His trips to the island were becoming fewer and further in between. At ninety three his body was failing him to Parkinsons. Last June he came to coffee shop and asked AW to introduce me. I sat beside him and he asked me about my first visit to the island. Why E and I chose to live here full time. He knew my father in law well. He wasn’t surprised by our decision, but wanted to hear it in my own words.

He was the man who envisioned this island as a retreat for boaters. He was responsible for its development. We all owe him a debt of gratitude. It was his vision which preserved the essence of the island. He didn’t carve it into lots to maximize profit or to a rigid graph of 100 foot widths. Lots were divided to maintain the natural beauty while providing each with a solid building site. Each lot with its featured highlight. For one it may be its low bank beach access, another its access to deep water moorage or perhaps a towering view of the Cut….

The December morning in 1941 after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour he went down to the naval base at Dead Mans Island to enlist. He was twenty years old and when he arrived there was a line around the sea wall. His first task as a young naval recruit was to transport supplies by ship from a naval base at the Capitol to a base up island…. There were two of them with two different boats… They couldn’t make it in one day so stopped half way to spend the night at the Cove on our island.

That day in 1941 he fell in love with the island. Dreaming one day he would live here.  In 1965 he and his partners bought the island. He told me one of the partners, in return for fronting his share of the money was offered the best lot, his choice… He brought a surveyor and geologist and they walked the island. It was the lot we now own that he chose.

I can’t remember the details about the ships they brought up in 41 and know nothing of the process of island development. I thought I would have other times to hear his story. I wish I had taken notes. He is gone now and will be terribly missed. His stewardship of this island is his legacy.

He told me that he knew my father in law would be proud of our decision. He told me that he trusted we would be happy here, for we all shared

the same dream