Seaworthy (30 page)

As for me, I'm fishing a few lobster traps, doing some boat charters in conjunction with the Inn at Isle au Haut, starting up a herring-seining business with some fishing buddies—Omega Four, Inc.—and sharing a home and guidance with the seventeen-year-old and beautiful Sarai. In my free time I roam the island with my nephews Aubrey and Addison and my friend Simon.

My scrape with the Canadian authorities finally came to a conclusion on May 25, seven months after I got busted. I traveled to Newfoundland to stand trial with great confidence that my “due diligence” defense afforded me by Canadian law would clear my good name. But no one facing these particular charges in Canada has ever been acquitted, and I was not to be the first. My sentence was a fine of thirty-five thousand dollars plus our catch. I have always paid for my indiscretions, but this one was a little more costly than most. My detractors accuse me of intentionally crossing the line for publicity or for a book opportunity, to which I say bullshit—not my style. It happened. I have now written about it. So call me a pragmatist. But don't call me an opportunist.

The combination of a shaky boat, lack of gear and electronics, the worst economy ever, poor decision making on behalf of my boss, and a rusty captain proved to be lethal on payday, which came nine months after we disembarked from our beloved ship. The settlement sheet shows a personal debit of $787, a number that puts an exclamation point at the end of my fifty-two-day epic disaster. In hindsight I realize that I was naïve in my eagerness to get back into the business of swordfishing. I do have standards—even if they're low—and I owe it to my crew in the future to see that some minimum demands are met. Did I say future? I guess not everything has changed in my time ashore. . . .

So when Archie called, I rose to the bait. It looks like I'll be heading out to sea again. I guess I find it impossible to say no when somebody says, “Let's go fishing!”

I am excited and proud and, yes, grateful for this new venture with Viking Penguin. Thanks to so many people for taking a leap of faith and signing me on. To name a few: Clare Ferraro, Carolyn Coleburn, Louise Braverman, Nancy Sheppard, Bruce Giffords, Maggie Riggs—and, of course, my editor, Wendy Wolf.

Thanks once again to my literary agent, Stuart Krichevsky, for his guidance and patience throughout. Thanks also to Shana Cohen and Kathryne Wick of the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency for their help in so many areas.

Special thanks to Will Schwalbe, who agreed to be my “editor for life.”

Thanks to my friends Dr. and Mrs. David Bahnson for help in proofreading.

Thanks to Jim Budi and Malcolm MacLean for the opportunity to captain the mighty
Seahawk
. Thanks also to Tom Beers and the crew at Original Productions and the Discovery Channel for making this trip possible.

I send great and many thanks to my friends and family, whose moral support, encouragement, and love mean so much.