by Bob Kranich
The Cayman Turtle Schooner, (Part 13, Excerpt 80)
This is a story, titled The Cayman Turtle Schooner. This story will tell about the forming and history of the Cayman Islands, the green sea turtle’s habits and life style, the building of a dugout canoe, and then a schooner, and lastly about the historic two-masted turtle schooner, A. M. Adams. They are about to sail their own big schooner.
When they found a good location they went into shore and built a small turtle crawl with mangrove poles. They then went out just before sunset in the two small turtle boats. They put out nets that they anchored at one end and supported with floats at the other. The turtles would come up to breathe and get tangled in the nets. Then in early morning the turtle crews would return, pull the turtles into the small boats and take a boat load of turtles to the turtle crawl. This went on for two and one half weeks.
“Well, men,” Grandpa said early one morning, “we’ve got enough turtles. I’ve never got a load of turtles in such a short time. Let’s go over to the crawl and load up.”
They sailed over to the turtle crawl. The small boats went back and forth carrying the turtles. It was a sight, the men trying to recapture the turtles. They put the turtles on their backs with wooden blocks under their heads for support and wedges against their shells to keep them from sliding around.
“Well, men our deck is full. We’ve got eighty turtles. It’s all our small schooner will hold. In the old days the big schooners I sailed on needed a couple of hundred to call it a day. Also instead of the fifty percent usually kept by the captain and boat, Parker and I have decided one third will be our share. That way you mates can share equally the rest.”
A cheer went up from the crew.
“Let’s head for home,” Grandpa said cheerfully. “John, head towards the Grand Cayman.”
“Aye, Grandpa, are we heading towards George Town?”
“Yes, we should be able to get more there for our turtles.”
“I’m sure you’re correct. It’s a good plan. That way we’ll get rid of these turtles. I’m sure we’ll all keep at least one for home. They're good eating. I can taste that turtle soup now,” John said as he smacked his lips.
They were not mistaken. The George Town people and merchants were happy to see them. The entire load sold in a few hours. While they were still tied up at the small dock preparing to sail, one of the two hands who had gone with them came up to Grandpa and Parker.
“Hi, Thomas,” Grandpa said. “I guess you and Benji will be saying goodbye since this is your island.”
“Yep, Grandpa, but I wanted to ask, if you go out again, Benji and I want to go, if you’ll let us. Also we found three mates who’ll come, if it’s just Parker and us. See them men standing at the start of the pier. It’s James, George and Edward. They're good men. I’ll vouch for them. They’ve had a lot of experience like Benji and me.”
“Thank you, kindly, Thomas. We’ll be giving you a call, and take care. God bless you,” Grandpa replied.
“Thank you, Sir, God be with you also.”
Grandma was overjoyed to see them. John and his cousin had left the wagon and dynamite at Grandpa’s just in case the ladies needed transportation, so Parker, Grandpa, and Grandma waved as the wagon passed out of sight down the old sandy Cayman Brac trail.
“Well, when are you’n going out by yourself, Parker?” Grandpa asked.
“Do you really think I can go by myself, Grandpa? Parker asked.
“Sure enough! You are into your twenties. That’s old enough,” Grandpa replied.
“Now just a minute, you two,” Grandma interjected, “Think things over.”
“Now Grandma, hold your horses. Parker wouldn’t go by himself. He would need a good first mate like Thomas who came along with us this last time. Also he would need a good crew. Thomas knows some good men and says they’re ready. Besides I just trained him, taught him everything I know.”
“Well, Grandpa, let’s take a month or so. Then I’ll be ready,” Parker answered.
Parker thought a lot about his upcoming trip. He was a little apprehensive, but he knew that he needed to get through his first experience as a captain.
“Well, Sonny, we went turtling at the start of the season, in January. It’s been almost a month. You know you have only a good month or two of the season left. What’s your plan?” Grandpa asked.
“Grandpa, I was just thinking, we need to get word to Thomas and his crew. Then we can get on our way.”
“Let’s sail one of the turtle boats down to Johns. He will be taking his big dugout down to George Town soon and can bring back Thomas and the crew. Meanwhile, we’ll stock up the Saint Sebastian for five or six weeks.”
It took about a week, but John showed up with his boat loaded with Thomas and his crew.
“Thomas, men, we’re stocked up. We just need to fill the casks with water. Thomas will be my first mate if it’s ok with you men,” Parker tried to sound captain like, but he was shaky inside.
“Yes, Sir,” the men all answered.
This made Parker feel much better, and Grandpa beamed. Parker waved to both Grandpa and Grandma as the Saint Sebastian with Thomas at the helm* slipped out through the channel with the tide.
“Captain, I took the liberty to glance at the charts. It’s due southwest if I may suggest,” Thomas spoke up.
“Thanks, Thomas, that’s fine. I guess I will have to get used to the Captain bit,” Parker replied. “Due southwest it is!”
“Aye aye, Sir,” Thomas said beaming.
This trip was uneventful, just like the one with Grandpa. The turtling seasons were two, January to March and July to September. According to Cayman tradition, there were no hurricanes during those months. The weather was normally real fine, sunny with a good breeze and only occasional squalls. A good schooner with a fair wind could make the three-hundred-mile trip to northeast Nicaragua in two to three days. A sailboat will keep on twenty-four hours a day with the men changing shift every six hours. As long as the wind blows, they keep going.
They got to the Nicaragua Miskitos Cayos Reef area and promptly set out doing the same thing they had done on the last trip. In fact the men were so enthusiastic Parker didn’t have to give many orders. The two weeks went by fast for Parker because they were so busy. It seemed the turtles were more plentiful than the last time.
“Men, it looks like we’re ready to load.”
“Captain, if I may, George has a suggestion,” Thomas said timidly.
“Speak up, George,” Parker said.
“Captain, you might consider taking our turtles up to Key West.”
“Key West! You mean the USA,” Parker asked.
“Yes, Sir, They’ve got a big crawl up there on the city docks and will pay two to three times the amount you can get in George Town,” George stated.
“What about it, Thomas?” Parker asked.
“Yes Sir, Captain. He’s right. However, we’ve got a lot of sailing to get there. You go three hundred miles up between Mexico and Cuba, and then it’s two hundred from there into Key West. There’s good winds that way this time of year. We could make it in three to four days. But Sir, you’re the captain, we’ll all support your likes.”
“Ok, men, let’s load up, and I’ll think about it,” Parker answered.
The men loaded in unusual enthusiasm and were finished by the end of the day. They were anchored eating their evening meal cooked by Edward, the designated ship’s cook.
“Men, I’ve never been to the USA. In fact this is the farthest I’ve ever been from the good old Caymans. Tell you what, let’s get on to Key West, and sell these turtles!” Parker said enthusiastically.
The Cayman Turtle Schooner, (Part 13, Excerpt 80)
This is a story, titled The Cayman Turtle Schooner. This story will tell about the forming and history of the Cayman Islands, the green sea turtle’s habits and life style, the building of a dugout canoe, and then a schooner, and lastly about the historic two-masted turtle schooner, A. M. Adams. They are about to sail their own big schooner.
When they found a good location they went into shore and built a small turtle crawl with mangrove poles. They then went out just before sunset in the two small turtle boats. They put out nets that they anchored at one end and supported with floats at the other. The turtles would come up to breathe and get tangled in the nets. Then in early morning the turtle crews would return, pull the turtles into the small boats and take a boat load of turtles to the turtle crawl. This went on for two and one half weeks.
“Well, men,” Grandpa said early one morning, “we’ve got enough turtles. I’ve never got a load of turtles in such a short time. Let’s go over to the crawl and load up.”
They sailed over to the turtle crawl. The small boats went back and forth carrying the turtles. It was a sight, the men trying to recapture the turtles. They put the turtles on their backs with wooden blocks under their heads for support and wedges against their shells to keep them from sliding around.
“Well, men our deck is full. We’ve got eighty turtles. It’s all our small schooner will hold. In the old days the big schooners I sailed on needed a couple of hundred to call it a day. Also instead of the fifty percent usually kept by the captain and boat, Parker and I have decided one third will be our share. That way you mates can share equally the rest.”
A cheer went up from the crew.
“Let’s head for home,” Grandpa said cheerfully. “John, head towards the Grand Cayman.”
“Aye, Grandpa, are we heading towards George Town?”
“Yes, we should be able to get more there for our turtles.”
“I’m sure you’re correct. It’s a good plan. That way we’ll get rid of these turtles. I’m sure we’ll all keep at least one for home. They're good eating. I can taste that turtle soup now,” John said as he smacked his lips.
They were not mistaken. The George Town people and merchants were happy to see them. The entire load sold in a few hours. While they were still tied up at the small dock preparing to sail, one of the two hands who had gone with them came up to Grandpa and Parker.
“Hi, Thomas,” Grandpa said. “I guess you and Benji will be saying goodbye since this is your island.”
“Yep, Grandpa, but I wanted to ask, if you go out again, Benji and I want to go, if you’ll let us. Also we found three mates who’ll come, if it’s just Parker and us. See them men standing at the start of the pier. It’s James, George and Edward. They're good men. I’ll vouch for them. They’ve had a lot of experience like Benji and me.”
“Thank you, kindly, Thomas. We’ll be giving you a call, and take care. God bless you,” Grandpa replied.
“Thank you, Sir, God be with you also.”
Grandma was overjoyed to see them. John and his cousin had left the wagon and dynamite at Grandpa’s just in case the ladies needed transportation, so Parker, Grandpa, and Grandma waved as the wagon passed out of sight down the old sandy Cayman Brac trail.
“Well, when are you’n going out by yourself, Parker?” Grandpa asked.
“Do you really think I can go by myself, Grandpa? Parker asked.
“Sure enough! You are into your twenties. That’s old enough,” Grandpa replied.
“Now just a minute, you two,” Grandma interjected, “Think things over.”
“Now Grandma, hold your horses. Parker wouldn’t go by himself. He would need a good first mate like Thomas who came along with us this last time. Also he would need a good crew. Thomas knows some good men and says they’re ready. Besides I just trained him, taught him everything I know.”
“Well, Grandpa, let’s take a month or so. Then I’ll be ready,” Parker answered.
Parker thought a lot about his upcoming trip. He was a little apprehensive, but he knew that he needed to get through his first experience as a captain.
“Well, Sonny, we went turtling at the start of the season, in January. It’s been almost a month. You know you have only a good month or two of the season left. What’s your plan?” Grandpa asked.
“Grandpa, I was just thinking, we need to get word to Thomas and his crew. Then we can get on our way.”
“Let’s sail one of the turtle boats down to Johns. He will be taking his big dugout down to George Town soon and can bring back Thomas and the crew. Meanwhile, we’ll stock up the Saint Sebastian for five or six weeks.”
It took about a week, but John showed up with his boat loaded with Thomas and his crew.
“Thomas, men, we’re stocked up. We just need to fill the casks with water. Thomas will be my first mate if it’s ok with you men,” Parker tried to sound captain like, but he was shaky inside.
“Yes, Sir,” the men all answered.
This made Parker feel much better, and Grandpa beamed. Parker waved to both Grandpa and Grandma as the Saint Sebastian with Thomas at the helm* slipped out through the channel with the tide.
“Captain, I took the liberty to glance at the charts. It’s due southwest if I may suggest,” Thomas spoke up.
“Thanks, Thomas, that’s fine. I guess I will have to get used to the Captain bit,” Parker replied. “Due southwest it is!”
“Aye aye, Sir,” Thomas said beaming.
This trip was uneventful, just like the one with Grandpa. The turtling seasons were two, January to March and July to September. According to Cayman tradition, there were no hurricanes during those months. The weather was normally real fine, sunny with a good breeze and only occasional squalls. A good schooner with a fair wind could make the three-hundred-mile trip to northeast Nicaragua in two to three days. A sailboat will keep on twenty-four hours a day with the men changing shift every six hours. As long as the wind blows, they keep going.
They got to the Nicaragua Miskitos Cayos Reef area and promptly set out doing the same thing they had done on the last trip. In fact the men were so enthusiastic Parker didn’t have to give many orders. The two weeks went by fast for Parker because they were so busy. It seemed the turtles were more plentiful than the last time.
“Men, it looks like we’re ready to load.”
“Captain, if I may, George has a suggestion,” Thomas said timidly.
“Speak up, George,” Parker said.
“Captain, you might consider taking our turtles up to Key West.”
“Key West! You mean the USA,” Parker asked.
“Yes, Sir, They’ve got a big crawl up there on the city docks and will pay two to three times the amount you can get in George Town,” George stated.
“What about it, Thomas?” Parker asked.
“Yes Sir, Captain. He’s right. However, we’ve got a lot of sailing to get there. You go three hundred miles up between Mexico and Cuba, and then it’s two hundred from there into Key West. There’s good winds that way this time of year. We could make it in three to four days. But Sir, you’re the captain, we’ll all support your likes.”
“Ok, men, let’s load up, and I’ll think about it,” Parker answered.
The men loaded in unusual enthusiasm and were finished by the end of the day. They were anchored eating their evening meal cooked by Edward, the designated ship’s cook.
“Men, I’ve never been to the USA. In fact this is the farthest I’ve ever been from the good old Caymans. Tell you what, let’s get on to Key West, and sell these turtles!” Parker said enthusiastically.
From the Author:
My second full-length book , Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida Online News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich
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