audience for the past year.

Annie
A Maine Vacation the Old-Fashioned Way

Riggin Contest Update - Pismo Beach

"Where in the world is the Riggin?" contest.  You've got until October of 2008 to send us your pictures of you or your buddies in Riggin gear.    We want to see how far we can travel even if we aren't there ourselves! 

This is Sandra in Pismo Beach, California with her Riggin Captains Hat on.  Looking good, girl!  See you again this summer!

The contest will run October through October so you have four full seasons to travel with your Riggin gear. Send us a photo of you on vacation wearing the Riggin logo. Next November we will announce two winners, one for the furthest traveled and the second for the most unusual place. The winners will get to choose 5 items from the Riggin bakery. Yum!

Click here to view the original e-newletter on the contest.  While you are there go ahead and subcribe.

Annie
Dreaming of other shores

Grilled Lamb Chops w/Mint Dijon Sauce

A perfect spring menu...

Recipe by Anne Mahle.

Click recipe title for printable version or At Home with Annie for an archived copy of the e-newsletter.

Grilled Lamb Chops

8-12 1 1/2 inch thick loin lamb chops
1/4-cup olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons paprika

On a platter with a turned up edge, combine the olive oil, Dijon mustard and paprika. Rub the lamb chops with the mixture and let marinate for at least 1/2 hour. If you want to work ahead, they can marinate for up to 24 hours.

Heat the grill to medium high heat. Grill the lamb chops 4-5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes covered while you call everyone to the table and do any last minute details.

Serves 4-6

Mint Dijon Sauce

This is a tangy sauce that is great for the summer time – fast and no heat required. It’s also good with grilled shrimp.

1 clove garlic
1-cup fresh mint leaves, packed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/4-teaspoon fresh black pepper

Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Blend well and then drizzle the olive oil into the mixture.

Makes 3/4 cup

Copyright 2006 Baggywrinkle Publishing

Potato Skins with Artichokes and Fontina

Potato Skins with Artichokes and Fontina

Click here for printable version.

10 potato skin halves
10 marinated artichoke quarters
10 slices of fontina
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350º.  Pierce the skin of the potatoes with a fork and place on the middle rack bake for one hour or until the potatoes are tender in the middle and give a little when you squeeze them.  You can do this step ahead of time.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh on the inside.  Save for gnocchi or a soup.

Preheat oven to 300º. Stuff the potato skins with the artichoke quarters and fontina cheese. Grind the pepper on top and bake until the cheese starts to melt.

Serves 4 as an appetizer

Copyright 2007 At Home With Annie e-newsletter.  Click here for the full version of the e-newsletter.

Green Fair - Annie Demo's How to Use Herbs in Cooking

Plants Unlimited in Rockport, Maine, hosted it's first, now annual, Green Fair.  The Nature Conservancy rubbed shoulders with Paul Tukey, the founder of People, Places and Plants Magazine, along with at least 50 other presenters to all talk and present what they are doing that is green. 

There were two displays there, other than all of the green plants which was heaven, that just fascinated me.  The first were two owls, a Barred and a Barn Owl.  They were so beautiful and still that they almost didn't look real. 

The second was a woman who makes all sorts of clothes out of Salvation Army rejects.  Sweater sleeves became pant legs for kids pants, jeans with holes in the knees were cut off at the hip and turned into skirts with fabric taken from a dress and a myriad of fabrics became bags of all sorts and sizes.

My talk was on how to use herbs in cooking.  Chloe and I made fresh pasta, savory pie crusts and pestos.  Some of the recipes are in this week's column in the Portland Press Herald.

Annie
Playing with food and plants is fun