A Sea of Heroes

When an unthinkable act of terror brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001, the city’s maritime community became a rescue squad, ferrying frightened and wounded people off the island and out of harm’s way. Click here for the entire story (in PDF).

 

 

Marblehead Forever 

Marblehead, Massachusetts, is my spiritual home. This article, which won first prize in the boating travel category in Boating Writers International’s annual writing contest, is a loving portrait of the historic town that boastfully calls itself the “Yachting Capital of America.” Click here for the entire story (in PDF).

Hero of the Harbor

John Krevey, a proud “water rat” championed waterfront access when the now-trendy New York shoreline was a wasteland. He created a “people’s pier” that became home to historic ships and a gathering place for all who loved the water. His sudden death at age 62 left a huge vacuum, but his legacy lives on. Click here for the entire story (in PDF).

The Rites of Spring

Sand that bottom, wax that hull, get a little drunk and . . . . Cherry blossoms and robins signify spring for most of us, but for boat owners spring means bottom paint, sandpaper and deck cleaners. This 1980’s story, one of my all-time favorites, captures a day in the life of a pair of DIY boatyards in the gritty Bronx. Pelbamar is now a fancy condo complex; Evers has managed to hang on. Click here for the entire story (in PDF).