An excerpt from the very beginning of the yacht Mavourneen’s log by Lucy Morris Creevey, daughter of Helen Yale Ellsworth and William Webster Ellsworth. Lucy was married to George Creevey. Helen and WWE, like Julie and Morris, had known New York City well, but weren’t really ‘New York’ people (if that makes sense). George, however, was a New Yorker, despite his life-long love of the Adirondacks and camping. He worked in New York as a doctor, first as a surgeon and then in anesthesiology; his brothers, William and John, were also New Yorkers, involved in law and politics.
So it isn’t surprising that that most New York of activities interested him. Yachts. The Mavourneen was a motor yacht built in 1907, the family had it only till the outbreak of World War I when it has handed over to the coastal defense effort.
Lucy kept a detailed account of several of the trips they took along the east coast waterways and the St Lawrence/Champlain canal systems. George took excellent photographs as well.
“Thursday, Aug. 8 (1907)
Entire morning spent in puttering, until twelve o’clock, then Captain G. raised his flags and the M. was in commission! We had luncheon, said goodbye to all the Cramptons, and at eight minutes of three we broke out the anchor and off we went. The little Cramptons set off giant fire crackers and everybody waved and we were very happy at starting. She moved deliciously thro the water, the day was fine, and it seemed too good to be true that we were actually moving away from Morris Cove. Note: Do Not try to buy anything in the line of provisions at Cousin Eli’s grocery store, he hasn’t anything one wants and what one buys is sour.
We pulled in behind Duck Island Breakwater to lie there for the night. It was so warm that we thought we would get in for a swim. I came up in ballet costume to find the temperature lower by about forty degrees, a squall blowing and Captain G. busy finding another anchorage not quite so near the stern of a great black schooner that seemed to be dragging back upon us. We did get in a chiefly refreshing swim, then a sunset and dinner, soon to bed, and our first day was too joyous!
Saw porpoises. L.M.C.”

*the Cramptons were the family who built the boat down at Morris Cove, Ct.