Randy Randall at Marston’s Marina in Saco sent us this dispatch from the most recent storm:
This was the highest tide I have ever seen on the Saco River estuary. When the water overflowed into our parking lot we were just helpless. Nothing we could do but watch.
We had over a foot of water in the office. What a mess. All the main docks stored there on the ground floated. Matt and Jeremy had tied the docks together back in the fall, but still some of them tried to drift toward the river. Our fear was that they might topple over the seawall when the tide receded.
Matt and I scrambled to run some long lines out to the outermost docks and secured them back to dry land. With all the docks afloat, we had nothing to stand on and pull. So our only chance was to have ropes long enough to reach all the way across the parking lot to some moorings and the telephone pole.
We worked like beavers pulling ropes and tying different lengths together. We were successful. When the tide went out the docks stayed within the confines of the parking lot. Whew! All the docks got shuffled about and like bumper cars knocked into each other. We’ll have to sort it all out in the spring.
But still we were fortunate. We didn’t loose anything. Nor did we suffer damage like so many other boatyards, marinas and small harbors. Although this was the first time I ever felt we should tie ropes to the building just in case it tried to lift off the foundation.
If you’ve seen the pictures you’ll know many coastal towns and businesses were devastated. Now we’re getting damage reports from the islands. When Matt and I were skipping across the docks pulling ropes, some of our neighbors came by and gave us a hand. Nice of them to help us.
We’re already talking about how we will store the docks differently next fall.
