T&T: Skipper Bob

[Peggy Carr]

In the fall of 2001 Hans and I were in the final stages of finding and 
buying our trawler, a 1986 Albin 43. What an exciting and scary time! 
Not only was it a lot of money, but it was a lo-o-o-n-ng way away! It 
was in Florida, al-l-lll the way down in West Palm Beach, and we had to 
get it al-l-lll the way back up to Kent Narrows in the middle of 
Chesapeake Bay. Whew! We had cruised our local waters in smaller boats, 
but to think of hanging out there all by ourselves for all of those 1200 
miles was overwhelming.
By the time the sale took place in January of 2002 I was in contact with 
Skipper Bob. My first note to him was short -- he was after all "a 
famous person" and while I definitely had questions about that trip I 
didn't want to "bother him." We had no concept of how fast we could do 
the trip, we just knew that we wanted to get the boat "home" as quickly 
as possible.
"Oh, NO," he said, "take your time! Why are you in such a hurry? It's a 
wonderful trip, ENJOY it!"
We exchanged e-mails over the next month, and by the time we left the 
dock in West Palm Beach, Hans and I had several of Bob's INVALUABLE 
books, and felt as if we had a kind, generous, and very knowledgeable 
guardian angel along with us for the voyage. Bob had not only encouraged 
and convinced us to "take it slow," but he had also helped us to feel as 
if we could do it.
His gifts to the boating community were not only in his knowledge, 
research, experience, and his incredibly detailed and well-thought-out 
books. His gifts to us (and I am sure to many, many other boaters) 
include his warm encouragement to take the trip but to slow down and 
enjoy it; his humorous assurance that we've "all been in the same boat" 
in these quirky or wonderful experiences on the water; and in knowing 
that his support and encouragement will continue with us for as long as 
we are boaters.

Peggy and Hans Bjarno
"Aqua Vitae"
1986 Albin 43
Kent Narrows, Maryland