The longest night of the year…
December 21, 2021 – Lunenburg Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada.
A sharp west wind slashes across the harbour. With little fetch the white caps are small and charming. And very close together. At sea the story will differ. The longest night of the winter is here. The long night seems to linger night after night. Soon the sun will be gaining back its hours.
The ship, our Barque Picton Castle, remains securely moored at our wharf in the old seafaring town of Lunenburg. A keen Bosun School gang has come and gone. Young hard-working ambitious mariners make the docks and waterfront come alive when they are here learning the crafts of seafaring. Yards crossed once again, pine decks caulked and oiled, stays and shrouds newly tarred not long ago. Boats hauled up on the dock or over at the Dory Shop nearby after a summer on the harbour. A few boats still at their moorings. We have had a couple snowfalls. A blanket of snow makes a quiet town quieter still.
Our old house is buttoned up tight. Firewood stacked high. Both fireplace and cast-iron woodstove have delightful fires glowing within and chuckling keeping us warm and invoking cheer. A Jul tree is up and decorated, actually two of them are. The lad of the house wanted an extra one, another little one upstairs too, and so we have two trees. A heap of feastly provisions stays cool, cold, in an outer room awaiting their conjuring into a Yul-tide board on the day to come. Squashes, apples, potatoes, Brussel sprouts and indeed, a bird. Plans for seeing family and friends hereabouts have been put off for awhile for reasons known to all. But we are warm. And content being together.
This ship wants to get back to sea. She wants to follow the tradewinds across deep blue-water again. She needs to put her big iron hook down in balmy coral ringed coves in the lee of palm studded islands. She cries out for a gang of sunbaked laughter and curiosity slapping their bare feet across her decks again.
Here is wishing you a Happy Christmas! We trust you are well – and as cozy as are we.
