I
guess my favourite time was during a family reunion about 4 years ago. I had hired a friend to take about 30 of us out in his boat. We showed up at the wharf with out coolers and lawn chairs to board Richard's boat for a trip to Cape Split.
For those who are not familiar with my area. The Atlantic Ocean comes up the Bay of Fundy and at the back end of that is 2 smaller bays - the tiny Bay of Chegnicto and the larger Minas Basin ( Captain James Kidd hid out up here just before he was arrested and hung in Boston) Cape Split is a dangerous and beautiful place right wee the Bay of Fundy empties into the Minas Basin giving us the worlds highest tides of about 37 meters or 111 feet. The Split itself is a very long curved piece of land with the last several miles of it sliced like a loaf of home made bread that has been chunked up.
Back to my story. We all boarded the boat ad Richard asked if I minded if he bring his wife Gloria, son David and grandson Cameron - the more the merrier I say and they cast off. It was a beautiful day in August - not a cloud in the sky and not a wave on the ocean. Richard always said that day day I was on the board he was blessed with flat water. We headed out past the islands stopping in front of the hole in Long so that those who hadn't been out before could get some shots then around to the back of it to shoot from another angle. Up along the back of the next 2 islands then out to the blue water. The Split lay 1 1/2 hours out.. People milled around taking pictures of each other , most eager to be there - some worried about being sea sick but all were good. I divided my time between taking pictures of family and being in the cabin standing on my box so I could see out over the wheel while talking to Richard. Keeping one eye on the sonar for him but he was such an experienced sailor that he rarely used it. Gloria said that she was glad I didn't mind them tagging along but it was a special day for them but refused to tell me what at the time.
As the Split got closer I was asked to tell the others to get the cameras ready and to hold on - the water gets a bit turbulent there with the waters rushing in and out at the same time - the cliffs soaring a few hundred feet in the air and jagged rocks filled with amethyst along the coast. he idled off shore then moved around so we could shoot from all sides. Richard winked and said this is for Vicki and headed out into the Bay - she wants to see water spouts and I am gonna try to find them for her and we kept going - out past Parrsboro, Cape Checnicto and Cape D'or - out further we went but never did get the chance to see the water shoot hundreds of feet in the air as though suddenly sucked up by nothing. He apologized for being unable to find any but explained how they were formed. If we didn't head back we would be stuck out here when the tide changed and would be in real big trouble. As a bonus he brought us in on the other side of the Basin - closer to the Cape's we had passed with their lighthouses perched precariously on uneven cliffs, past Isle Haute, 2 Islands and Chimney Rock. Gloria came out with several large bags of bread crusts throwing them out into the wind at the back of the boat - soon hundreds of gulls were following us hoping to catch one of the crusts. People were snapping cameras like crazy but all noise was lost in the cry of the birds.
When she had finished she asked me to come into the cabin - Richard wanted to talk to me. They closed the door - this was a private conversation. They told me the Richard had cancer and was dying - this was to be his last trip out on the water and he wanted it to be with me and his family. They had told him he wouldn't see Christmas. As tears slid down my face I thanked him for an amazing day. Our 3 hour boat trip had lasted more than 4 1/2 hours and we returned to the wharf in low water - just able to get in safely.
Richard put the boat up for sale the next day. I started writing Ghost on the Island about 2 1/2 months after that and wrote him in as the Captain. About the 2nd week in December I went to visit them and took the first 20 chapters of the book down for him to read. We sat and talked for a bit then he grew tired and had to be put to bed. The 20th of the month Gloria called and asked me if I had finished it - Richard had enjoyed the first so much he wanted to be able to read the last before he died. I had it bound and delivered on the 22nd. Gloria called me on December 27th. Richard had passed away but lived long enough for them to read him the last of the book. he said now I can die happy and Thank you. I went to his funeral with copies of the book for his children. It had been requested. Richard lives on in 2 more books in that series and will live on forever in my heart. He now sails on a much bigger sea. Rest in Peace Richard Lewis.
