Thank you to our Veterans for their service to our country. Thank you for helping to bring freedom and peace to those who do not understand the joy of it. Thank you for your sacrifice so that we may live in this beautiful place we call America. You deserve more than one day of recognition, you deserve thanks everyday.

Much is happening around the Richard & Arnold.


This past week was a doozie, but thanks to Mike Winkler is turned out to be exciting and without difficulty. The old wheelhouse came off the boat. What a state it was in! I understand it was built by Alfred Silva when he owned the boat back in the 1950's.  He's the same man who did the beautiful model fishing boats that were on display at the Pilgrim Monument Museum last year. Then the Detroit 871 came out and went for a truck ride to Springfield. On the way to the mechanics we went through a snow storm in Middleboro / Taunton area, what a surprise, I was expecting sun after we crossed the bridge. The new wheelhouse is on the boat, again our thanks go to Mike Winkler. Dave is now working on the fuel tanks. We will most likely need to replace them while the engine is out, but here is another issue we didn't put into the budget. I will keep the faith and help where I can, but it looks like this job falls squarely on Dave's shoulders. The engine will be out of the boat for a few weeks, then the real work begins. Pumps, wires, exhaust, electric, and all the other things that are attached to the engine. To me its a real puzzle, but with a bit of inspiration, faith and money, it will be done.








What follows is a summery or synopsis of the book I have been working on. Let me know what you think. The manuscript, 57000 words, is looking for a publisher, or I'll do it myself, whichever comes first. Thanks to all my friends for their support and kind words for my first book, Nautical Twilight. Of coarse there is fishing in this one as well, but that is not the main theme. The Fishermen's Ball is  mystery and murder, fiction and history and I hope you will enjoy it.


The Fishermen's Ball. 

Judith J. Dutra        Fiction / Mystery

Alonzo Rodrequis jumps ship in Provincetown Harbor and swims for his life. He is rescued and taken in by the Diogo family who live behind the family's ship chandlery. The stranger is given a job on a fishing boat, Fanny Parnell, owned by Davy Souza. Meanwhile the Provincetown Fishermen's Association wants to raise money for the victims of the hurricane of September 21, 1938 by holding a big dance. Manny Diogo volunteers for the advertising committee, attending meetings a with town leaders, businessmen and fishermen. A few weeks pass and Davy learns that Alonzo has been seeing his childhood friend and love interest, Mary Diogo. They have words and Davy tells Alonzo to find a job on another fishing boat. When Alonzo is found dead, Provincetown Police Chief James Crowley find himself on his first murder investigation. Davy is a prime suspect. And then a gold coin, a gift from Alonzo to Mary Diogo is discovered. Unfortunately, Mary does not tell the complete truth about Alonzo or the coin and puts herself in grave danger. There is a second coin and when Jimmy-the-fish-buyer is found dead in his office Chief Crowley reaches out to the state police for help.
The murderer is hiding in plane sight, insulated in the community, a committee member for the fishermen's ball. He has plans for himself and will stop at nothing, for he is a smuggler, a traitor and a murderer. During the night of the ball, Mary, a loose end, is whisked away to a waiting boat. A race to save her ensues. Davy sees what is happening to Mary and chases after the car heading for Railroad Wharf. Chief Crowley has been watching Davy and orders his patrolman to get the car and head up the wharf after him The chief heads in the opposite direction to where a group of well armed men have been waiting to catch smugglers in the act of  an offshore rendezvous. Davy is shot while trying to take over the trawler. Mary saves him from being thrown overboard by striking the murder on the back with a boat hook. The man is pitched into the sea with the role of the vessel just as the U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Morrill appears and everyone witnesses the man lose his balance, hit the rail and disappear into the water. Davy is taken away on the cutter while onboard the confiscated vessel we learn that securing our shores and the murder of Alonzo are connected through subterfuge, German immigrants, and Prussian gold treasure.