August 25- may very well be the last fish I catch this year, who knows. And it was not very remarkable, so I'll summarize it quickly by just sharing that I put 6 fish in the cooler, releasing many more. A 2nd fishing attempt over the weekend was aborted due to rough seas. And now, one of the best days of my life,....
I have admired the skipjack since I was a kid. When Dad would bring us as kids to Deal Island to fish, all the way from Bel Air, he showed my brother and I the many skipjacks of Deal Island. And he explained how they were sail-powered oyster dredging boats, which once dominated the waters of Tangier Sound in years past but were fast disappearing. Furthermore, we soon came to understand that Deal Island held the largest remaining fleet. Fast forward to 1980, when we bought our place on Deal Island. I was able to count a total of 14 skipjacks on Deal Island, including Chance. As these numbers decreased year-by-year, it was clear these magnificent boats were fading fast, and with them, a way of life. With their majestic mast, huge mainsail and ornate bowsprit, I have always been in awe. In my mind's eye I can see these waters full of these skipjacks, tacking back and forth, dropping dredge, hauling up oysters. Working for a full week at a time before returning to port and awaiting families. Sometimes pleasant in the Fall, more than likely frigid in the winter months.
Every Labor Day, Deal Island hosts a festival to celebrate the culture of the skipjack. And the cornerstone of these festivals is the annual Skipjack race. These races were the brainchild of local waterman Captain Art Daniels in the early 1960's. I have been attending these Skipjack Festivals nearly every year since I was a teenager. I would travel back from wherever I was, even West Virginia. Every year, I would watch the race from shore- dreaming I would be able to one day be one of the lucky few that sailed aboard one of these skipjacks. Last year, my friend and waterman Capt Danny Benton invited us to watch the race aboard his workboat Chantally Lace. That was an honor and a lot of fun, and we had a birdseye view of skipjack "Kathryn" nearly sinking right before our eyes. This year however, the dream of a lifetime finally came true. My son Blair and I were invited to be passengers aboard the skipjack "City of Crisfield", piloted by none other than Captain Art Daniels. "Daddy Art" had owned this skipjack since the 1950's, and was profiled in Holly Fisher's film "Waterman". To say that Captain Daniels and his skipjack are famous is an understatement- they are legendary. And once again Daddy Art, at age of 91- oldest skipjack captain ever, manned the wheel for the Labor Day race.
There were probably 20 head total aboard the boat for the race. With Daddy Art at the wheel was wife Stella. Also aboard were son Bob, Bob's son Eddie, and Eddie's son Eddie Jr. So, 4 generations- Wow !! Bob and big Eddie were pastors. Bob seemed to know quite a bit about sailing, and I recall him from the movie. The remainder of the passengers were a mix of locals and also a few outsiders like us. Anyway, we were towed out by my buddy Danny and his mate Mo. We held our ground for the first part of the race, but as we rounded the first buoy, Daddy Art made a choice of tack that was a gamble, one that could result in a win, or alternatively- a bust. Unfortunately, the gamble didn't pay off and we lost precious ground. Soon we found ourselves 7th or 8th out of about 10 entries. Without rounding the next buoy near Wenona, Daddy Art conceded victory and we embarked on a pleasant ride back toward harbor. It amazed me how we returned to harbor fully under sail and only picked up a tow as we neared dock. It was a great ride and I will never forget it. What an honor to sail with the most famous skipjack captain ever, and aboard perhaps the most famous skipjack ever. I truly hope that Daddy Art is able to go out dredging this year, and also that he is able to participate in the race again next year. Here's some video I shot of my adventure.
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