Lifting the Buoys

     On a bitterly cold and windy morning just before Christmas, with a thin layer of new ice forming over half of the harbor, the Coast Guard cutter Acacia appeared at the mouth of Paradise Bay to lift the channel-marking buoys, marking the end of this year's navigation season. For all ships except the Emerald Isle, that is; the new ferry will run until January 2nd (unless the weather turns bad), an unusually late quitting day, in order to provide the stores and builders with the supplies and materials required by our increased year-around activity.