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in 1998 I was in Bar Harbor Maine waiting for parts for my trusty 1982 Ford Van named Tillie when I met a man by the name of Ray Williamson while I was standing in front of a bar called Geddy's down under.

Ray was heading up from the harbor, at the bottom of the street while I was waiting for my what I thought would be my first and only performance at Geddy's. He was a salty looking character and his first 3 words to me before even saying hello were "you a sailor?" When I told him yes, from nutshell dinghies on Fort Pond in Massachusetts in 1968, to the family trimaran on Lake Winnipesaukee in 1969, to sunfish, sloops and Hobie cat's on the Gulf of Mexico in the 70s I was definitely a sailor. He said well I own three schooners, one is down in the harbor and I need a first mate starting next week on The Mercantile out of Camden. I said well, that's on the finishing opportunity but I was currently touring the Eastern United States playing music at bookstores, coffeehouses and college campuses. He grunted, unimpressed, and said well if you change your mind be in Camden next week.

He wandered up the street in search of an ice cream cone so I took the opportunity to investigate what the interesting character had just told me and walked down to the harbor to take a look. There she was, the Grace Bailey, a captains boat, 118 feet length overall with more than 80 feet of deck, at this moment teaming with passengers having what appeared to be a very good time! I was intrigued. a few minutes later I heard a chuckle from behind, and there was Ray. It's almost as if he knew exactly how this scenario was going to play out. Apparently this is the way a captain in the Schooner fleet of down East Main gets their crew each season!

Eight days later I boarded the Mercantile and spent the rest of the summer working his first mate under Capt. Steve Pixley who is now the harbormaster in Camden Maine. ( 2025)

Each week was six days aboard the Mercantile with a captive audience of as many as 30 passengers from all over the world. Then a 70 mile drive to Bar Harbor every Sunday, where many of the passengers from previous week of sailing would join me for one last night together at Geddys Down Under.

Here are some pictures of our adventures