Angus
A Boy and His Sailboat
by
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CHAPTER 1
Angus Applebee was born on July 4th to Captain Abel and Agnes Applebee in the quiet seaside town of Falmouth on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
His father Abel was a commercial fisherman and his mother Agnes ran a small store where they would sell fresh fish every day. It was their hope that when he grew up Angus would also be a fisherman.
When Angus started school the other children noticed he didn’t look like them, but that made little difference as he was smart, fun to be with and really good at sports.
When he was 10 years old his father took him for his first offshore fishing trip on their boat. Angus learned fast but the smell of fish and the rolling seas were not to his liking and he got seasick. One day while they were out fishing a beautiful sailing yacht passed them and Angus asked his father what made the sailboat move so fast and so quietly. His father answered in a harsh tone, “Don’t pay any attention to sailboats, Angus, forget about them, they are dangerous and you need to learn how to run our fishing boat.”
That night after dinner Angus was helping his mother clean dishes and he asked her why his father was so upset talking about sailboats.
His mother responded, “Your grandfather, Captain Angus Applebee, was a famous sailor who sailed a large three-masted cargo ship all over the world. When you father was young, during his summer vacations he would sail with your grandfather to different ports. The ship was old and wooden and was always having problems, but the owner would not listen to your grandfather and have these problems fixed. Then one summer, your father was to meet your grandfather in Boston for a trip to South America, but your father got measles and did not go. When your granddad’s ship was off Cape Hatteras he ran into a very bad storm and the ship broke up and your granddad and the entire crew were lost. You father never forgave the owner of the ship and would forever curse any ship with sails. He loved and missed your grandfather very much.”
Angus tried hard not to think about sailboats but one day while he was walking about on the Falmouth docks he noticed a sign for Randy Dandy’s Sailing School. He wasted no time meeting Randy and after a brief sail with him was convinced he had to learn. He did this in secret so his father would not know, but his guilt ran deep and he did tell his mother.
Early the next morning at breakfast, Angus sat with his father and mother at the table.
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About the Book
Angus was born in Falmouth, a village on Cape Cod. His father is a commercial fisherman and his mother runs their small fish store. His grandfather was the famous Captain Appleby, who sailed a large three-masted cargo schooner which was lost in a storm off Cape Hatteras.
Angus is expected to follow his father’s footsteps and become a fisherman--however, Angus has his grandfather’s love for sailing and, against his father’s wishes, he secretly takes sailing lessons. He has a dream to someday sail around the world. One day on the city dock, he meets an old sea captain who owns a small sailboat that is sinking at the dock.
Angus befriends the old man, Captain Duncan, and tells him of his dream to sail the seven seas. Captain Duncan tells him he once had the same dream – that he built the little sailboat fifty years ago, named it Echo and sailed the world. He gives Angus the little sailboat and encourages him to follow his dream. Go along with Angus on his journey, as he finds new friends, gains experience, encounters terrifying storms and eventually fulfills his dream.
About the Author
Tom Casey lives in Sarasota, Florida, with his wife Catherine. They have over thirty years’ experience representing major sailing magazines, calling on yacht builders throughout the southeastern United States and Caribbean. A private pilot, he’s also the manager for the famous Doolittle Tokyo Raiders and the author of a novel, Island Drummer.