Squid Madness

April/May 2013, squid season is still developing. Everyone is hopeful as all fishermen must be. I told Dave he has squid-madness, a form of love: anticipation, anxiety and a rolling of the ocean. So far, in the past two weeks, Dave has changed the net three times. Son Jackson helped him put the nets, one at a time, into the truck, and some of the other fishermen lent a hand on the dock. It's getting a little harder for my old man. Even though we think like forty year-olds our bods have been used for many more. Age may be meaningless, it's the time we are here that counts, but somehow nature does take its coarse.  On a more serious note, a  friend of ours experienced a fire aboard his boat, in the engine room from an exhaust pipe. We've been there done that, had a fire in the engine room due to wear and tear on the exhaust system.  It took three fire extinguishers to put it out. The important thing is that our friend was able to put it out quickly and make it back to the dock safely.  Boats can be repaired. We wish John well.  First take a deep breath and thank the spirits of fishermen who kept him safe, then tackle the job. Before you know it the boat is repaired and back out doing her job, searching for the illusive squid, waiting and hoping for a good catch.
I got to spend two days out with Dave a week ago. I had such a wonderful time. It was calm, that's my first preference. The sun shone while we made a half dozen tows and caught a hundred pounds of squid. Just enough to pay the fuel and go out for supper.  Dave took me to Martha's Vineyard where the good people welcomed us and allowed us to plug in for the night.
We met the skipper of the 'Skipper', Jonho. What a beauty that little head-boat is.  It's kept in pristine condition and takes people fishing with rod and reel during the summer months. The captain gave me a hug, even though we'd never met before, said he loved my book. He showed us his 'Skipper' and then we walked up-town. Ate at a nice place Linda Jeans, loved having fish and four vegetables. The Richard & Arnold is comfortable and that's all I could ask for. I get to sit at the table without bumping my head. We have a stove and refrigeration, a head and a holding tank. We walked around Oak Bluffs, a most refreshing town. There's something about life on an island, maybe that's why we enjoy being on the Richard & Arnold, I've not been able to figure out why I like it so much.
Dave and I were standing on the deck after our walk when a nice 50 foot fiber-glass lobster boat passed by our stern and the captain hollered out to us, "That's the prettiest boat on the east coast." I didn't get his name but I'd like to thank him and let him know that we think so too.
I think I'll get up and do another squid dance, this week could be the week when the squid come. Keep hoping for the best.

I'm about to do the squid dance. I can hardly control the urge to just get up, turn up the volume and let my self go. The squid dance is a tradition at this time of year. It's done with love and passion; hey a good squid year could depend on it. Amen. It takes effort to get to the place where everything alines  and squid come for the taking, its one of the joys of spring, like daffodils or the mating calls of birds. The nets have been stretched in the yard and mended. The wires strung out and marked in fathoms, the engine room has been cleaned, my foc'sle is ready and the lazzerette that will hold the boxes are all waiting for me to do my squid dance. I'm hoping for good music, calm seas and enough squid for all.
The Richard & Arnold has received my seal of approval - is now officially a fishing-yacht. It has become more than I could possibly have wanted or dreamed. She can fish - we know that - and now she will keep us dry and comfortable  as well.  I was just telling Dave I remember a couple of years ago trying to sleep on the bench next to the table -  to keep the water from dripping on me - I slept in all my oil-gear.  The boat is still the old girl, the same boat we knew and loved, but she now seems to have matured, become more, moving along with the tide and time. It's like giving berth, a new generation - a better life - Get up and dance - a good time will be had by all.  We want to keep fishing. The old boat has been dancing over the waves, fishing, doing it 'right' for over 85 years and so - why not us along with her?  Next chapter ? who knows - but think, "Sail".

Spring is taking her time this year and everyone is wondering why. It is my understanding that it is called Mother Nature and man has never been able to figure it out, but we'll keep trying. In the meantime live well, be grateful, create something, help when you can.

Dave and I have the beginnings of another chapter in our lives, exciting times, new beginnings, lucky to be where we are. I was told by a friend that we create our luck and that when good things happen it's because we helped to create it. I sat in their kitchen looking out over wind driven water, dark blues and greens, with the tide high and the sun shinning strong we chatted about the choir that Vera sings with and the teachers that George works with. We ate apples and hugged their dog Jack, who also likes apples. I think it is more than luck, it is allowing, it is learning and believing. We feel lucky to be able to spend time keeping an old boat going, finding a way to keep it all happening.

I plan on living aboard as much as possible when it warms up a bit and the wind let's go a bit.  I will move aboard gradually, letting go of all that ties me to the shore - the people I love. At the same time I feel guilty for knowing how much I will enjoy it. I plan on finishing another book while Dave makes another tow, always hoping for a good catch and a good story.  'The Fishermen's Ball', a mystery that takes place in Provincetown in 1937. As Provincetown plans a grand occasion to celebrate their good fortune while helping raise money for neighboring towns that were  devastated by the hurricane of Sept 21, 1937 - a family becomes embroiled in a murder. AH - HA! For all my friends that have asked for more fishing stories I have included a few in this book. I'm not sure I can write anything that doesn't include fishing.

Also  (if I ever get it finished), "Arethusa" will have lots of sea stories, but it's still developing. Arethusa was our sailboat and the book is another memoir. Can one have more than one Memoir?  And so as spring begins our boat has a comfortable new foc'sle, one any fishermen's wife could love and because it was built with love - I know it will be a good place to write. I'll send pics, but in the meantime spring is coming and I'm finishing my first mystery. www.provincetownfishwife.com

They say - 'Time flies when your having fun.' We are having fun rebuilding the Richard & Arnold, but the weather has slowed us down. The cold & wind has kept progress at a minimum, but even with just a couple of hours of work each day the foc'sle is progressing nicely. We have plumbing, 2 sinks, fridge, stove, bunks, table, and a cabin heater. Now we need cushions, gas connections, pump-out connections and hot water connection. We have a ways to go, but it looks like spring will find her working again, with a new outside and a new inside. You can read all about what we did last winter and see photographs of the process in Feb edition of Yachting Time Magazine.  My first published mag. article.  http://yachtingtimesmagazine.com/issue/10spring2013/pageflip.html

I'm trying not to let it go to my head.

Happy New Year

To wish you a happy new year I would need pages and so I will just wish everyone a healthy, joyful, peaceful, prosperous year filled with all good things. I will remember the past year because it was filled with sadness for so many, tragedy and the needless death of innocence. We can only pray that we will be able to forgive, learn and make the necessary changes to contribute in a positive way to our towns, country and world. God Bless each and everyone in the new year - 2013, thank you to all for your compliments on my 'Nautical Twilight' and for your generosity, encouragement and kind words.

'Wooden Boat' Magazine February 2013 ----- a feature article by Randal Pheffer, Photographs by Peter McGowan is about the Richard & Arnold, Dave and me. The article is a very big compliment to us and it has filled us with pride. Thank you to everyone. Dave said, "Now I have to make the foc'sle  look really really good." If you can find a copy you'll get a better understanding of what the old girl is looking like since she got her face lift last winter at Rose's marine. I can't thank the writer and photographer enough. 'Wooden Boat' has always been one of our favorite magazines. I got an email from an old friend who we have not seen in many years saying that he picked up a copy and what memories it brought back for him. I wish we could mail a copy to everyone who has fished with us or spent the day on board, but that would mean hundreds of folks. The article brought tears to my eyes, what a treat to be part of it.

Dave is working daily on the foc'sle of the Richard & Arnold. It requires saws, planers, sanders and much more. He had a chop-saw sitting on the galley table while he was cutting wood to cover the cabinets, walls and bunk areas, he used a wainscoting that looks like its been there for 80 years. He's using cut and planed mahogany for trim. The closet door and cabinet doors are recycled from an Egg Harbor that we owned at one time. The bathroom sink came from there as well. Our cook-top stove came from a friend who was redoing the kitchen in his home. The gas fridge is from our days living on the 'Vast Explorer'. Dave has recycled the galley table and made the benches around it to hinge up so that we have lots of storage.  I can't get over the difference in the area we will call home while out on the water.  I'm hoping to cook good meals for the captain, family and friends. The captain is sure to have his wife on board more often now that she has a place to hang out and write.

I have an article of my own coming out in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of 'Yachting Times'. I haven't seen it yet so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's half as good as the one Randal Pheffer wrote. 

Happy New Year

Our hearts go out the family of Gene Frottier, lost but not forgotten. A true Provincetown character who loved being at sea. Dave and I watched him one day as he seemed to be playing in the surf onboard the 'Annalise', the boat he owned before the 'Twin Lights', named after his daughter. He was off the Highland, the wind was howling and we were in the parking lot at Coast Guard Beach - the green hull was bouncing off the top of waves and it looked like he was just out there to enjoy the ride, having fun. After watching him we knew that boat would be good in a sea and months later we bought it from him when he wanted to move on to the 'Twin Lights'. Anyone who has spent as much time under the water - diving for lobsters - as on top of it -as he did - must have loved the ocean and what he was doing. He had much to say about how our fisheries were being run, he researched topics and wrote letters regarding injustices, outspoken with strong opinions he would always stop and talk to his fellow fishermen on the wharf. He was a hard worker, fishing in all kinds of weather and sea conditions. Gene's son, Emitt and our son became friends in High School, having in common their dads liking nothing better than being out on the ocean. Gene will now sleep with Father Neptune and his spirit will rest with the angles. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving - let us remember all those who have lost so much - from Hurricanes, from sickness and from tragedy.

There's no turning back now, either it's a new foc'sle or Dave will be sleeping in a hammock next summer during Squid season. Another major rehab is taking place. I had a peek today at the inside of the F/V Richard & Arnold. She is now a bare hull, bunks gone, sink and stove removed, empty. The next phase is the hardest part - deciding where to put the 'head' - oh yes, there will be a full bathroom, shower, hot water and all. The galley and salon will be housed in what was once fish-pens. It is becoming a reality. www.provincetownfishwife.com