Chatham 300

Chatham is turning 300 this year and there are 300 days of celebrating to be had.

Last night I had the chance to feel like a superstar because I have a story and 3 photos in this book....

And at the launch for the book last night, people wanted MY autograph. Yes, mine. It was crazy.

The book is a fantastic culmination of stories from long ago, poems, photographs and an indepth schedule of all the events that will take place this year.

This is my story:

When your Dad is a fisherman, it is natural to be very comfortable on boats. The Chatham Fish Pier becomes your playground when you are young.  The fishermen all know who you are, you scamper around nets and totes and often hop on your Dad's boat while he is unloading. You have sat in the Captain's chair since you were old enough to walk and have wondered what it would be like to go out on a fishing trip. Sometimes your Dad is out overnight, sometimes he leaves after breakfast and sometimes it only takes him 4 hours to get his limit. You adjust to enjoying the time when you see your Dad and to not dwell on the times that he is out at sea. As you get older, you wonder what it would be like to be on the water fishing next to your Dad.

K was ready to go fishing with her Dad this year for a serious paid work experience. He took her to Cape Fish the day before and outfitted her with Grundens, water proof gloves and pink fishing boots. He picked her up at 5 am; 5 hours before she usually got up on sleepy summer mornings. She put on her jeans and a t-shirt and was out the door with breakfast in her hand. I found her 4 hours later at the Fish Pier with a hose, cleaning out totes and joking with the guys. Her fiery red hair was half out of her ponytail, but she could not have looked more beautiful or comfortable. 

A tourist came up to her and asked about what type of fish they had caught that day and she told him, “monk fish and skates” with a big smile on her face. She then proceeded to answer a lot more questions while sounding like she had been on the sea her whole life. Even if she had not exactly been on the sea her whole life, she certainly was well versed in fishing talk from years of listening to her Dad and his friends. For her, that first day of fishing was not about how much she got paid, but for saying that she was a fisherman just like her Dad. 

Come join in the celebration of this fabulous town!