The Bahamas were mostly passed by come daylight. There was more ships and boat movement than Cappi could remember. He had heard somewhere that people on vacation were visiting on these islands. He thought maybe that was why so many boats were about.
After daylight, approaching Key West, Florida a small steamer steamed close aboard to pass. He saw the freight booms nestled in their racks. So this was the competition that the schooners were losing out to. She looked very efficient with no wind to worry about. “Hey Captain how about you getting one of those and we can be your deck hands. An easy berth for us old timers, four on and eight off, an easy life for an old sailor,” said Judd.
“It is something to consider,” said Cappi. “But the steamboat commission would probably say that you old timers were just too damn old,” he laughed. Judd answered, “Emery and I both had A. B. tickets (Able Body Seaman papers) before our captain license, once an A.B. always an A.B.”
“Master” Captain’s License of Gardner Martin Kelley, renewed 11 times for a total of 61 years, received license at age 19 Photo credit by: Big Jim Kelley
The subject was dropped, but Cappi thought about it for some time. The shift of wind off the land caused a shift to a port tack. The schooner was moving right along. The Gulf Stream was almost flat calm due to no opposing wind.
Six days later the “LIZZIE MAE” picked up a pilot at Graves light. The schooner sailed to the molasses dock at Boston’s north end.
The wharf had cranes; the unloading was all through before night fall. Cappi, not one to waste money for dockage, had the schooner warped clear. The outgoing tide was dropping her to the anchorage. Just enough sails were raised to maintain steerage. The sun was out of sight when Chips lowered the anchor.
While the unloading was going on the Captain had gone to the Custom House. His ship was cleared and ready to go. He made arrangements for a load for Down East Maine he wanted to show off his bride.
At ten o’clock a loader came alongside. With her crane she lowered pallet loads of eighty pound sacks of salt below. It was destined for a sardine factory at Lubec.
Barrels of gas for a deck load came next. The loader dropped clear and the crew finished securing the tie off ropes to the deck load. The anchor was brought up and the sails rose. “We are heading for home waters,” Cappi shouted as the vessel heeled catching the breeze.
The Isle of Shoals off Portsmouth, New Hampshire had a lobster buyer nearby. His business was from a collection of floating lobster cars. This was their first unloading of barrels of gas. The schooner was soon on its way again.
Inside of Rockland’s breakwater, more barrels were unloaded. There was another stop in the thorough fare at Brown’s Wharf and Lobster Pound. Kathleen saw three young women and a girl start down the ramp. They stopped and then turned back when they saw her there beside the captain. She thought that they had been coming to see Cappi after recognizing the schooner. The green of jealousy arose within her.
At Beal’s Island the last of the barrels of gas were quickly unloaded. Cappi wanted to get to the anchorage off Jonesport Campground near Gram’s house.
Kathleen saw two real big rugged girls running down the long pier to the wharf. She could see that they were not planning to stop until they were aboard. She stepped into where the sunlight showed off her white tresses. The girls stopped and stared. They turned and walked away.
Kathleen saw all this through a mist of rage and jealousy. How many of these girls had been close with her husband? She did not take into consideration that whatever had happened was before he saw and married her.
The wind blowing through the rigging was cold in Maine, but that is where she stood when the schooner crossed the reach to anchor in the cove. This was her stand, her way of telling girls and young women that Cappi was her man.
The yawl boat was used to set the three ashore. Judd accompanied the newlyweds to the house. Emery chose to stay aboard with Chips who had no relatives anywhere. Cappi for the first time was told that his father had survived his illness and was stationed as a keeper at Boon Island.
Ten miles northerly out to sea from York Beach, Maine is “Boon Island Lighthouse”. Photo credit by: Jeremy D’Entremont
Gram Kelley was pleased to welcome Cappi and his bride. The word got around and friends and relatives came by to say hello and good wishes. When kissing cousins Elena, Dee and Helen of Emery’s family buzzed Cappi’s cheeks, Kathleen’s face flushed. She did not like that.
Elmer Farnsworth stopped his new Dodge Brothers touring car. It was loaded with girls and boys. The mud guards over the wheels were so rugged a boy rode on each front one. Cappi marveled at the difference between the later models over Montoya’s Fords. The newlyweds sat in rocking chairs on the porch to wave or welcome those you stopped.
Gram prepared lunch. Cappi handed over her share of the schooners earnings. “We have a good thing with our run to Cuba. I expect it to last at least for a few years.” Kathleen had brought ashore fruits that now decorated the table. Cappi kicked himself mentally. Gram had always been good to and for him, why had he not bought souvenirs for her? He excused his actions as being so busy trying to make her money to live on. Cappi said, “Looks like steamers are here to stay. I am putting every cent that isn’t used for necessities away toward buying one. I hope to convince my supplier of molasses to help. We can barge more out from the little harbor and load it faster on a small freighter, which means more money for us all. I am just thinking about it Gram, just thinking.” They went aboard before dark. Cappi planned to catch the ebbing tide out of the reach.
Entering Lubec, Kathleen was at her perch in the rigging. The Cannery Sardine carrier was coming by. Cappi hailed the skipper. “Hi! Marshal how about a tow to the wharf.” “Shore Captain, some of that salt is for me.”
The lugger “ATRIPA” tied up alongside to port and the “LIZZIE MAE” was brought to the wharf to unload. The lugger backed to her berth to unload her sardines. Kathleen was seen by all of the women at the factory. Her territory was established, she came aft to stand by the wheel and Cappi.
The factory whistle blew for the finish of the day. The workers filled the wharf as the schooner was warping out. Chips was at the wheel and Cappi was tending the lines on the wharf. The two Sortell girls grabbed onto Cappi as he tossed the last line aboard. He was endangering of not getting aboard as the schooner drifted clear. Both girls kissed him. He wrestled himself clear and turned to whack a resounding slap on the posterior of the nearest girl. He jumped over the rail to the deck. The men shouted their glee and women cheered. All knew that the girls were trying to get the captain in Dutch with his new wife.
They never knew how well they had succeeded. The schooner caught the tide as Judd and Emery raised the sails. Cappi was picking up and coiling the lines he had thrown aboard. He was approaching the foremast when he heard the scream. A marlin spike, left on the hatch cover by Chips, came whizzing by his head into the foremast. It did not pass however without damage. The blood flowed from his left ear and onto his neck. He turned to see what was happening and why the scream. Kathleen was on him, she was lashing out at him with her small fists. She broke clear and ran aft, heading probably for her bunk for a good cry. Cappi did not give her that chance. The blood running, the thought of how near he had been to being killed forced him to retaliate. He caught her and turned her around. His back leaned against the deck house as he squatted to pull her across his knees. The wind whirled at that second to blow her skirt up to expose her white butt. The short silk panties of rose color did little to cover. Cappi did nothing to cover the view from the men, if he had thought of it at all, it was no determent. His work rough hand found the white hide. He slapped first one side and then the other. The pure white flesh turned to match the color of the silk.
The watching men stared in amazement. At first it was funny and they smiled at the view. Then they worried, when would Cappi stop? They wanted t
o shout enough! Enough! But it was not their place to reprimand the Captain. She had done a bad thing in attacking her husband.
Cappi stopped the assault on her butt as suddenly as he had begun. He carried her under his arm like a sack of grain to the cabin. He closed the hatch firmly behind him. The next hour there was frequent bursts of shouts. The words not quite heard above the wind.
Chips had received no sailing orders from the captain. He steered the schooner toward the open sea. Emery went to the galley as Judd came aft to relieve Chips. “What’s the course,” he asked. “I don’t know and I won’t interfere to ask,” said Chips. “We will head off shore and run for Cape Elizabeth.”
That the captain had confidence in the efficiency of his crew was apparent. The hatch was not opened until the eight bells rang the next morning at eight o’clock. Then the Captain, followed by a demure quiet wife, opened it up. They spoke not a word as the two entered the galley. Emery discreetly found he had other places to be.
Captain Kelley of the “LIZIE MAE” called his three men crew aft. When all were close and within earshot he began to speak. He said, “Gentlemen I find that I have married a wild Svenska Flicker. Not the gentle young lady I thought her to be. From now on she will be called Svenska or Svenska Flicker. The marlin spike will stay in the foremast to remind her to better control her temper.” The men were dismissed, not a word was uttered by Svenska. All had been talked over and agreed upon before coming on deck.
The captain read the compass and decided where the next point of land would be. He did not query Judd or Chips for directions. He had spilled his guts and did not want to say more to anyone. The little Svenska stood quietly by his side. Later she went to the galley and returned with a mug up for him. Days and nights passed then weeks dragged into months. The name Kathleen was never spoken by anyone aboard the schooner except maybe by Cappi, when alone at night as he listened to the wind, Kathleen.
Kathleen, the wind in the tops hurled the name back to him. It must have been a bit of sea spray brought back from the bow wake that caused his eyes to water, but he died a little each time. He had so much and now much of the joy was taken away. Judd relieved him at midnight and he went below to his own bunk to turn and twist. He finally fell into a restless sleep.
The “LIZZIE MAE” laid at anchor overnight. The Captain accompanied by Judd hailed a “Bum Boat” to get to the Commercial Wharf. Four hours later they were back. “We have a load of machinery to be unloaded at Havana. Part of it is aboard this lighter, the remainder will be loaded at New London, Connecticut. It seems Cuba is going into manufacturing.” The Captain was jubilant, “This will give us a payload each way. Who says schooners are out?”
The lighter with her crane lowered the heavy cases into the holds. They were so heavy that it was necessary to distribute some in each hold. By midnight the schooner was sailing over the shoals and headed for Point Judith. “According to the Eldridge Tide Tables, if we can be just off Newport at the first of the ebb tide, we will have fair tide up the sound,” said Cappi as he read.
The wind held to carry the schooner to Cornfield Lightship. There was less wind now but the fair tide made up the distance. A tug towed the schooner to the wharf.
Chapter 10
New London, Connecticut
The load was waiting to be loaded. The heavy tarpaulin covering the cases was rolled back by riggers working with the crane. The rig on railroad tracks moved back and forth to lower the heavy machinery aboard.
Chips made frequent trips to the wharf to watch the load lines. The waterline aft was two inches lower than he had ever seen it and full down at the bow.
Cappi had left Chips in charge of the cargo and had taken his wife shopping. There were always items that a woman needed, and besides the ship’s galley could use extra food supplies.
He had accompanied her to be sure that she would not run away. The thought had nagged at him for some time now, whenever the schooner docked.
The two arrived back as the hatch covers were closed and covered. Chips heard laughter, the trip ashore had evidently been a good thing. It raised his spirits for he truly loved this little girl. She was the daughter that he never had.
The out flowing tide held the laden schooner against the wharf. Cappi rigged a line that would drop once the schooner was clear. The donkey engine did the pulling. While the schooner drifted with the tide, the sails were raised and set. No tugboat fees, going out with fair tide.
At the mouth of the Thames River off Ocean Beach the wind became stronger off the land. “Sailing with the wind right aft; keep clear of every sailing craft.” That is the rule. The “LIZZIE MAE” passed between Fisher’s Island and Great Gull Island. It had fair wind for off Montauk Point, Long Island.
Good weather and wind held for six days and nights. The deeper than usual laden vessel made some water that had to be pumped the first two days. Chips said, “It’s only till another seam gets swelled tight.”
Approaching Cape Hatteras the captain was especially careful when working out his noon sight. He wanted a positive departure for getting well clear of this graveyard of sailing ships called the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in its original location on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Photo credit by Terry Kelley
He was well satisfied with his caution. Judd called him at four bells in the morning to help listen. The heavy fog that surrounded the vessel was like a cold blanket. There was enough wind to keep steerage but not enough to blow the fog away.
The sun burned through around ten o’clock and an hour later the wind from northwest filled the sails. Cappi plotted a course nearer the land and out of the pull of the Gulf Stream.
Nine days later Svenska was stationed in the rigging at her stand. According to the Captain’s dead reckoning, Cuba should be coming up over the horizon.
Few minutes later she shouted and then watched as the lush green landscape got closer and closer. “I can see why it is called the “Pearl of the Antilles” for its beauty,” Cappi said.
Chapter 11
Havana
The wind dropped and there was no noticeable current. The yawl boat was lowered and placed at her pushing spot under the stern. The small boat chugged and pushed all through the night. At daylight Chips hoisted a pilot flag.
No sign of a pilot boat was seen as the yawl pushed slowly ahead into and up the harbor. Moro Castle slowly dropped astern. Chips hoisted a repeat just below the pilot flag. “Guess the pilots are all at the Fiesta,” he said. “I have heard that there is much in efficiency in this warm climate port,” answered the Captain.
Svenska was again at her stand. Cappi had told her to watch for a wharf with a hoisting crane. The first one she spotted Cappi turned to it. She saw a painted sign with the name on the crates. Good they were in business.
It was afternoon before anyone came with responsibility enough to sign for the load. The unloading did not begin as the late evening produced a beautiful sunset. The crew all sat to enjoy the view. First it was light then suddenly it was dark. Millions of lights came on to compliment the ones in the sky. The sounds of Marimba Bands floated over the harbor. Music came from several directions at the same time. Svenska clapped her hands with joy.
Emery had gone to the galley for his mug of coffee. Judd said, “Good night” and rose to go forward to the forecastle and his bunk. Old Chips, with an effort was getting to his feet. Svenska caught hold of his hand and helped him up. She slipped an arm into his elbow and twirled him around to the tune of the music. She had seen him swing at the dance on the Outer Banks. Chips picked up his cue. They swung until there was a break in the music. She brushed a kiss on the old man’s cheek, her way of saying thank you. The old sailorman almost skipped on his way forward.
Svenska went to her cabin. She returned a few seconds later. She was clothed in a flowing Spanish skirt of many bright colors with noth
ing else on until the jewels in the comb in her shinning white hair. The jewels in the ornament caught the glow of the far off lights. The glow of lights showed Cappi her two mounds as his wife dipped, swayed and twirled to the dance music. She was tempting her man to come to her with all the wiles of a seductress.
Chips could make out her form as she danced. He sat slumped over his night cap of rum in the dark shadow of the foremast. There was light from the stars for the joy of an old sailor. He saw the young Captain jump to his feet. He enveloped his pretty wife in his arms and kissed her. He lowered her to the mainsail cover that lay on the deck.
The sail covers had been left along the deck when the sun sank into darkness so quickly. The big cover made a good mattress for the two. The old sailor smiled and drank his rum. This would be a happy ship once more.
This Captain was not one to linger in wait at a wharf. There was no money to pay expenses that way. When no one appeared to be interested in unloading, he got busy. It took two hours of phone calls. Officials that looked like Government men showed up finally. The crane started lifting cases from the holds. Chips had his troubles to get it done his safe way; one case from one hold then a case from the other, until half unloaded.
The captain was pleased to see progress being made. “Come Svenska we will go see the city.” She wore her colorful skirt of last night, but this time she wore a flimsy lace looking cotton blouse with sleeves to protect her arms from the bright sun.
She started looking in shop windows. “No shopping yet, we have places to see and things to do,” Cappi said.
He had seen his father put away the booze. “He drank enough for both of us.” Was Cappi’s way of putting it, “I don’t need or want any liquor impeding my thoughts.” They went in and out of the bars. Soft drinks only while seeing the shows. Most shows were quite sexy and naughty.
Kathleen Of The Outer Banks Page 5
