June 12, 2017  I am reading / speaking tonight 7 PM at the Jacob Sears Library in East Dennis. I'm looking forward to the event. It is the second time I have read at this lovely library that is basically unchanged since 1896. Jacob Sears was a farmer who made the right kind of investments and built a considerable nest egg that he left to the town of Dennis for education of its citizens. Mr. Sears married Olive Kelly who's family had a fleet of fishing boats that operated out of Situate Harbor,the same harbor where Dave and I launched our first fishing boat 'the Wildflower' back in 1970. The library has been meticulously maintained and when you are there it is easy to imagine that you have stepped back in time. This will be my first reading without my number one fan. Dave came to all my readings and sat up front to give me encouragement and fill in when the questions about fishing began. I know he will be with me tonight because he is always with me. He is my muse. I talk to him, laugh when I remember the fun times, and allow his spirit to help me find my way. Maybe that sounds strange, but I feel close to him. So tonight I'll brag about what a great fisherman he was, what a wonderful husband and father, and tell a story or two about fishing.

On another note, Squid season is over. Boom, just like that.  The powers that be said no more small mesh in state waters and I don't begrudge it. The local fishermen will move onto fluke or lobster, or scallops, or some other specie that is open.  Fluke season began on the 10th of June, even though it was a non-fluke fishing day. You have to take Friday and Saturday off. So it really opened on the 11th this year. Our son Bob was called back to his tug to help out for a few days. He will jump back into fishing as soon as he gets back. A fresh fluke meal would feel great right about now.

I'm playing catch-up because I didn't get this post out there and now it's the next day. You missed my talk but that's ok. I would recommend a visit to The Jacob Sears Library whenever you get to Dennis. Reminds me of a New England church with books. The reading was fun for me. The first speaker was a woman who wrote a children's book, a surprising story for kids of all ages titled The Piano in the Marsh, A Cape Cod Mystery  Dorothy Hemmings-Bassett is the author and the lively lady who who also spoke and read at the gathering. It was good to see Elizabeth Moisen again. She is author, illustrator, and organizer of ABITH, acronym for A Book In The Hand. Thank you Elizabeth.

Coming up for me (author hat) is a reading at the Harbor Hotel, Provincetown, used to be the Holiday Inn for those here long enough to remember. It is part of the Provincetown Portuguese Festival. I am speaking at 2 PM on June 23 and even if you can't make it to the reading, I hope you will enjoy all the festivities leading to the Blessing of the Fleet on Sunday. There will be music, dancers, and food. There are parades. A festival to rival any.  I will be reading from my second in the Chief Crowley 1938 mysteries, Dead Low Tide. This book follows The Fishermen's Ball and I am already thinking about book three in the series.  June 22-25 is the 70th Blessing of the Fleet and our F/V Richard & Arnold built in Fairhaven, MA, fishing since 1934, will join the boats in the parade on Sunday.

I'm trying to find balance between my losses and my blessings and it is not easy. Some days the loss is overwhelming. Then it is hard to stop crying. But I think of my life, the many years of being next to a very special person. Captain Dave,  I'm so glad for the love we shared, the adventures, our family and friends, our boats, our days upon the water and that's when  I know how blessed I am.

The nut doesn't fall far from the tree

Our son Robert is squid fishing in Nantucket sound. Sound familiar? It's been a slow start and just like his dad he's already changed nets, had a new net built by Jerry Lavin, broke a tow wire, added more balls, and changed the sweep. This is how most squid fishing begins, always with hope in the fishermen's heart, always trying to get the net to fish just right, and always listening to  your fellow fishermen looking for words of wisdom. The squid business has always signaled the end of winter, the renewal of life in the ocean and the prospect of a good weeks pay. It's good to see that our son  loves fishing. I had thought that maybe the family tradition would die with Dave, but it looks like there are more boat nuts in the family. Squid fishing inside state waters will close in a few days then Robert will change nets, change harbors and change his mind set. He will be gearing up for Fluke, a completely different type of fishing even though you tow a net, nothing else is the same. Living gets a little easier, he'll be able to go home at night and there is always the hope for an early day. The State of MA only allows commercial fluke fishing for five days a week, you have Friday and Saturday off. The regulations say you can only have 300 pounds per day, sounds like a lot, but it's only three fish boxes. And the overall amount of fish that can be taken in Massachusetts has been decreased by 30 % this year. That much less fish will cause the season to end earlier and the inshore fishermen will make less money. It was only a few years ago when Massachusetts had an overall quota of over a million pounds, now it is down to 385,988 pounds, and already 29 % of that has been caught as by-catch, before the season even opens. It's a wacky world out there on the ocean. It's a hard way to make a living and as the regulations tighten, fishermen have to find other ways to keep afloat.

David's uncle Michael Diogo 96, died on Memorial Day. Very fitting because he served in the Army Air Corp as captain and pilot in WWII. Then during the Korean conflict he joined the Air Force and served as a pilot. Now that's service to your country. He loved to fly as much as Dave loved to fish. I was reading some materials that his daughter sent to me about his life and I discovered that his grandfather, and his father, and my David's  father were fishermen.  So it is only natural that our son Robert carry on the tradition. That's five generations of fishermen.  The nut doesn't fall far from the tree.  Stay safe, warm and dry. Fair winds.