The Outer Banks Sea Gypsies

This story of adventure is of the last days of the cargo sailing schooners that carried freight to all ports of the world. Captain Fickett’s son, Ron is swept overboard, to drift ashore on the desolate Outer Banks of North Carolina. The ship is wrecked, later several miles below Cape Hatteras (The Graveyard of the Atlantic). The captain is murdered as he tries to get ashore. Johnny Mapp, one of the many squatters, remnants of Sir Walter Raleigh’s Lost Colony, sees the murder. He was worried of being implicated should an investigation begin. He uses the ship tool chest loot and his share of the lumber cargo to build a raft houseboat. He liked the simple way of life here on this barrier of ocean side sand with oak trees and myrtle bushes. Johnny, with his family leaves it all behind; they have adventure and learning to do as the raft moves south. The young daughter is kidnapped by hard case rum runners from Cuba; to sell to the White Slave Market. She escapes her abusers, and adapts to the roll of a mute, “Tiar of the Street Kids”. She does what is necessary to stay alive, hoping to get back to her family, somewhere along the waterway. Now the young girl is with child; she wants to go home and see her mother. She has acquired the carnal knowledge of a Havana Whore. Some good luck comes her way. She hears of a plot to kill an old sea dog for his small sailing yacht. She saves the old captain’s life and he rewards her by sailing her home to her mother, to care for and raise the boy child. Cissy becomes “Queen Tiar” of the Rum Runners. She returns to her mother at the “Pink Plantation” that she bought with her captor’s money to live with her family. This is her story too. Ron hears the truth of his father’s murder from Johnny Mapp, he gets revenge and justice. The waves roll up and down the sand at the Outer Banks as it has done, and will do, forever more. About the Author I was born near a lighthouse far out at sea on January 20, 1913. I must have heard the ocean roar and heard it pounding on the shore. My eyes first opened up to see a giant of a wave that soared right up to the tower door; and I had yet to see the floor. Eight summer’s came and with it a big three mast schooner came also. It was anchored outside of the twelve mile limit zone; Prohibition was the name of the game. The liquor was off loaded to the motor boats that were to get it to the land. I was at the tiller, far at sea and my father was out from sampling the tea. I was the youngest rum runner of them all. At fifteen and sixteen the summers just flew. My father took me with him for his crew as a sailor on a motor cruiser and then on a yawl sailing yacht. I decided that I would follow in my father’s footsteps and be a seafaring man. I was Captain Kelley at seventeen; on a New York Club thirty foot, sail sloop. There was no power other than sail; “BLACK PHANTOM” was her name. Now I needed all that I could earn to support a pretty nineteen year old wife and home. October 27, 1931 we married and bought some property in Milbridge, Maine. Vera Alley Kelley and I had three children and were married for sixty five wonderful and memorable years. My 2nd World War, (I had been on Boon Island for World War one) I worked as a rigger at the Boston Navy Yard during the attack on Pearl Harbor; December 7, 1941. My first three days were spent replacing a stay on the foremast of “OLD IRONSIDES” the U. S. S. Constitution. A Liberty Ship yard was built at South Portland, Maine. I managed to get my release from the Navy Yard. At South Portland’s West yard as a “pusher rigger” I helped build the ships and I was on board every launching as they slid into the bay. I steered for Captain Litchfield at any and all of the harbor trial test runs. I bought an older sixty foot yacht, with screens and soft bunks for our beds. I renamed her “EASTERN STAR” and ran charter parties up and down the Connecticut River. Combustion Engineering was a fine company to work for until the Union spoiled it all. I had worked there over eight years. I retired myself again to move south to North Carolina to enjoy my boat longer than a few summer months. I developed a small marine railway yard of my own. I was at home at Harkers Island near the Outer Banks of N.C., when I got an interesting call. The “BIG BAD JOHN” had hit her propellers at a long sand creeping shoal in the waterway. I was recommended to Jimmy Dean as the right licensed captain to pilot her to Florida. Jimmy Dean said, “Take her over”! I was hired by Luther and Misses Blount to captain the “M. V. MOUNT HOPE” for the smooth water cruises from Warren, Rhode Island to Canada. My last cruise on the so called “Mini Love Boat” was through the Cape Cod Canal and on to Maine. The forty five foot ketch the “FROLIC”, I bought for my own. The “FROLIC” was berthed at Morehead City close to my home. An offer to buy my “FROLIC” came. I sold the boat and bought a mobile home at Edgewater, Fla. on the waterway. Golf and shuffling were fun for a while; I won trophies and some money too. I left there and went to the Palms in Sebring, Florida, a retirement home. I did most of my writing here as I had time on my hands to spare. Then a few years later I lost my wife that had been with me for 65 wonderful years. I had my grandson pick me up from Sebring and move me to Newport, North Carolina where I could be with my son Bob Kelley and his family. I have enjoyed being at the Crystal Coast for the nice scenery and fair weather. I have been going to the car races that my grandson Big Jim Kelley drives the # K7 car in and he has been very successful in winning 20 championships and nearly 200 feature wins. With four generations still around the Kelley name will be around for a long time to come. I have been writing of my experiences that I have had in my wonderful lifetime. I have many tales to tell; why should I not write some books, if only to see if I can set a hook. Capt. Gardner M. Kelley Now 98 years old, and going strong, 6-5-2011 The two mast schooner “ROBERT W” her hailing port of “Down East” Rockland, Maine was tacking back and forth because of a head wind. Her deck and holds were filled with spruce and soft pine lumber; she was heavily loaded. The cargo had been loaded at Machias, Maine for delivery to Charleston, South Carolina. The vessel had sailed into heavy weather which made for tuff going. The father and son crew were wore out and very tired. In this year of 1923 the freighter steam ships had taken over most of the shipping by sea. The time of sailing schooner cargo carriers were almost past, a few family owned coasters, now forced to sail shorthanded to save paying wages to a crew. The loads of cargo now were few and far between for the last of the coasters. With fair wind, one of the men was usually able to rest, four hours steering and then fours to rest and sleep.