# United States & Canada Vacations Forums > Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod Travel Forum >  >  The Morgan Sails Again

## T3

The Charles W Morgan, a 113 foot whaleship built in 1841 that has long been a docked attraction in Mystic, is completing sea trials off New London before making her up way up the New England coast - next stop is in Newport next week ...

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More information about the journey on the Mystic Seaport site

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## MIke R

yeah ...looking forward to seeing it....

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## NYCFred

Wow. Who scraped the bottom?

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## MIke R

*Restoring the Charles W. Morgan*  Charles W. Morgan in the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard after she was hauled out of the Mystic River in November, 2008." height="444" width="315">The_ Charles W. Morgan_ in the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard after she was hauled out of the Mystic River in November, 2008.

 The restoration of the_ Charles W. Morgan_ began on November  1, 2008 when she was hauled out of the water in the Henry B. duPont  Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport. The focus of this project was  to address her structure below the waterline, much of which dates to her  original construction in 1841. Records indicate her topsides have been  rebuilt four times, the first instance in the 1880s and the last in the  1980s. Exposure to fresh water from rain encourages rot, whereas salt  water acts as a preservative. Thus, the lower hull has not needed  comprehensive attention until now.
 Once hauled, the first months were taken up with documentation,  surveying, and adjusting the shape of the hull. Following that period,  the interior or ceiling planks in the hold were removed to expose the  frames to enable access for replacement and restoration. Each frame is  made up of a series of 5-foot-long sections called futtocks pegged and  spiked together. Once work on the frames was complete, the ceiling  planks were replaced, and then the exterior planking was addressed. In  addition, the ship’s bow and transom required substantial rebuilding.
 The wood used on the _Morgan_ was primarily live oak, white oak, longleaf pine, and black locust for fastening pegs (called trunnels).
 The restoration philosophy was to replace as little as possible. The  guiding standard was whether the part in question could have a service  life of 50 years. Those pieces needing replacement were  carefully removed, thoroughly documented, and stored for future study.  Mystic Seaport estimates 15-18 percent of the ship’s fabric now dates to  1841, including her keel, the floor timbers on the bottom of the  hull, and some of the lower planking.
 Throughout the restoration, Shipyard staff provided updates on the project’s progress. 


*Morgan Facts*The ship is 113-feet long27-feet wideDisplaces 300 tonsRigged as a bark280 frame futtocks were replaced70 new ceiling planks168 new hull planks22 states have contributed materials or expertise to the restorationShe was built in in just 9 months in 1841. The current restoration will run over five years when complete in 2014.

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## MIke R

and I hear she is going to be right next to my boat in the harbor so great pictures will be forthcoming

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## amyb

Looking forward to those photos, Mike.

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## JoshA

I happen to be in Boston at the moment. When will she visit?

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## Rosemary

Josh, I believe mid-July, after stops in New Bedford and Provincetown

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## MIke R

that is correct...she is in Vineyard Haven right now

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## Rosemary

Gannon and Benjamin Shipyard in Vineyard Haven built one of the whaleboats for the restoration.  Nat Benjamin's schooner, Charlotte, was one of the many boats to welcome the Morgan this afternoon.  We were lucky enough to spend a week in Colombier aboard Charlotte a few years ago, when we took Johnny Hoy and the Blue Fish sailing.  They were playing at Baz Bar that week.  Also the week I met Tim and his lovely wife in Gustavia.

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## JoshA

I guess I'll be gone when she arrives in Boston. What a beautiful job of restoration! There's always Old Ironsides, but I don't think she can sail right now.

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## Rosemary

I'm not sure if she sails, but...the Bermuda Race starts Friday!  Fun to see the start, and the Inn at Castle Hill is a great spot to watch it from.  An hour or so from Boston.

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## amyb

Great to be able to see these old ships in action.

What is a thrill  for me is seeing the full sail MALTESE FALCON come around a point or emerge from behind a hill-that takes my breath away every time.

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## cec1

I'm with you, Amy, re the Maltese Falcon.  It's like a beautiful ghost ship on the horizon!

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## NYCFred

What an amazing job of restoration. Lotta work.
Yes, pix please. U gonna try and get on board, Miker?

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## MIke R

She ll be  in Provincetown tomorrow .....no room in the inner harbor so she will be anchored right outside the harbor ..,,, pictures to follow

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## T3

... not quite enough water inside P'town's breakwater for the Morgan's draft ... good SW breeze expected for the trip tomorrow but light winds predicted for the Friday and Saturday trips to Stellwagen; on Sunday, the winds look more promising ...

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## MIke R

It's been wailing out of the SW for days.....20 to 30 as I write this from my mooring .....getting bounced around a bit even in the inner harbor 

we could handle her draft in here .... The problem is the Kalmar Nyckel  is also due in and the high speed ferries need a lot of space

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## T3

Morgan takes about 15' ... so even without negative tides Saturday and Sunday, it could be dicey at the Kalmar Nyckel's usual spot on MacMillan ...

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## MIke R

I think she d be fine .....I m only 100 feet from there and I m never in less than 15 feet .... But better safe than sorry I suppose...

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## JEK

MarineTraffic.com has her in the canal

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## MIke R

Yeah she's going through under tow

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## MIke R

Well she's  here  but it's low tide so I can't completely see over the breakwater ....high tide I ll be ten feet higher but if I have a fishing trip tonight I plan on a close drive by

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## MIke R

And now this sailing ship The Mystic Whaler has just pulled into the inner harbor 


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## amyb

:thumb up:

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## MIke R

And now the Kalmar Nyckel is here and will be my neighbor for the next ten days


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## MIke R

Its amazing what ten more feet of elevation will do ....there she is 

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## MIke R

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## MIke R

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## julianne

Your "neighborhood" is looking fine! What a thrill to be so close to these beautiful vessels. Thanks for the pictures.

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## Rosemary

Thank you.  Would love to see the Morgan under sail.  Fun fact-Charles Morgan came from our little town in CT, which has a trust, the Morgan Trust, which provides for every child in town to visit Mystic Seaport free of charge, among many other things. Our public high school is called the Morgan School.

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## amyb

The pictures are super and make me want to see  these ships in REAL TIME.

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## MIke R

Took these when I went by her On my way out to go fishing tonight 


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## MIke R

The crew of the Morgan got a super P Town sunset 


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## JoshA

Gorgeous ship!

All those lines are led back to the cockpit for singlehanded sailing, right?

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## MIke R

One would assume that

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## Peter NJ

very cool reminds me of the S/V Peking in the Seaport

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## Rosemary

Lovely-thank you

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## T3

> All those lines are led back to the cockpit for singlehanded sailing, right?




... but still need to install furling systems for those days it is hard to find to crew ...

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## amyb

Thanks for bringing us these really special views Mike.

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## MIke R

She s going by me where I m fishing right now under full sail with a tug accompanying her on her way to Stellwagen Marine Sanctuary but she s too far away for me to get a good picture

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## MIke R

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## MIke R

The Kalmar Nyckel at the dock at sunset

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## MIke R

Well she leaves in the morning..... I had a ticket for  tonight's gala send off party on board but it sounded a bit too high brow for me and I didn't have a pastel colored Izod shirt , khakis and Sperry topsiders to wear anyway  :cool: ......but it was great to see her up close

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## KevinS

> Well she leaves in the morning..... I had a ticket for  tonight's gala send off party on board but it sounded a bit too high brow for me and I didn't have a pastel colored Izod shirt , khakis and Sperry topsiders to wear anyway ......but it was great to see her up close



OK, now I know what to wear to dinner this week, but it will have to be Ralph Lauren - I don't do Izod!

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## MIke R

Watching the tenders going by me taking the people out to the boat last night for the gala ot looked like a scene out of Caddyshack LOL

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## Peter NJ

Now wait a second...Isnt this what you always ripped ACK and MVY for?? Muffy and Buffy and all that? Say it aint so!








> Well she leaves in the morning..... I had a ticket for  tonight's gala send off party on board but it sounded a bit too high brow for me and I didn't have a pastel colored Izod shirt , khakis and Sperry topsiders to wear anyway ......but it was great to see her up close

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## MIke R

Yes and I was being  sarcastic .....I don't OWN pastel Izod shirts or Sperry docksider shoes  or ascots ....:)

None of the fishing boat captains who got tickets went to the event

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## Peter NJ

No self respecting Dead Kennedy member would..  :Wink-slap:

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## MIke R

I really should have gotten the Ramones

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## KevinS

I'm sorry to say that I've discovered that I won't be able to wear a pastel Ralph Lauren polo to dinner this week.  I'm shocked to discover that I don't own a Ralph Lauren polo in a pastel color.  Instead, it shall be a pastel Brooks Brother's polo, which I do own, LOL!

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## MIke R

I ll alert the staff at Front  Street  :cool:

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## KevinS

In respect of your regular patronage there, and your continued willingness to invite us to dine with you, I will refrain from wearing my "Nantucket Red" shorts.

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## MIke R

Thank you .....

it it has been often said around here  that if cape communities were kids....Nantucket would be the yuppy wasp  kid....MV would be the hippy kid, and P Town would be the rebellious hellion kid 

it's bang on accurate and it's why I am where I am  :cool:

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## Peter NJ

I love all my Nantucket Reds...The older and saltier the better

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## Rosemary

They get all soft and faded...nothing fancy about them.  Just right.

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## Rosemary

> Thank you .....
> 
> it it has been often said around here  that if cape communities were kids....Nantucket would be the yuppy wasp  kid....MV would be the hippy kid, and P Town would be the rebellious hellion kid 
> 
> it's bang on accurate and it's why I am where I am



  Funny.

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## MIke R

Funny but true!

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## T3

Sailing alongside the Morgan in a good breeze on Sunday from off Wellfleet to P'town ...

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As of 7 Am, the Morgan is shipping up to Boston to be docked along with the Constitution.

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## amyb

T3-up close and great shots of this vessel. Thank you so much for sharing

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## MIke R

Very nice!......are you a summer  resident here or a full timer?

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## JoshA

Great photos of a stately vessel. Awesome that it's going to Boston where I'll be next week.

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## T3

> Very nice!......are you a summer  resident here or a full timer?



... freeloader during all seasons ...

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## MIke R

Gotcha .,..well stop by and say hello when you're around

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## T3

> Gotcha .,..well stop by and say hello when you're around



... Will do, thanks ...

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## JEK

> T3-up close and great shots of this vessel. Thank you so much for sharing




+1 :thumb up:

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## T3

Here are a few of the "other" boat visiting P'town, Mike's neighbor the Kalmar Nyckel on a light wind Chamber of Commerce day and a few days later in different conditions ...
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## MIke R

Wait a minute. ....we had a "light wind day"?????....when was that. ??? Did I somehow miss it? :EEK!:

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## T3

> Wait a minute. ....we had a "light wind day"?????....when was that. ??? Did I somehow miss it?



... Saturday 7/12 until 3PM ... then it picked up a bit, eh? :)... looks like from Thursday on, you will have much better days for fishing ... and nights for sleeping ...

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## amyb

I have an urge to rent and watch "Horatio Hornblower" starring Gregory Peck.

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## Rosemary

Or "Captains Courageous" starring Spenser Tracy.

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## JoshA

"Master and Commander" with Russell Crowe is my fave. I also like the A&E Hornblower series.

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## MIke R

> ... Saturday 7/12 until 3PM ... then it picked up a bit, eh? :)... looks like from Thursday on, you will have much better days for fishing ... and nights for sleeping ...



 The  unrelenting wind this summer has for sure been the most talked about topic on the wharf !!!....I sleep through anything so thats good ..... A lot of missed trips though and  that's not good...beach and Beachcomber lunch  and mini golf today will probably become just  Beachcomber lunch and a Movie - given the forecast

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## george

I was planning a trip on saturday Mike :p   ...didn't see you there, is this your boat? 

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## T3

> The  unrelenting wind this summer has for sure been the most talked about topic on the wharf !!!....I sleep through anything so thats good ..... A lot of missed trips though and  that's not good...beach and Beachcomber lunch  and mini golf today will probably become just  Beachcomber lunch and a Movie - given the forecast



... looks like it will be switching to a can't buy a breeze mode soon ... bad for sailing, good for fishing ... 





> I have an urge to rent and watch "Horatio Hornblower" starring Gregory Peck.



A few archival movies of the old whaling days:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWA4HDFASAo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_qebW9vLzI


... and a film of the Morgan from 1926
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwK5aEq-p1k

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## MIke R

[QUOTE=george;892836]I was planning a trip on saturday Mike :p   ...didn't see you there, is this your boat [QUOTE]

yep and those are my two mates Matt and Nico and that's my skiff with the solar powered electric motor right in front of it so I was definitely around somewhere

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## MIke R

There s a new kid in town 



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## Rosemary

Pretty.  I was wondering about that motor when I saw it in Lena's birthday picture.  How is the power?

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## MIke R

> Pretty.  I was wondering about that motor when I saw it in Lena's birthday picture.  How is the power?




Its good for a normal day going in and out ..... On a heavy wind day I would get a ride out with someone else but that happens very rarely .....very happy with it and very happy not having to lug gas cans to the dinghy too .....would not recommend it for people who have to go in and out a lot during the day .... It wouldn't hold up to that kind of demand .... For me  - once in and once back per day - its perfect

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## MIke R

We ve got a bunch of monster  yachts in this week ...love the fact that we only let two in 
to the inner harbor and the rest have to anchor outside 

and yet......they still come  :cool:

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## MIke R

My new neighbor is  just pulling in......
Wonder  if they ll invite me over for happy hour?????

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## MIke R

I just told them I have  Korbel, Coors lite, and bluefish pate I can bring 

I think I m in.......

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## JEK

Wear this --- s7-1130588_lifestyle.jpg

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## MIke R

Not in this life

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## MIke R

Oh sure.... They invite this guy over in his little dinky boat .....but not me.....yet

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## andynap

Maybe if you show a little leg?

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## MIke R

Nah ......not this boat .....when I'm sitting in my lounge chair later on with a snifter of MBolo rhum and a big fat Cuban, they will wish they were over here .......maybe

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## Peter NJ

does that say Usher on the window? do you hear rap music? LOL

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## MIke R

Yes I does and I thought about that exact same thing!

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## JEK

Charter boat. Previous name Mr. Terrible. Rents by the week.

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## Rosemary

Their loss.  Dining on frozen fish.  Sad.

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## T3

> My new neighbor is  just pulling in......
> Wonder  if they ll invite me over for happy hour?????



Your neighbors never need an invite to drop by ... why should you?

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## MIke R

I hate those  god damn cormorants ..... :nightmare:

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## MIke R

And someone still needs to explain to me how the floating oyster cages off Beach  Point which currently have multiple cormorants sitting on top of all the cages and pooping into the cages all day long  where the FILTER FEEDING oysters are living  isn't going to adversely effect the oysters .....

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## Rosemary

They seem prehistoric. And...disgusting.

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## MIke R

And they re breeding like rabbits and eating all our juvenile flounders......I keep offering to go out there and spread out some  smelts laced with  antifreeze but Wendi  says she won't post my bail

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## Rosemary

Cormorants seemed exotic and beautiful, when, as a child, I read The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell.  The heroine made a...cape?...of cormorant feathers.  Wonderful book.

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## T3

> They seem prehistoric. And...disgusting.



... In Paradise Lost (Book 4), Satan took the form of a cormorant ... overlooking the Garden from atop the Tree of Life, he caught his first sight of Adam and Eve ...






> And they are breeding like rabbits and eating all our juvenile flounders......I keep offering to go out there and spread out some smelts laced with antifreeze but Wendi says she won't post my bail



Alternatively you could start a cormorant fishing cruise on Cee Jay ...

Wild China:Fishing With The Birds from the BBC has good underwater video and suggests a way the fishing could compete with the Boatslip Tea Dance if done right ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNEplaYZtpI


"Cormorant fishing is a dying art. For thousands of years, fishermen have used trained cormorants to fish the rivers and lakes of China. The process is simple: The fisherman first ties a snare near the base of the bird's throat, which effectively prevents them from swallowing larger fish, although they can still swallow some smaller fish. When a cormorant catches a fish, the fisherman then brings the bird back to the boat and has it spit the fish up onto the bamboo deck." From The Atlantic 

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## amyb

Nice memory Rosemary.

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## MIke R

cormorants are such good  fishers the Japanese use them to
catch fish......they keep them on a leash and tie 
 their throats almost shut....bird dives and gets a
 fish and is then pulled in on the leash  and thefisherman  
reaches down its  throat and  pulls  the fish out

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