Death of a Sailor
Four of our friends are now sailing other seas … Good friends and good sailors all; we were blessed to have them in our lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.
Terry Lee
Jeff Nordstrom
We first met Cyndie shortly after she took possession of her Devlin-built lobster boat, Storm Petrel, several years ago. Cyndie was a member of SSSS for about four years; she didn’t often get to the Meetings, but was very active in the Women’s Sailing Group, even though her boat didn’t have a tall stick! She and Storm Petrel were one of the Toliva Shoal Race chase boats in 2012, and she was excited about participating again this year.
Cyndie loved being on the water, in her own boat or with others. She loved taking people out on her boat, talking about boats, hanging out on her boat, well, any boat, really. Cyndie helped to organize last year’s Women’s Boating Seminar, and was actively involved in this year’s organizing committee.
Her other great love was singing, and our biggest competition for her time and attention was the Anna’s Bay Choir. The Choir was invited to sing in New York City at Thanksgiving last year; Cyndie was thrilled with this great honor and was instrumental in recruiting funding so that all members of the Choir could be part of this incredible event.
We celebrate Cyndie’s life and our memories of a dynamic and very dear lady.
Micki McNaughton, The Stargazer
I met Scotty on the dock of Boston Harbor Marina four years ago. I had been aware that he was a fixture and part of the gang on the dock there for many years, bud didn’t get to know him until 2008. I was at the gas dock when he came up and asked what I was up to. When I told him I was preparing to go cruising in Canada he said, “That sounds like fun.” I asked if he wanted to go. He said yes. The rest is history.
In our time together we cruised every summer, going as far north as Port McNeill and the Broughtons, meeting Suzie and Roger Shafer in Booker Lagoon, repairing our raw water mixing elbow with soder and galvanized pipe in Alert Bay, and on every trip, stopping for a quiet layovers at Jedediah Island. Our crew usually included my dog, Abiyoyo, and friends or family, including Scotty’s grand-daughter, Rebecca for at least part of each trip. The year we decided to try racing we ended up with an invitation to the Seattle Yacht Club Regatta, where we failed to place, but did manage to complete one race before time.
When we weren’t cruising we took family on Swirl to Bell Harbor for the King Tut exhibit. We explored the reciprocals in Puget Sound. Or we traveled on land, visiting friends in Boston, Massachusetts, spending a month in the Yucatan, or house-sitting in friends beautiful home near Coquille, Oregon, camping in our little RV, named Roo.
Scotty was an honorary member of the South Sound Women’s Sailing Group and helped teach many a new woman sailor. He would stand on the after deck and watch, and if it looked like someone was at a loss about what she should be doing, he would offer a suggestion, then resume his post between the boom crutch and the backstay. Once the hook was set, he would entertain us all with charm and blarney, delivered in an irresistible Scot’s brogue.
Every day with Scotty was an adventure with new discoveries and delights … and occasional events not quite so delightful. I miss him every day, but am so grateful for the time I did have with him.
Scotty’s death came quickly and unexpectedly from an extremely aggressive cancer. He began feeling ill at Thanksgiving and died before Christmas.
I am so grateful to have had him in my life and to have been able to share my time with him with the sailing community.
Jo Sohneronne, Swirl II