Could everyone write one simple essay about something that once happened in Saltaire…that they saw or were a part of…and put it on one big website? Somebody should collect a lot of stories before we all forget. Otherwise it is like a line in “On The Beach” : The history of the war that now would never be written.” -(JO'H)

Saturday, December 6, 2008

FIRST TIME OUT: CAPT. FRANK MINA ON THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE CAPT. PATTERSON








Jim, et al.,
I took this pix of the "Capt. Patterson" loading for her maiden voyage to Ocean Beach. It was Friday afternoon, May 26, 1972. The largest luxury liner on Great South Bay for her day. All-in-all, she fared better than RMS "Titanic."
---Capt. Frank

JOH comments: I am glad that you did better than the Titanic, but as I recall on your oceanic trip from the ship yard in Rhode Island some of your crew got a little woozy.


Capt. Frank: I'll not lie (at least this time). I was sick as a dog, but due in large part to the fact that (except for Ed), the "crew" celebrated the launch at the Ho-Jo Motel with all imaginable sorts of brew until about 4:00am with President Ed sounding the wake-up call at 6:00 for an early departure from
Warren, RI to Bay Shore by 7:00. Sporting, as did we all, a significant "overhang", I actually felt reasonably elated until we cleared Narraganset Bay and Dave Farrell started telling sea stories of his Navy days aboard submarines, which gradually sent all of us to the rails (except Ed). The best cure for seasickness is to actually be at the helm. I was given the privilege of piloting the "Patterson" through the inlet and into the berth at Bay Shore. Docking the "Patterson" was both a thrilling and terrifying moment, considering that we only had about two feet to spare and a whole lot of people watching and waiting for a mistake. Then, obviously, we went for beers at Porky's.
---Capt. Frank


JOH asks the obvious: If you were so scared that you only had two feet to spare, why didn't you just move the F.I. Flyer to another berth?

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