THAT FATEFUL DAY
THE BOAT THAT SAVED MY LIFE
The day begins on a cold, blustery, February morning in 2002 on the Falmouth Harbor pier of Patriot Party Boats. I was anxiously awaiting the early morning departure of the ferry M/V QUICK WATER. The QUICK WATER is a small, fast, able vessel, known as the Vineyard Shuttle. She carries light freight and workers commuting to and from the island for day work. She also carries the Boston Globe 365 days a year, bringing the news to the many Islanders that love to read the paper edition. Unlike the Steamship Authority ferries out of Woods Hole, QUICK WATER runs daily no matter the weather. She will also make emergency trips on call 24/7.
The passage across Nantucket Sound was bumpy, the salt spray coming over the bow had that familiar, distinct smell, feel and taste. It had been years since I lived in Edgartown, setting hooks for cod in the winter months out of Menemsha Harbor in Chilmark. In the summer months it was shellfishing in the many Great Salt Ponds of Edgartown, with an occasional trip to Georges Bank for sea scallops.
Standing alone on the deck outside, I couldn't help thinking of how things had changed in the two years that had passed since I left the island to attend Fisher College in Framingham, MA. I left the island unemployed, broke and homeless to attend college under a government sponsored Fishermen's Retraining Program. The government paid tuition only. I felt like a fish out of water when I left Martha's Vineyard my home for over thirty years. Now here I am returning foot loose, fancy free, with a degree in law, and a pocketful of money. It occurred to me what good is money without "A Way of Life"?
A DEDICATED VETERANS SERVICE VESSEL
OUR MISSION
The mission of of S/V PAVITI TERN Preservation Trust is to provide our Dedicated Veterans Service Vessel free of charge to help our heroes heal their trauma with the help of mother ocean. S/V PAVITI TERN is but one small sea -going vessel launched in 1938. She can take six veterans day sailing or three veterans for week-long cruises to the Cape & Islands in the summer months. Once properly equipped, she can continue with passages to the West Indies in the winter months with three veterans onboard enjoying life on her anchor.
HELP OUR VETERANS
SUPPORT OUR ALLIES
The United States of America is the richest, most powerful country in the history of planet earth, yet we are unable to prevent twenty-two veterans from committing suicide every single day of the year. Since the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11, in excess of one hundred thousand veterans have committed suicide with no end in sight. Why is it we are able to prepare these men and women for battle yet after they win the battle, we are unable to figure out why they take their own lives? Our goal as a non-profit is to devote all our resources in helping to stem the tide of suicide amongst our heroes.
S/V PAVITI TERN attracts attention wherever she travels. With our veterans aboard we intend to take this attention and enlist water-based businesses as Provisional Veterans Service Vessels. These businesses will provide provisional water-based experiences to veterans in exchange for a charitable tax deductions from our supporting charties.
As a Dedicated Veterans Service Vessel we will work to enlist local marine businesses to help our non-profit maintain S/V PAVITI TERN for future generations of service to veterans.
Save a Life, One Sail at a Time Become a volunteer member of our non profit
20 years ago, a disabled veteran restored this one of a kind wooden sailboat, and in doing so, she saved his life. Now, her preservation trust seeks up to 10 members for our volunteer Steering Committee. If you want to oversee the maintenance and preservation of this historic vessel as well as share her gift with veterans for generations to come please join us? Let us know your field of expertise. Your help and guidance will allow her to continue the mission of offering veterans the opportunity to sail free of charge on the historic vessel for many years to come.