An Angry Sea

Back in the early and mid forties there was very little communication about the weather such as we have this day and time.  If you happened to get caught in a storm while fishing at sea you just had to ride it out.  I’ve always thought that a boat was an extension of my husband’s body.  He was totally at home at the helm of a boat at sea.

But I believe even though it was a natural thing to him, it was also due to the fact that he had the very best teachers while he was growing up.  On one occasion he had been ice fishing again with his Uncle’s. 

They had gone out deep sea fishing for grouper.  Long story short when they headed back in to shore they got caught in a small storm and later discovered when they made it back to shore it was a small hurricane with 78 mph. winds.  

Chuck had the distinct privilege, and benefit of watching his Uncle Bum’s expertise at manning the helm during the rough ride.  Chuck said “I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.

A Boat On An Angry Sea 

His intense concentration, reading the wind and the sea, anticipating how to answer to the helm, and holding the boat into the sea at just the right angle, and at the same time working the throttle back and forth holding it at the just right speed to meet each gigantic wave, and then easing her down in the trough, only to climb the next one. 

And as scarred as I was, it was awesome to watch him at work.  And no one aboard even gave a thought about taking the helm from him.”

Leotis, Bum, Odie Boy Collins

“Odie Boy, seemed to be gifted in that area, and the other thing he seemed to be gifted in was finding the bodies of fishermen and others whose bodies had wound up overboard for one reason or another. 

He just had a knack for it.  And neither he nor anyone else could ever explain it.  They might drag the bottom for days in search of a lost body and not find them.  But when Bum came on the scene he would find them in one or two passes.  He was so consistent it was almost spooky!”