I’ll never forget it. The first crack of lightning ended the snoring, resurrecting my uncle from his slumber and into instant alertness. He glanced out at the approaching storm and froze as if something from the deepest part of his skull had come back to haunt him. In a trice, rain appeared, pelting us with stinging droplets. I glanced out to see what he was … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: July 2020
Despite the beauty of Rum Cay that lay before us, we could not ignore Mother Nature and her abrupt changes as there was a noticeable shift with the winds. The dark night had overtaken the island and became pitch black and blacker with each passing minute. Without warning, the winds became tangible, with a chill. My uncle asked for rum. I took a quick sip … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: June 2020
Across from us lay a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean as far as I could see. The ripples lapping the shoreline were crystal clear as if made of liquid glass. I saw through the water, past some fish, and to the sea bed. The air felt thick and fresh, almost tangible. “Let’s hope developers don’t kill this island,” I said, unsolicited. My uncle and … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: March 2020
I was excited to get this adventure started, when I heard Peter explain cheeseburgers were called for before heading back. He had to get the big broad back to Chalk’s and would return as soon as he could. My uncle and I didn’t blink an eye, as we knew the drill, but cheeseburgers first! We walked the short distance to Port Nelson, where to my … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: February 2020
The pitch in the sound of the engines changed. There was the gut feeling in the seat of my pants that we were dropping and coming in for landing. A glance out the window revealed the usual tropical landscape followed by clear turquoise ocean with waves crashing onto a beach. The big seaplane banked hard to the right and leveled off, going inland. Acres of … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: January 2020
Such is the power of a woman that is able to distract a pirate from his adventures. Besides being so naive and innocent, I had absolutely no idea what to say. Her name was Julie and she was a redhead sitting next to me. The steady drumming of the twin radial engines could be heard like a tribal chant as whatever conversation we had been … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: December 2019
Three blondes and a redhead boarded the plane and found themselves a row of seats, but it was the redhead that got my attention. Her old-world beauty and elegance demanded a glance. The three pretty blondes were the college types, summer vacationing in the Bahamas. As pretty as they all were, the mature redhead had an allure that made me forget all about everything. My … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: November 2019
I prefer a pirate’s prerogative as the only way to travel, I thought upon learning Nassau was fast approaching. The memory I have flying in that seaplane exists even today, as I can recall the sensations I felt as a young teenager. My feet planted on the cabin floor with no seatbelts as I glanced out the window. My eyes scanning the turquoise ocean with … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: October 2019
“When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity.” – Albert Einstein, explaining his Theory of Relativity. And those were my feelings halfway through the summer of 1985 with my uncle and friends. Like courting the nice girl, everything felt like seconds you couldn’t contain. But … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: September 2019
The scent of gas and oil permeated the air, and yes, I inhaled. There was no better high than Avgas and oil when it came to old seaplanes. She was a large white Grumman HU-16 Albatross with blue stripes along the fuselage. “Chalk’s” in bold blue lettering ran along the vertical stabilizer. A classic aluminum beauty floating on the beach before my very eyes. As … Continue reading Adventures of a Modern Pirate: August 2019
