FEB 23, 2021 - SEAWAY MARINA: OLD PICS OF PARTY BOATS WHICH CAME BY FOR WORK OVER THE DECADES

[EC NEWELL MAN]

Thanks to Captain Paul 'SEARCHER' who sent these old, and in very rough conditions pictures taken from the late 60s through the 80s on a number of party boats which had work done at SEAWAY MARINA in Far Rockaway. Believe me in passing along that it took a little work to touch these up as best as possible, and it is more in the remembering and to spark any conversation about these long gone party boats with these image. If we only had a high quality smartphone back in the day.....

[cod1966]

Brings back fond memories of the 1960's fishing for Blues. Cholera Banks, Acid Stain, Barnegat Ridge, Tin Can Grounds. People lined the rails yelling for the gaff.

[EC NEWELL MAN]

Good morning, and yes the "back in the day" which is so long gone and only known through the few pictures and stories told by those who lived through this special era in party & charter boat fishing. It was the proverbial 'wild west' out on the fishing grounds as a confluence of electronic technology, better built vessels and knowledge on fishing further offshore, made this period so unique. Surplus military vessels became the super cruisers of the era, and of course they led to some operators eventually building the modern aluminum and steel party boats.

What we see here illustrates and is a good example on how some operators started and where they ended up, and who knew that Captain Joe Miller would end up running the Key West Express operation....

[cod1966]

Yes, it was a great time. Capt's Herman Huckmeyer, Al Lindroth, Richie Kessinger, Fred Wrege, Al Coley, Jack Micheals, Jay Porter, Paul Forsberg, 'Hecky' of the Sea Pigeon, Rocky Becker, Mike Scarpetti, Tred Abrams, Clem Esposito, Bill Henriques of the Ginnie Mae where I mated for 2 years. Can still hear them on the radio. Especially fishing Raitan bay for flounder in the Spring. If you'd have asked me 50 years ago about memories, I'd have none. I was a teenager. Now I understand what the old timers of that day were talking about. Mr. Newellman, thanks for the memories.