Happy 80th to Ogima

In 1985 my grandfather – Stan Garber – gave me their 1937 20ft Seabird which he had wrecked in the late 70s and couldn’t sell. I was 15 and upset he was trying to sell it, so he gave it to me. When I was 24, thanks to 3 years at Ethicon Endo-Surgery and its magical surgical tools I was able to sell, I found a gifted boat builder – Vic Carpenter – to bring it back to life at a price I could afford. His wife Hazel did all of the interior work by hand too, I found out later.

In 1996 Ogima hit the water for the first time in 17 years – my grandfather died that May but I was able to share pictures with him before he passed.

This year Ogima turned 80. Here she is just last weekend… heading over to the Adams for our daily sauna ritual in Pointe au Baril.

A lot of boats these days have an almost superficial feel to them… though I will admit I love most boats, even the fanciest ones. Ogima is special though… she takes you back, she causes you to contemplate the passage of time, she isn’t easy and yet she’s a pleasure even in her hardest moments. I’m so grateful to my Grandfather for so simply passing her onto me. I always think of him, but even more so my Grandmother who was the one who drove Ogima more than anyone.

Feeling grateful.