Day 7 2009 DUMC Summer Youth Tour
The day began with breakfast in our host homes, then the usual reassembly with suitcases at the church parking lot - this time Bath UMC. All were excited about our upcoming event of whale watching. Prepped with Dramamine, we boarded our boat at Fisherman’s Wharf, in Boothbay Harbor, Maine with great anticipation. It was a rather cloudy day, but we were optimistic the fog would lift any moment. As luck would have it, our view leaving the harbor was shades of gray as we tried to imagine the lovely scene our tour guide described of the coastline. Still, there was something adventurous about heading out to sea, and for the first hour we enjoyed the photo opportunities and the fresh ocean spray on our faces. Yes, that first hour was lovely. Then it began. With each passing moment we began to realize that Dramamine indeed has its limits. When all was said and done approximately 75% of us had succumbed to the mighty power of God’s great ocean. The tour guide cheerily described the birds and their antics on the water, and the various species of seal and porpoises gracing us with their presence as we tried mightily to rally ourselves. The highlight was the dolphin show, presented by Mother Nature without the need for animal trainers. We visited several of the favorite whale feeding grounds and squinted through the fog in hopes of catching a glimpse, but alas it was but a mass of gray and we could not distinguish water from sky. We turned and headed 13 miles back to shore - some lingering near the rest rooms, some slumped at the tables, some . . . Well sort of hanging over the rails of the boat. We arrived at Boothbay’s version of the Inner Harbor with our expectation of a grand adventure fully realized! As Harry Cole used to say, if you want to make God laugh, just tell him your plans! We were very grateful to be on solid ground and we strolled through the picturesque town of Boothbay Harbor, some having a bite of lunch and others sipping Ginger Ale. We re-boarded our busses and quickly gave in to the after-effects of the Dramamine, snoozing most of the way to Londonderry, NH. There the most wonderful thing occurred. We were greeted by blue skies and sunshine! The first time we’ve seen the sun since departing Damascus. Doug and Beth Taylor lived in Londonderry for many years, and their home church of Londonderry UMC prepared us a fabulous Mexican feast in their dining hall decorated for a fiesta! What a lovely and warm welcome. Our concert was held across the street at Londonderry Presbyterian, which was packed with an enthusiastic audience. In the host pastor’s remarks at intermission, he told the audience of our whale watching experience, saying the choir’s swaying during “Order My Steps” had taken on a whole new meaning! Despite the slight trials and tribulations, we remain spirited and excited for these final days of a tour we will never forget! We capped off the evening with a special celebration of Rachel Wilson’s 17th birthday with a cake reception following the concert.
