This wonderful wooden schooner has been a part of our enjoyment of Provincetown until it was basically held for ransom in Key West two winters ago. It was not in Ptown in 2010 and is not there this summer.
The soul of the ship is Captain Kevin, a former school teacher who has the Irish gift of gab. His commentary while aboard is always interesting, informative and entertaining. While out for a sail, passengers can help hoist the sails or steer the boat, or just relax and have a good time. Dogs are always welcome.
The story of the Hindu would make a great novel or movie, especially when embellished by the tidbits that Captain Kevin relates. I was especially touched by a gay love story the Captain told on a sail a few years ago, which I tried to retell in a previous post HERE but will reprint here:Here is one story as told by Captain Kevin:
Back in the early seventies two young guys hitchhiked to PTown from Minnesota. They had nowhere to stay, so were sleeping under a dock. (This was the seventies and PTown was a very seventies kind of place.) It was early in the season and he Hindu was in port with a Help Wanted sign.
One of the two applied for and was hired for the job as first mate. The Captain realized that he needed someone on the wharf to sell tickets and mentioned the fact to the first mate. The kid told the Captain about his friend “who would be just the person for the job”, so the Captain hired the other young man. In the course of things it was revealed that the guys were living under the dock so the Captain unhesitatingly offered the guys living quarters on board the Hindu where they lived all summer.
They returned to Minnesota at the end of the season to pursue their lives and careers. A few years ago they returned to PTown for the first time in nearly thirty years. When they unexpectedly spotted the Hindu, which they assumed was long gone, they both began running down the pier to the boat with tears in heir eyes.
They told their story to Captain Kevin and were invited aboard to see the newly restored schooner – the boat that they had lived on during their first summer together. To hear the Captain tell the story, you knew it would make a great movie.
But the Captain tells it so much better.
2 comments:
What a great story.
I just love those tall ships. Great story. That's the first and last time I was up there in Ptown the late 70's. I've got to get back there some day.
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