Island Update Ending July 25, 2004

We started the week off with another cool damp day. I went to run over to the 5th this morning and the golf cart had a super flat tire. Fortunately a wheel from the old golf cart fit fine so we were back in business in no time. Problem was a rotted valve stem. Lobster for supper - still soooo good.

Tuesday we caught the 0815 ferry to take Pam et al to the airport, did some grocery shopping and caught the 1215 back to Peaks. Cindy, Maggie, Joe, Elizabeth and Lucky arrived on the 1515 ferry. We celebrated their arrival with a thunderstorm.

Wednesday - Maggie and Joe practiced with the golf cart, really not very difficult, plus they gave me a hand fixing a few things at the 5th. We had dinner on the porch although some claimed it was a bit chilly, Mom & Cindy. We awoke to fog this morning, then it cleared up and in the evening the fog was back. This morning one of the TV weather people was saying how beautiful it was in Portland and we couldn't even see the piers out in front.

On Thursday it finally happened, Mom, Dad & Cindy walked around the Island. At our pace it took 1-1/2 hours. Another foggy day, clearing up in the afternoon over the island, but we still couldn't see Portland. Maggie & Joe went to town and saw a movie. They had hoped to go out on the lobster boat in Portland that takes tours, but it was full. I cleared some of the brush at the end of the parking lot just to sort of neatify things up. Supper tonight was lobster - still good. Friday turned out to be a nondescript foggy day again.

Saturday it rained like crazy early in the morning, but as the day progressed the cold front managed to go by and the long lost sun finally came out. We went to the Seadogs game which they lost - not unusual, and just about froze. It was an 1800 game so we caught the 2115 boat, but left before the game ended. The ride back was cold, but it was a very pretty night out for a change.

On Sunday, after trying more or less for a week, Maggie and Joe finally got to see a sunrise on the other side of the island, sunrise being about 0520. They took the golf cart and allowed it was really cold. Then it was off to Mass, 0815 as usual. Father Fred drafted Joe and Maggie to take up the gifts and Joe to do both collections. Our usual Sunday breakfast followed and then Maggie, Joe and Elizabeth got kayaks and headed for Fort Gorges. This was something else they have been trying to do all week. They came back pretty worn out. It was cold enough this morning that I turned on the heat to take the chill off. How is that for 25 July?

The following is a bit of information taken from Saturday's Press Herald.

July is traditionally Maine's foggiest month, but this year cold Atlantic waters have been slow to warm to normal doubling the average number of dense fog days for July in Portland. The NWS recorded 18 fog days in the first three weeks of the month. Ten of those days featured dense fog, with visibility limited to less than a quarter of a mile. July's average is five days of dense fog. The Casco Bay Lines reported that business is down 16,000 riders from last year because of the foggy and generally overcast summer.