Updates
Since our last issue, we have celebrated with a Sea Chantey/Folk Concert with Daisy Nell and Capt. Stan and an Anniversary Party. There has been continued maintenance of the vessel and we have worked to attend as many other events as possible.
The concert was a great success. Many families attended at the Gloucester City Hall, Kyrouz Auditorium in April 2007 to enjoy the wonderful entertainment of Daisy, Stan and their crew. We gave away some great door prizes along with the Cape Ann Business Incubator, who co-sponsored the event. We traded stories and memories with old friends and made some new ones.
Our First Anniversary party was held in September 2007, at the Three Lanterns Ship's Store on Parker Street, thanks to Nancy and Mike Parisi. Again, there was great food and wonderful conversation. The highlight of the evening was bringing the Phyllis A. to the wharf at Three Lanterns where people could see her moving into and out of the berth under her own power!
The vessel spent time on the ways at the Gloucester Marine Railways, in July 2007, for a “shave and a hair-cut” (scrape and paint). She is in good shape and looks great. Since April 5, 2008 she has been berthed at the Gloucester Marine Railways on Rocky Neck. You can visit her, but it is best to wait until after 3:30PM on weekdays. She is tied in the North Slip where there is a lot of activity with the Railways crew working on boats on the ways. Weekends are terrific to go down to see her.
The P.A.M.A. also attended the Gloucester Sidewalk Bazaar in ‘07. It was a hot few days with constant supervision by lamppost perching seagulls!
2008 has been spent mostly on paperwork, planning, and maintenance.
The Phyllis A. Marine Association received our own 501(c)3, non-profit status from the IRS in August of ‘08 (backdated to December 2006) and are planning to start a major capital fund drive. We have lots of plans and need lots of money, so please dig deep when the letter comes.
We hope that 2009 will bring health and prosperity to you and to the Phyllis A. Marine Association.
In each issue of the “Wheel House” we try to give you a little history of the vessel, the gill netting industry and the Phyllis A Marine Association. This time we are talking about the building of the Phyllis A.
Albert Arnold, the man who had the vessel built, owned a boat before the Phyllis A. called the Anna T. Captains Albert, Cy Tysver, and Mike Shoares, all “Michigan Bears”, had her built in Essex in 1913. She was about the same size as the future Phyllis A. and also a gill-netter. In 1923, Albert loaned the Anna T. to a family friend. Unfortunately, she was lost on the bar off Wingersheek Beach in the Annisquam River. The pilot house of the Anna T. floated to shore and was dragged up next to “the frog rock” (rocks painted to look like frogs) and made a shed out of it. The Anna T.’s pilot house/shed is there still today, sitting just south of frog rocks.
The insurance company paid Albert $4500 for the wreck, which he used to commission the building of the Phyllis A. at the Warner Shipyard, in Kennebunkport, Maine. Phil Boudain joined the venture with his nets, and when the Phyllis A. came down the ways in 1925, they set off gillnetting together.
Fishing the Phyllis A. has always been a family affair. Son Alvin Arnold took over from Captain Albert and sons Kenneth and Robert crewed. Later on, the youngest son, Richard, took on the captain's position. From the beginning, Mrs. Arnold kept the books and kept everyone moving. Young Phyllis Arnold, though not a crew member, was present with the family when the vessel was christened and named for her. Then 3, she cried when she broke the bottle of champagne on the bow and splashed on the beautiful new deck! … to be continued
...for the Vessel…
This Spring/Summer, the Phyllis A. will once again need to be hauled for maintenance. This means, among other planning, we need to raise $4000 for the work. How do we accomplish that? With your help! Captain Richard (Arnold) is forever scraping and painting the topsides of the vessel and could always use help!
...for Volunteering…
There is always office work to be done; and we would love some ideas for events—or better yet, take an idea and run with it!
... for the Organization...
Fundraising
PAMA is beginning our next fund raising campaign. Anyone interested in helping—or if you can suggest a group we should be speaking to—let the office know by phone or email! We are also looking for people interested in looking up potential grants, and perhaps writing up the applications! If you like to research, we could use your help.
National Historic Register
We are still working towards this goal. This is a very important first step to making the vessel a National Treasure and receiving better funding. Anyone interested in helping should contact the office.
The Wheelhouse
As always, we would love help with putting together the Wheelhouse. We know this is “dry” work and are asking for help in other ways…
Are you, or were you, involved in gillnetting in Gloucester or on the Phyllis A? If so, write down your thoughts/ memories. We love the idea of adding your words to The Wheelhouse! Forward your letters directly to the office. Thank you!