I bet that most people who have not been here would be puzzled by the object in this image:
Despite its bright colors, it’s actually a poignant sight for some of us. It’s also an imaginative “misuse” of a piece of equipment.
The piece of equipment is a red kayak trailer with colorful plastic foam wrapped around its racks to protect the kayaks. Here it is in proper use last year:
Leighton Archive Image
But, instead of the usual cargo of six or eight kayaks, there are sailboat masts, booms, and other removable boat parts being loaded onto the trailer for later transportation to storage. That’s where the sadness comes in.
The WoodenBoat School is winding down this year’s classes and gradually bringing in its small boats. They get washed and stripped down, and soon will be tucked under cover for the winter.:
It’s all part of the pathos of letting go of summer here. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on September 19, 2023, unless indicated otherwise.)