Eddie and I met in 1966 at LaSalle, MI at a Shark Catamaran regatta there and became instance friends. We often traveled caravan style to regattas.
And he was one tough competitor.
He left the Shark Class and jumped into monomarans and kicked some serious butt, winning a number of Mac Races.
He has been sailing Wayfarers at Lake Eustis for a number of years in his old age.
But, yesterday one of his best buddies over the years called with the bad news that Eddie had passed on.
To Eddie I offer this
Sailor’s Prayer
by Charles D. Williams
Sailors pray,
for fair winds and a following sea
The smell of salt in the air
The feel of their skin as it’s touched by the spray
An albatross soaring above,
Dolphins in the ship’s wake at play
To witness a work of art that only God can create,
The sunset at the end of day
At night a million stars in the sky,
Safe anchorage in an island lee
When the time comes to die as for all it must,
To awake in Sailors Heaven where nothing ever rusts
And always there would be
Fair winds and a following sea.
With the Wildcat Regatta at Lake Eustis starting today, it might be fitting to have a moment of silence for Eddie. I believe he was one of the people responsible for the founding of the club there on the north side of the lake.
He was a very active member there and always pitched in to help the cat races.
RIP