As I descended the gangway in the direction of Ladona, I was greeted by the whistling chirp of the osprey that made its home on the wharf. On the surface of the murky water, a rippled pattern formed in the reflection of the ship's hull, which was spotless and cream colored. The sun's rays from the late afternoon poured golden pools onto the deck. Everything shone brightly, from the polished cast-brass wheel to the long mahogany deck table, the massive Douglas fir bowsprit, and the gilded letters engraved on the bow of the ship. I had seen photographs of the ship when it was in its most decrepit state during the process of its restoration. It was nothing short of a miracle how things turned out.
phrazle