A bit overcast this morning, which sets the mood of the harbor fairly well. Yesterday, shortly after hearing him chime in helpfully on the morning’s Net (our daily VHF Cruiser’s Net/local info session), we learned that the unofficial mayor/commodore/harbor master of Hope Town died. He was found in his dinghy with the engine running, and I’m assuming heart attack but do not know for sure. Will was a staple in Hope Town, living aboard his sailboat Antares here in the harbor, and until we laid eyes or ears on him upon arrival, we never really felt like we were ‘here’ yet. (Last year they skipped their first winter in the Abacos in decades to stay in Maryland, and it did NOT feel right, much akin to this morning.)
Will and his wife Muffin (and their ‘little dog Sophie’, as he signed on with every day) were/are (how do I convey this now, again?) characters. Will and Muffin each have/had their own dinghy, which I always thought was brilliant. No need for coordination throughout the day, simply one tied to port and one to starboard and do what you need to do when you need to do it. He preferred the standing-up putt-putt, so always had a tiller extension and a fixed post of some sort for his non-steering hand. He ran the Net most mornings, with humor and patience, and he loved entertaining any boater kid who had a good joke for the listeners (although he’d Dad-groan if they deserved it). He would come boat to boat on trash days to help out newcomers or those who didn’t have their you-know-what together in time to get to the ‘Sunshine Freight Dock’ before the truck left, he could recommend any person or business for any fix or boater’s need, he apparently was a great dinghy racer, and he was always ALWAYS wearing a white tee shirt and sporting his amazing mustache. We Chickadeeans affectionately referred to him as The Lorax, since he had a passing resemblance with his ‘stache, but also because he had a great little whistle when he spoke, and he was certainly a man of justice and oversight in his unofficial role of taking care of his beloved Hope Town Harbor.
Our hearts are with Muffin and Sophie, and this harbor is certainly in mourning for the loss. Fair winds and following seas, Will.
