Still at Safe Harbor Marina

The work continued today, but Shalako and I took a break in the afternoon to go to the nearby town of Brunswick by taxi. (Other than the Iris cafe, there is nothing around here.) After breakfast, I unflaked the storm jib on the dock and washed it with OxiClean in water, on my knees using a brush. Peter and Shalako had knocked off some of the corrosion on the shackles before, but I found more and used a brush and a paring knife to clean them up more. Parts of some of the grommets fell apart as I worked on them, but at least the shackles swivel more easily now. 

The storm jib on the dock

It was swimsuit weather! The heat wave is real! I put one of mine on to hose down the storm jib. Everytime I use a hose, no matter what the task is, I get wet. Of course, it felt good to get wet today.

Meanwhile, Shalako and Peter pulled the storm mainsail out of the forepeak. After spending about 45 minutes getting the bag zipper open, they ran it up the mast. Other than stains, the two storm sails are in good shape and we know where they are and how to hoist them should the need arise. (This is the first time we have looked at and practiced with them.)

While Peter was in the forepeak, he found other things--like forgotten treasure--not seen or used by us before, including a cushion with hanging storage pouches for the dinghy seat and an insulated soft-sided storage container that fits in the bow. Now, if we could only find the oar locks! 

New (to us) kit in the dinghy

After I was done with cleaning and rinsing the sail, I took the hose to the stern of the boat and cleaned off the transom, which had black stains and rust flecks from my polishing the other day. I also took the opportunity to shower. I love showering on the swim platform, and it was hot enough today that it didn't matter that there was only cold water.

I called Brunswick Taxi, and Shalako and I got ready to go to the Farmer's Market and explore the town, leaving Peter behind to work on electronics and other tasks. By the time we got to the outdoor market area at the grassy, tree-canopied Maine Street Mall, most of the vendors had packed up or were in the process of doing so. We bought some overpriced strawberries from one that was still open, tasted honey at another booth, and bought pastries at another, sitting on a park bench to enjoy them.

Brunswick's Farmers Market

Then we walked to the visitor's center at the train station. We spent some time talking to the person working there, learning about the town and also her family, and acquiring some maps. Shalako, who is going to a big wedding in Minneapolis on Saturday, asked her about a place to get a haircut, and she provided us with options. 

Off we set for the main part of town, stopping along Park Row to visit the historical society's museum. Although it was supposed to be open until 4 p.m., there was a sign on the door saying it had closed early due to the heat. The old brick building, like most buildings here, does not have air conditioning, so we understood. The temperature reading was 93 degrees!

The Pumpkin House on Park Row

Another large house on Park Row

So we continued on down Maine Street and found one of the hair cutting salons the woman had mentioned. The price was reasonable, and a stylist would be available 30 minutes later, so we said we would return and continued our ramble. We reached the Androscoggin River and headed west to find the pedestrian swinging bridge between Brunswick and Topsham, the town across the river. The suspension bridge was built in 1892 to provide employees of the Cabot Manufacturing Company living in Topsham easy and safe passage across the river. It was engineered by John A, Roebling Sons Company, the firm that designed the Brooklyn Bridge and other famous bridges. 

The Cabot Manufacturing Company's huge five-story red bridge building, constructed in 1809, still rises up from the river's edge, although it is now used for other purposes. The Cabot Mill, as it was called, had 235 looms and 9000 spindles in 1857. The company employed 175 people and turned out 50,000 yards of cotton per week. The premises were sold to another manufacturer in 1942, and it ceased being a factory in 1955.

The Androscoggin River with Cabot Mill on the right bank

We came to and crossed the bridge, which is technically not a swinging bridge but a "bouncing bridge." It suffered major damage to the superstructure during a March 1936 flood, when ice and logs slammed into it. However both the steel towers and the suspension cables survived. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) replaced the damaged span and filled in the towers with concrete in 1938.

Brunswick's pedestrian bridge

Then Shalako and I got haircuts, went to the supermarket to get lunch and a few provisions, and called a taxi to bring us back to the marina. We found Peter still working on electronics. There are still so many mysteries about the wiring. Shalako lubricated the storm jib shackles and he and I flaked it and put it in its bag. After that, the admiral (me!) called a meeting to go over what we need to do before we leave at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning for Portland. I have been at the laundry room washing and drying used rags and composing this blog post. Shalako was going to fill the water tanks. The two men were going to put the storm jib in the forepeak and tidy things up down there before getting the dinghy back on deck.

The electrical panel open again; Peter and Shalako at our meeting

I am sitting outside now at 8 p.m. enjoying the coolness of the evening. It's time to make dinner, and maybe we will play a game again this evening.