Today my grandfather, David Bent Barker, passed away. He is what I would consider a true Mariner. Throughout his life time, he owned several boats…here is a small list. His first boat was a Beetle Cat. Next was a Herreshoff 12 1/2, W.L. Warner 20″, Shaw 24 Yawl, C&C 27, C&C 35, Pearson 365 ketch, Shannon Brendan 28, and a Morris Linda 28 (this boat is extra special, as my dad is now the owner of this boat), all of which were put to great use. Of course, he also had the fun toys such as Lasers, Dyers etc…
“Grunka” as all of his grandchildren call him, is in fact the whole reason I developed a love for the ocean at a young age. Our family spent many summers together sailing and simply enjoying the coast of New England together. Grunka will be deeply missed, but I am truly blessed to have shared so many wonderful maritime memories with such a “salty” man.
I must admit, it has been a rough day in the Caribbean for me. I know, it’s the Caribbean blah blah blah, but these are the times that I miss my family the most. Being on the ocean, has been a constant reminder that he is no longer with us. He loved following our adventures on this blog, and truly enjoyed getting each and every update from Jon and I. He sailed in the Caribbean waters himself, so it was fun way for us to connect with one another. I know that he is still following us in his own way…and always will be.
Today, more than ever, I am so happy that Jon and I chose this career path. Life is too short. Jon and I enjoy every moment we spend together on the ocean, and we love to share our experiences with the great people we meet week in and week out. We are so fortunate to have friends and family that support us in this sometimes crazy lifestyle. Thank you to everyone who has helped shape this dream of ours! Love to the Barker family. Grunka, I will continue to think of you everyday on this beautiful ocean.
Kait