Page 107 - From Visits with Capt. Michael Tobin Coastal & Gulf Ferry Captain, Ret'd

ISSUE : Issue 73

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1998/6/1

I left quite a few--I think it was twenty or something we left be? hind. Couldn't take them. (You couldn't do it.) Oh, no, break? ing the certificate, see, to go over the complement. (There must have been occasions with a crew....) Well, I had to fire some, you know. I didn't fire very many, but I think I had to fire two or three--drinking, and stuff like that. But you had to fire them--you had to sign them off, you know. If you don't --if you let that kind of stuff go, you'll be in trouble before a very short time. 'Cause if one gets away with it, the next one'11 do the same thing.... M.V. Marine Atlantica at Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland I made a rule: I never took a drink on the ship--while I was on the ship. Even the president was aboard and asked me to have a drink. I said, "No. Not that I don't drink, now. But," I said, "I've made it a practice that I never take a drink while I'm on the ship. Because then nobody will have anything on you." Well, the first trip I made up the South Coast, when I was master--that was just the first trip I was master--I went in English Harbour West. And two of the skippers of a schooner there came aboard with a bottle of rum. Came up in the room, they sat down, they said, "Have you got a couple of glass? es?" I said, "Yeah." So I brought them out the glasses. "Here: help yourself." Big bottle of rum. I said. "No, I don't drink on the ship." They had a drink between them. I never saw them after. They never came back. But if I took a drink with them, they'd say, "We were aboard, now, and had a great time with the skipper...." Well, I left Ramea one time, and I was go? ing over to Burgeo. And they only had one ring bolt in the rock for the stern line. There was a big sea on; it was bad--gale The first choice for fine food and lodging on the Cabot Trail THE MUSIC IS UNIQUE: -Fiddle Music every night 7-10 p.m. 'And Three Fiddler Concert/Ceilidh/Dance every week (summer:Wednesday • spring/falhFriday). THE FOOD IS SUPERB: 'Dining room 6-9 p.m. (reservations suggested) -And Fiddlers Barn B-BQ Family Restaurant 6-9 p.m. (July/August). THE SETTING IS CLASSIC. And you don't have to be a guest of the Inn to eiyoy a Normaway evening. THE NORMAWAY INN 902-248-2987 or 1-800-565-9463 of southeast wind, snow squalls, with snow. But I left. And I got halfway across to Burgeo, and I said, "I'm not going in there tonight and hang onto that ring bolt. I'll go up in White Bear Bay." Nobody lived up there. So I went up. And there was about six inches of ice there. I drove her up through the ice and just stopped the engines. I said, "Now we'll have a nice rest here. Tomorrow may be better." The chief engineer came up and he said. Ultra Modern Vinyl SALES LTD. Over 25 Years of Experience SERVING ALL OF CAPE BRETON Windows • Siding • Roofing Complete Renovations for all your HOME IMPROVEMENT NEEDS Call Today for an 564-0025 Showroom at 803 Grand Lake Road (across from Mayflower Mall)

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