Author: John Stark

The two old friends from Waynedale met at the Key West Marina and the Captain was chomping at the bit to get underway. No mention was made of hurricane season because the chop, big waves and storm clouds said it all. In the years these two friends ... Read more

Shark Boy was up early, on Saturday it was the day of the town rally and he still had some loose ends to secure. Jini and Aura were sleeping when he descended into Jessie’s boat and headed for Henley Key. In order for the shark to enter Cruz ... Read more

Shark Boy’s flight from Miami International back to St. Thomas Airport was almost the reverse course of the one him and his Dad sailed two months earlier. The big difference of course was the time element. Their trip north by sailboat ... Read more

As darkness covered the earth Dave saw the lights of Miami International appear in the distance. His Dad was fast asleep so Dave let him sleep. Jesse’s pilot came on the intercom and said to fasten their seat belts because he was beginning ... Read more

Early Monday morning the sun rose over Key West and it was another magnificent day with snow-white cumulous clouds billowing above. Dave’s Dad woke him and asked him to get ready for their flight out of Key West–Jesse’s ... Read more

After the union boss told the same story twice at Sloppy Joe’s, Dave excused himself and walked back to their beach house. It was hot and he was sitting on the porch when a raven-haired, brown-eyed beauty rode up on her bicycle. Although ... Read more

The delay at Key West went from bad to worse when the Captain discovered a deep crack in his aluminum mast. Most of the lesser stress cracks were near the masthead, or the mast step, but the worst one was at the top spreader. ... Read more

The sun was giving birth to a new day when the breeze transformed into a blow from the east, a rare and magnificent gift from the gods of the seas. Aura took the helm and started the diesel while Dave scrambled forward to hoist the anchor. The new ... Read more

The Flying Circus surged forward, the wind was steady and it seemed she never met a wave she didn’t like. They were far enough offshore to avoid the reefs, but not far enough to be effected by the north flowing gulfstream. Dave was searching ... Read more

Aura’s plane landed at Miami International Airport where she called Enzo as it taxied towards her gate. Before she could retrieve her luggage Enzo was there and their reunion bordered on being a public spectacle. One elderly lady was ... Read more

Big Jesse’s company plane landed and taxied to the re-fueling area. It was easy to tell his plane from the others because it was painted in the University of Kentucky’s blue and white color scheme with 2012, NCAA Champions, boldly ... Read more

Dave’s aunt was glad to see them and, of course, the warm feeling was mutual and they continued to chat until the captain changed the subject by asking if she had a moving dolly? She did not, so Dave and his Dad lugged the 5 wooden boxes, one ... Read more

Dave and his dad decided to pass on lunch, but they did stop and use a pay phone to call the captain’s old friend at Sotheby’s Auction House in NY City. She agreed to take the next plane to Sanibel Island. Little was said on the telephone ... Read more

“Pop, wake up,” exclaimed Dave, “We’re headed into the Port of Fort Lauderdale.” ... Read more

When Dave awoke and rubbed the sleep from his eyes he realized that he had overslept. He scrambled on deck to find his dad with one eye half closed and the other focused on the compass. Dave was confused because they were on a totally different heading. ... Read more

The Flying Circus was rail down and running hard towards the U.S. as the sun disappeared below the horizon. Another 24 hours should put them safely inside the U. S. intercostals waterway. Dave was at the helm when his dad came topside and checked ... Read more

Dave was on the last leg from school to Cruz Bay. This year’s football season was history, they won their championship game, but he was badly bruised and sore–his cell phone rang—it was Aura. Dave had not talked to her since he had ... Read more

Sorority High Jinxes—This year’s deer hunt was a smashing success. The hunting was excellent, the weather perfect and Dave was able to spend some time with his dad’s other son, named Dave, who’s 32 years his senior. ... Read more

Before the party ended, Dave (everybody called him Shark Boy) asked his Dad, “Hey, Pop! Can I borrow the “Flying Circus” and take Aura for a night sail?” ... Read more

Jini, Aura and Enzo climbed into Jini’s dinghy. Aura started the motor and Enzo cast off the painter-they were headed for the fish boil. The brilliant Caribbean sun was low on the azure horizon and the ocean was like glass as Aura pointed ... Read more

Dave, everybody called him Shark Boy and Aura were headed back down the coral path to the dinghy when suddenly Dave stopped. “A penny for your thoughts, Sweet Prince,” said Aura. Dave blushed when he realized what she had said, ... Read more

Dave (everybody called him Shark Boy) closed his cell phone and was emotionally torn between staying at the boat shack with his dad, NY Dan and Big Jesse, and returning his mom’s dinghy, but he knew his mother and Aura needed him. ... Read more

Dark shadows covered Lovango before Dave (everybody called him Shark Boy), and Big Jesse finished sifting through the excavation. Jesse did one final sweep with his metal detector to satisfy himself that there was nothing left to find before ... Read more

Dave, (everybody called him Shark Boy), laid on his back and looked up at the white cumulus clouds drifting across the emerald sky while Jesse pondered their next move. The coins could be easily divided between them but the other artifacts would ... Read more