Above you see the WoodenBoat School pier as it appeared in Great Cove earlier this month. It’s a landmark on this part of the Down East coast. However, as with virtually all piers of this type, it’s incomplete until it’s docking float and aluminum gangway are reinstalled. They’re taken off for the winter. The gangway is stored atop the pier (look closely at the end of the pier), while the float is stored ashore in the WBS boat launching ramp.
On Wednesday (May14), this odd-looking creature appeared in the Cove:
It’s All Hutchins’ no-name workboat. Some call it the A.H. Marine Company float boat and others call it less flattering names. True, it’s not a graceful, gleaming vessel, but it is one of the most functional pieces of marine equipment you’ll find. No-name and her crew have a reputation for being among the best — if not the best — at removing and reinstalling floating docks. That’s an essential task here on the coast. Here they are Wednesday, starting to pull the large WBS docking float down the ramp and into the Cove:
Unfortunately, one of the floatation tubs under the docking float was damaged and Al and his crew had to fix it and postpone installing the float until yesterday (Thursday, May 15). Here you see them resuming dragging the float from its storage place and pushing it over to the pier yesterday:
The float has to be attached to the mooring chains that are bolted to the end granite pier pylon. Access to the chain hookups is through four wells on the float. The gangway is lifted off the pier and attached as a walkway down to the float. Then the float is cleaned with a broom and seawater:
Later in the day, as fog starts rolling in through the sun, The WBS pier is ready, willing, and able to serve students and the visiting public:
(Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 8 [1st image], 14, and 15, 2025)