Page 35 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2015

OPPOSITE PAGE: Captain Ron at the helm of a Biloxi Schooner. TOP: A SUNSET CRUISE on a replica schooner. BOTTOM LEFT: THE BEAUTIFUL schooner pier. BOTTOM RIGHT: Captain Ron is
up in the rigging. FAR RIGHT: A Biloxi Schooner at the dock.
the rigorous maintenance schedule
he maintains, he takes charters and walk-on customers for tours along the Mississippi Coast. These tours depart from the schooner pier, run down
the Biloxi channel, then out into the beautiful Mississippi Sound.
Captain Ron’s love affair with boats has been a lifelong endeavor. He’s
a trained engineer and has worked in the marine industry for many years. He left the Midwest at age 50 to pursue his dream of living aboard a sailboat. He achieved that dream and spent years cruising the Gulf
of Mexico. He survived a terrifying
accident when the boat he was navigating began to sink at 3 a.m. one night. It was a long night trying to save the boat and keep the crew safe. The boat was lost, but the crew was saved, primarily due to his nautical skills.
In Biloxi, the two schooners that
are Captain Ron’s responsibility are part of a dwindling fleet that once numbered in the thousands. They were the work horses of the local fishing industry, and were used to haul lumber and other cargo all over the world. The Glenn L. Swetman and the Judge Sekul are the only replica
schooners on Mississippi’s Coast and their historical value is immense.
Captain Ron doesn’t live on his sail boat anymore, but does spend most of his time on the water, working on the museum schooners and sailing. Saying he’s a rigorous man at age 84 is an understatement. The responsibilities he shoulders would stagger a man of lesser skill and stamina. Next time
you drive by the schooner pier on Highway 90, take a look at who is
20 feet off the ground, mending a sticky block on one of the schooners. Remember the old saying, wooden boats and iron men?
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net
November 2015 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 35
Biloxi Schooner Tours
Walk-on schedule available. Group charters:
2.5 hours, max. 20 guests;
half day, max. 44 guests;
full day, max. 44 guests Refreshments are allowed;
rubber sole or deck shoes required Location: Schooner Pier Complex, 367 Beach Blvd., Biloxi 228.435.6320 schooner@maritimemuseum.org www.maritimemuseum.org