Remembrance of things past

How can I thank everyone? Is there a way to personally, I mean beyond the texted word, beyond the tweet or message, a way to thank you? I have felt your kindness in the exchange of words, a remembrance, a shared experience. Thank you for sharing stories, telling me about the man I knew for almost 50 years, stories from your meetings and experiences with Captain Dave. They are new to me, enriching, expanding, renewing my thoughts of David.  And so I thank  you.




This blog is begun after Captain Dave crossed the bar. June 2,2016



In October, 2016 Dave and I left Provincetown heading south. We had a destination, but no schedule. We knew where we would be stopping along the way. We looked at charts, always wondering about the next ten miles, the seas, and the weather. David's uncanny judgement of places, tides, height of the waves, the direction of the wind, the clouds blowing across the sky gave him a sense of well being, thereby relieving my an angst -somehow it worked. If things got bad he dealt with it, that's when he really excelled. Managing emergencies, high seas, gale winds brought out the real man in him. He didn't hesitate, he acted. And so I hope to give you a picture though the journal that I kept from October, 2015 into the spring of 2016 of the fun we had, the experiences and the love we shared.  The Captain is no longer at the helm, he's gone to higher ground. I think he'd like me to share with you a glimpse of what we had on our last voyage together.

Leaving Provincetown was more difficult than I could have imagined. There was a need to cast off in both of us. It pushed us. We knew somehow that if we didn't do it now,  then we never would. And so the journey began. It was a Tuesday evening, our first night aboard, but we spent it tied to the float where in 1980 Dave and I tied with our sailboat, The Arethusa.  I'm in the galley putting away supplies when Dave tells me he's going to go out with Bob for a quick ride to charge of the batteries in Bob's boat the Near Miss.  It's a farewell, a father / son special time, the way men do. They spend half an hour cruising around outside the breakwater, listening to the engine. Dave gives his approval and they head back to the wharf. Last night he took his grandkids out in the skiff to check out the ten horse engine hooked over the stern of the dingy.  For the past week we have been bringing supplies, clothes, utensils and every other conceivable convince that I could comfortable carry to the boat. The living quarters are small, but when we moved aboard I was surprised at how easily the Richard & Arnold absorbed it all, took everything in with ease, and it could have held more. When I commented on this to the captain he said, "Well remember this boat carried forty tons of fish in the hold - this is nothing."

What a vessel, the sparkle in the captains eye! Oh he loved me, without a doubt, and I am forever his mate, but the Richard & Arnold was something special to him. Fortunately I understood the term 'the other woman'.  We've owned, operated, sailed, fished and lived aboard many vessels. I'll give you their names and then you'll understand a little more about the captain. The Fanny Parnell, The Wildflower, Julie D, The Kingfisher, The Office, The Arethusa, The Osprey, The Vast, The Opel, The Richard & Arnold, the Last Tango and a couple of good sized skiffs that had no names. We've owned them, worked on them, and learned to love the sea from them. Some we owned for years and one we owned for three days before it broke loose in a February NE gale and sank. All  of the boats were given his time, his money and his love. He wanted to save them all. I learned that if I had faith, went along with some of the wild ideas, I'd get to live a life that held excitement, humor, and shear terror, but would never be boring.
And so because of who he was, leaving Provincetown for a six month cruise was inevitable. We both faced challenges, surprises and risks. Our faith was tested. That first night onboard, that Tuesday Dave asked if I was excited I told him I was too busy to think about it. I had a million loose ends. He had one loose end and that was the sixty foot Casey built, 1924 fishing vessel tied to the float on MacMillan Pier. For Dave his journey began the day he was born. Casting off lines was what he'd been doing for over fifty years. I had to remind him a few times that I was new at this. I came to visit a couple of times when he was fishing, stay a couple of days, but I was the homebody, the shore captain, and not a seasoned crewman. He put up with the newbie, the inexperienced crew, the landlubber. And he had the patience of a saint.

To be continued:

Family, Friends and Fishing

The F/V Richard & Arnold arrived at MacMillan Wharf on a sunny Friday afternoon. Dave and I waited on the dock as the boat was made fast to the pier. Our son Jackson was on hand, as were a few friends and the harbormaster, Rex. Dave recalled that this was the second time in 35 years of owning the boat that he watched her come in with a different captain. The first time was when our son Jackson brought the boat across Cape Cod Bay on his own. David and Jackson finished a fishing trip and when they got to the Cape Cod Canal, Dave told his son to take her home. I picked Dave up by car and Jackson captained the boat. While we waited for the Richard & Arnold to be tied to the poles, Jackson told me how nervous he was that day bringing the boat in on his own. I can relate, I don't think I could do it. Our son, Bob (has a BS in Marine Navigation from Mass Maritime) and his friend Eric (the Red) Johnson made the trip from Norfolk VA in five days, stopping along the way in Ocean City MD, Cape May, NJ and then after a very difficult night in 10 foot seas off the Jersey coast, into Mannesquan, NJ for the last stop-over. From there Bob decided to keep going. After 36 hours at a steady 8 knots, with a 671 Detroit Diesel humming in the background our pride and joy, the oldest vessel in our fleet, returned to her home port. I don't know what we would have done if our sons were bookkeepers, or doctors, or bankers. Both have grown up around the Richard & Arnold and both are capable of making a journey as captain of the vessel. This past winter was wonderful. The boat was tied in the safest place imaginable, a secure, protected dock in the heart of Oriental NC. Our time there was so different from the usual winters of shoveling snow, bundling up in a dozen layers of clothing, turning up the heat and carrying logs in to feed the wood stove. We spent our days on walks, having coffee at the 'Bean', and looking at boats. Our evenings were filled with good food and good company. What's more Dave and I grew closer, literally. Tiny spaces, small everything, less need and enjoying our environment and each other's company. We met the most remarkable people. Heard stories that will stay with me forever. We hope to someday return to the small town on the Neuse River and visit again the places and people that make it so unique. In the meantime the Richard & Arnold will have to stay tied to the wharf. Dave has been in the Cape Cod Hospital for five days, we just got home. His calcium blood level was sky high caused by cancer in the bones. The doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital were terrific. Dave is feeling better, eating and telling me stories again. His blood levels are normal, but we will need to keep a close eye on this as it can lead to serious heart problems and we certainly don't need any other medical issues popping up. The past two weeks have been just plain awful, but thank the good lord, we on the upswing, heading in the right direction. Dave had a PET Scan, a CAT scan, and MRI of the brain and a biopsy, as well as many blood tests. The doctor said there is nothing in his brain, but we knew that already, he's a fisherman after all, ha ha. We meet with our Oncologist, (the best there is) this week to discuss a treatment plan. Dave's a fighter, tough as nails, he's always been a super-hero to me, so I know we have a good chance. Life is precious, but finite to us all. Keep the faith, give thanks, and mention Captain Dave to God. Fair winds dear friends.

Full Moon Rising

Many of you may be wondering what, where, why, and with whom our journey continued and ended. Well it's been quite a trip - but ending not exactly the way we expected. We left Oriental on March 28, spent three days traveling. First day we bumped bottom leaving Oriental, the water is skinny and even if you don't cut corners, that's buoys, you can end up in heavy mud. I told Dave that if we got stuck on the mud without even leaving it means we would stay longer. The river gods were on our side for we crossed the Neuse, Pamlico, and Pungo rivers as well as Bay River and Goose Creek. We arrived in Belhaven (birthplace of the Inter Coastal Waterway) in the afternoon. Tied into the River Forest marina, great showers, helpful dock master and nice small town. In the morning we left before sunrise because it was going to be a long day, cruising at 8 knots took eight hours nonstop. We headed Northwest and into the Alligator River and the Alligator / Pungo Canal. This is a strange place, a ditch dug by the Army Corp to provide access from one waterway to the next and kept open for barges and commercial traffic. It's important that the boat stay in the center as much as possible except when passing or meeting another boat coming in the opposite direction. There are huge stumps from downed trees just below the water. The ones you can see are enough for any boat owner to know that a sharp lookout needs to be kept. We had to wait for the Alligator Swing Bridge to open, which it does every half hour and then pass into the Albemarle Sound, a large body of water that is well marked with red triangles and green squares each numbered so that your exact location is known. Dave likes the electronic charts provided by NOAA, I prefer the paper, to open a chart book that I follow as we go along, much like the old fashion road maps that gas stations gave out free of charge. Remember those? So onto Coinjock, the only stop with a marina, store and restaurant between Belhaven and Portsmouth VA. Most boater stop there. We had a good supper, the best crab cakes and enough prime-rib to last three more meals. A fellow tied up in back of us and we introduced ourselves and told him a bit about the Richard & Arnold. To our surprise he said, "I looked the boat up, you guys are famous." I had to laugh at that, not the reaction I expected. I think David Dunlap must have something to do with that because of his book Mapping Provincetown.
Next stop Rebel Marina, Norfolk, VA. One of the best places we've ever visited, minus the helicopters that flew close over head, but hey thank God they are there. The Briggs family was so helpful, kind, and knowledgeable that I can't say enough about them. For the week we spent at the marina the wind continued unabated, 20-30 and higher with gusts to 50, and then it turned and blew from the north 20-30-40-50. What a week. Now that I look back I believe the wind gods were looking after us. Dave was not well, he had been complaining of rib pain for weeks (refusing to go to a doctor). Well our son, the master mariner with a BS in Navigation told his dad that he shouldn't take mom off shore until he got checked out because holy moly what would she do if something happened to him while we were voyaging? So Dave and I borrowed a car and went to the Urgent Care office, from there we were sent to the ER at the DePaul hospital where he was admitted. Three days later, totally exhausted, we stepped onto a plane that flew us up up and away. Three planes later, that same day we landed in Provincetown. The medical news is not good. Three broken ribs (Pathological fractures) and some serious lung problem. We are glad to be home. I can look out the kitchen window and see a full moon coming up over Truro. I imagine the same moon over Oriental. We plan on beating it, rising above, and fighting every step of the way. I probably won't be writing much in the coming weeks, but I will let everyone know how the captain is doing. He's actually watching 'Deadliest Catch' as I write. All prayers are welcome. Thanks for your support. Nothing like coming home to family and friends. God Bless you all. Fair winds.

Update from Willoughby Bay

I'm sitting in the club house at Rebel Marina. Dave is in the shower and I thought I'd take a few minutes to update. We are still attached to the dock and waiting for the wind to give us a southerly flow and calm enough to take us safely up the coast to our next port of call, either Ocean City MD or Cape May, NJ all depends on the wind. Never thought I be so dependent upon what direction it came from, but here we sit. I'm not complaining, we have it pretty good here, a car to use, showers, internet and lots of nice people. Dave and I went to a get-together Monday night and had a feast with many other boaters, travelers and dock masters.  Food was great, company fun and talk lively. Im just getting a bit homesick and I have lots of catching up to do when I get home. Cleaning and getting the beach point house ready to rent. That's going to take time and I have guests coming in on June 11, so I'll have to hustle when I get home. Painting, rug cleaning, windows, curtains, the works. And then there is our house, I can just imagine what the yard looks like, there will be lots of raking and picking up. Moving from the boat to the house shouldn't take more than one day. There is the cleaning up, but that can wait - I can do that after we move back in. Dave has had a bit of a problem, seems he pulled muscles in the lower rib area and maybe even cracked a rib, but he's a trooper and is actually getting better. Two weeks ago he couldn't even move, taking lots of Ibuprofen, but now he's moving, less pain and less Ibuprofen. So this being tied in and waiting for the wind to let go  has helped Dave heal, a blessing in disguise. We are getting better, hope all is well with you. Fair Winds.

Rebel

Rebel Marina. We couldn't have chosen a better place to sit out the wind, waiting for a weather window. Last night it blew a gale, west at 50-60. Today its North 15-25.  As cruisers we get used to waiting for the right wind from the right direction. With today's technology we have the tools at our fingertips, literally on IPhone, to get a very accurate forecast of everything we need to know before setting out on the next leg of the journey. David Briggs along with his brother Steve gave us a quick tip on a really good APP called Sail Flow. Not only does it give us wind speed and direction, it gives wave height, wave direction, seconds between crests, temperature, cloud cover and all free. Dave and I have been checking it out as it gives a ten day outlook and right now the outlook doesn't look so good for traveling up the outside of MD, DE, NJ. I'd say we are here for a week. That's what cruising is all about: stop, wait, and meet new friends, hear their stories, and tell a few of ours. We have been welcomed here, even had the opportunity to go to a chili cook-off yesterday for lunch in the rain. The club house has all kinds of get togethers. Yesterday's get together was to help raise money for the local sailing club. There we met a couple who has lived aboard their sailboat for 13 years, they're from Australia now heading south to the Virgin Is. I got to be part of their conversation with another couple who are preparing their sailboat to head to Sweden, they have to be in Newfoundland by June to make the crossing without running into icebergs. We've invited them to stop in Provincetown Harbor and use our mooring if they get that way. Sounds like they might. Today Dave brought a man aboard who along with his wife bought a sailboat after only sailing on small lakes. They retired and wanted to try something different, so they set sail and went from Arkansas on the Gulf of Mexico around FL to the Bahamas and then up the east coast to here, an eight month trip for them. They are from Kansas and have decided that boat life isn't quite what they had in mind, their boat is for sale. We talk to sailors and cruisers daily, long distance blue water sailors and folks like us who wanted to give it a try. No matter what your experience, how much training you've had, or how expensive your boat, everyone has a story, that's part of the fun.
David Briggs who runs this marina along with his brothers has some of the best stories. He and my Captain Dave spend hours talking and swapping tales. Briggs has done it all, barge towing and salvage with his family, boat survey, scalloping and fishing in Alaska, hook fishing for Swordfish up and down the east coast, he teaches U.S. Coast Guard safety training classes and runs the marina. A true mariner and lover of all things boat related. His brother Steve works professional tugboats. He gave us a tour of the tugboat that belonged to his father that he is restoring. It's a tugboat/ schooner called Norfolk Roller, what an interesting little ship. He is fixing it for live aboard and for use with tall ships as tug, towing, helper and education. The boat is really beautiful, he's doing a great job.
We couldn't have picked a better place to lay low for a few days, thanks to Perry Davis owner of the Schooner Alert from an island in Maine who told us to try and stop here if we were in the neighborhood.We met him, his wife and little girl in Oriental.  Then we found out that our friend Gwen Wells who is married to Richard Quest and came to visit us with Jeff Parker all from Willmington, NC - worked here at Rebel Marina as a teenager, and Grassy/ Francis Santos has stopped in here many times, and Robert Harris who is sailing up from the Virgin Islands as I write, is planning on stopping in.  Small world this cruising business.
I can't wait to get home but I've so enjoyed meeting so many interesting, adventurous people. Fair winds ye mates.

Rebel Marina, Willoughby Bay, VA

March 31, 2016
In like a lamb, out like a lion. We are tied in at Rebel Marina in Willoughby Bay, Norfolk VA and the wind is expected to blow SE 15-25 with gust possible to 40. We are tucked in and safe, slept like babies. The owner's here, the Bragg family, couldn't be more welcoming. David Bragg was here at the dock to take our lines, he's fisherman, charter captain, marine surveyor, and dock master - and many other things I imagine.  My Dave and he were able to swap sea stories when we arrived. It would have gone on for hours but I had to tell the Captain that his crew was tired and needed supper and sleep. This morning Captain Dave has gone to have tea at the marina lounge and to check out the local color. There are some really beautiful boats tied up here and our old dragger somehow fits right in. She may not be as polished but she sure is unique.
We are planning to scoot up the outside coast of Maryland and Delaware then on to Cape May. We are waiting for a weather window, but according to my IPhone weather channel it doesn't look too promising for the next few days. This seems to be a nice protected marina, just across the bay from the Navy Station. I feel so very protected. Last pm there were helicopters, jet planes, and car traffic to listen to as we fell asleep, didn't seem to bother us one bit. My internet connection is not the greatest, we are too far from the marina office to pick up a signal, so I'm using my hot spot on the IPhone. Now I really miss Keith Smith, I know he'd have us set up with internet in no time. We were saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Andrews, the early bird at the Bean, he'll be missed all over Oriental. At the same time we learned that Jimmy Morgan turned 92, that old rascal of a fisherman out of Menemsha, MVI, Happy Birthday old salt. Yesterday was my grandson's birthday, Alex is 8 and my son Jackson celebrated his on the 27th, I hope they had the best birthday yet, hope to be there to celebrate with him next year. Love those kids and grandkids!!!!!!!!
This morning we listened to revelry being trumpeted out across the bay while our little cabin rocked with the wind and incoming tide, warms the cockles of my heart. Thank you to all the service men and women who stand ready to serve and protect. God Bless and fair winds.

March 29, 2016 Hey all you mates, we're at it again. In our case it means that we're rolling on the river: the Neuse River, the Alligator River, the Pungo River, the North River and a couple more I can't remember. It's been a busy, yet somehow a slow two days of travel. We've covered 126 miles in two days, so yes slow would be the word. Doesn't sound like much but steaming five hours the first day and eight hours today is tiring. The wind has been from the north so the rivers are up. For those of you who don't understand the southern river system it seems that when the wind blows from the north the water in the rivers rise, but from the south - the levels fall and when you are plowing through skinny water it's a good thing the wind has been northerly. Had a bit of spray on the wheelhouse windows crossing the Albamarle Sound, ten mile across and blowing 10 -15 N. so a bit of wind on the bow. What I have found amazing in this our first two days of traveling northward to Provincetown Harbor, is that so far we have passed miles and miles of uninhabited woods, wilderness and swamp. There's so much land, at least it looks like land, without a house or any sign of a human touch. It's great to see. There isn't much boat traffic yet. We passed two sailboats and two power cruisers passed us. Last night we stayed in Belhaven at the River Forest Marina. It was a tight fit, took a bit of maneuvering from the captain, but he got us tied in just like a pro. They have great showers there, if you ever get a chance to stop. We were the only boat tied up there last night. Hank the manager said the northward exodus doesn't start for a few more weeks, peaks in May, but he gets a lot of local boat traffic in June as well. The wind blew hard but we had a good safe berth. We left at 6:30 just before sunrise. Beautiful. Today was uneventful, just the way we like it. The Richard & Arnold is currently tied up in Coinjock. It's the only stop between Belhaven and Portsmouth VA unless you are up for anchoring and this spoiled crew woman likes to put the lines around poles. I sleep better. We are going out for supper, Dave remembers having a really great crabmeat supper here on our way down.
We are looking forward to home, family and friends and deep water. I am missing our berth in Oriental and all the wonderful people I can gladly call friends. We are hoping that life will be kind and we will be able to return to the Bean for morning tea.