Getting to grips with the “Ruth”

Getting to grips with the “Ruth” …   Thursday 11 June 2015

We awoke this morning to the not-so-gentle rocking of the boat. It seems like wind and waves from the south had picked up overnight and there was a reasonable swell in Sebasco Harbor. After a leisurely breakfast we headed in to the dock, ready to take out a trip on Sebasco Harbor’s wooden boat, the “Ruth”. When we got to shore we met up with Phil Ludee who has captained the Ruth for 20 years. Phil was a great help to us last year when we arrived up at Sebasco , but particularly after Gloria had her accident. It was great to see him again. Over the past few years Phil has worked on a tugboat down in Philadelphia, spending two weeks down there and two weeks up in Sebasco running tours. During the weeks he was away his friend and colleague Martin, who worked a similar but opposite schedule would run the trips. This year Phil’s role on the tug will change and his schedule we become more varied and so he is happy to pass on the responsibility for Captaining the Ruth to someone else. I gather Martin is also keen let someone else take over and so I am going to be running the majority of trips this season.

Today was a great learning experience. We took out four customers on the 90 minute scenic cruise. I got to do all the driving and Phil, along with Jack (who will act as one of the tour guides this year) provided commentary for the customers. Despite a size-able swell outside the harbor, the trip went well and we got good views of a seals, a bald eagle and osprey. After the trip was complete I did a number of docking maneuvers under Phil’s guidance to help build experience.  The next scheduled trips are Saturday and Sunday morning and from that point it will just be myself as Captain and one of the tour guides. But I have to say that I am feeling more confident now having run the route twice.

We have cruises scheduled for Cotinga for next Saturday and after that the regular season begins. It would be great to get some business over the next week. It’s clear that the front office were not all aware that we are now open for business, but I think from here on they will start to promote our business. We have an advert going up in the Bath Tourist Center on Monday – so hopefully things will start to get busy.

Gloria and I were just commenting that it is good to be back living on the boat, but it does take some re-adjustment.  I think as we get into more of  a routine it will become easier.

I can’t finish without mentioning our dinner this evening -  steak, grilled on our propane barbecue, with boiled potatoes and carrots, washed down with a fine can of Old Chub Scotts Ale “A virtual planetoid”. Yummy.

Mike

The Ruth - built in 1935, she is one of the oldest tour boats in operation in the USA today.

The Ruth - 32 ft wooden boat - she used to carry 30+ passengers but regulations have subsequently limited it to 16 passengers plus crew