Tag: Bill Hubbard

Painting – Meeting of Gloucester Boats on Rum-Row From Bill Hubbard and More About The Arethusa

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Joey,

Here is my Painting, “Meeting On Rum-Row”

It’s 1932,  Prohibition and two former Gloucester fishing schooners meet up with the US Coast Guard’s 75’ patrol boat, CG-100 which was then based in Gloucester.  They are on Rum-Row, 3 miles off the coast of New York and New Jersey.  The coast guard is charged with patrolling the 3 Mile Territorial Limit to protect against the illegal entry of liquor into the US.

On the left is the 100 ft. Sch. H.L. Marshall and on the right is the 110 ft. Sch.  Arethusa.  Both were Essex-built and had been high-liners among the Gloucester fishing fleet.  They were purchased by the legendary bootlegger,  Bill “The Real” McCoy of Florida.  Both were rebuilt, strengthened and had their twin auxiliary engines replaced.  The Arethusa had a new ten ft. bowsprit added to accommodate a flying jib and increase her carrying capacity to 16,000 cases of liquor.  The Marshall carried 15,000 cases They were operating out of the Bahamas under British registry.  At that time the Arethusa’s name was changed to Tomoka after McCoy’s home port in Florida.  They were fast under sail or power and the nemises of the US Coast Guard.  At the height of his career, McCoy operated six former fishing schooners, hauling illegal booze from the Bahamas, Cuba, Bermuda,  Jamaica and St. Pierre & Miquellen Islands off Newfoundland.  Those cases, offloaded on Rum-Row to fast small boats and landed in the US earned McCoy $10/case.  The Marshall carried 1,500 cases and the Arethusa 1,600 and would earn him $31,000 cash

Rum-row was the 3 mile territorial limit of US legal jurisdiction off our coastline at the time.  The federal boats had no jurisdiction outside the limit and the smart rum-runners stayed outside to avoid capture.  McCoy operated one and hired young, seasoned fishing captains to skipper his other boats.  His boats were mounted with Bofors and Colt Machine guns – not to battle the Coast Guard but, as protection against mob-owned hi-speed boats that cruised the “row”  and hi-jacked unprotected ships.  McCoy earned the nickname, The Real McCoy because he refused to buy his liquor from the mobsters and guaranteed it was not watered down.

Eventually, McCoy was captured by what he and many others claimed to be a very unscrupulous trick by the Coast Guard.   My next painting in this series will be the show-down between his Schooner Tomoka/Arethusa and the cutter Seneca.

Bill Hubbard

Meeting on Rum-Row

Joey’s  note:

Our Lobsterman Tommy Burns named his boat The Arethusa after Bill “The Real” McCoy’s Schooner Arethusa.

Paul Frontiero Photo-

Check out Paulie Walnuts Post Here-

Arethusa 04/22/12

Arethusa

Definition: Arethusa was a nymph, possibly the daughter of an Arcadian river god, and a follower of the virgin goddess Artemis. One day as she was bathing, she discovered the river god Alpheus desired her, so she fled. She ran as far as the island of Syracuse, but he kept up. In desperation, Arethusa called on Artemis to defend her. Artemis did what she could. She transformed Arethusa into a spring, but according to Pausanias, the nymph didn’t remain pure even in her transformed state. Alpheus had himself transformed into a river running under the spring so that the waters of river and spring might mingle. AND KNOW YOU KNOW.

There are also these videos from Ben who came up and had a short stint aboard the Tommy’s Arethusa-

You may remember Ben from his brief stint as a lobsterman aboard Tommy Burns’ Arethusa and the Cartoon That Was Made About His Experience-

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Coast Guard in #GloucesterMA in 1925 @USCGNortheast

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Good morning, Joey,

Attached photo is one I’ve been searching for for three years and finally found it yesterday.

It was taken in 1923 at Coast Guard Base #7 in Gloucester.  It shows 9 of the then new 75’ Coast Guard Patrol Boats (and a couple smaller older boats.

Those boats were assigned along the coast to chase and interdict the rum-rummers during Prohibition.  Over 200 were built and assigned to CG stations on both coasts and later as Coast Guard and Navy patrol craft during WW-II.  Photo credit, Library of Commerce.

I’m currently working on a painting which shows Bill (the real ) McCoy’s rum-runners Arethusa, a/k/a Tomoka jogging on Rum-Row off the New York-New Jersey coast under the watchful eye of one of these, CG-153.  Hope you can use it.

Bill Hubbard

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USS Rockport – a Mystery From Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

USS_Ranger_Rockport_Nantucket(1876)

Bill Hubbard writes-

Joey,
Did you now that the Town of Rockport had a ship named for it in 1917?  But, her name was changed to USS Nantucket only 115 days later.  She was first the USS Ranger, later USS Rockport then USS Nantucket (PG-23/IX-18), was a gunboat of the United States Navy.
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A screw steamer with full-rig auxiliary sail, Ranger was destined for a very long 65-year career, serving first as a U.S. Navy gunboat from 1876 to 1920, and later as a training ship with the Merchant Marine Academy from 1920 to 1940.
After  completion of fitting out, Ranger was assigned to the Atlantic Station,  remaining at the Gosport  (Portsmouth) Navy Yard and Hampton Roads until 8 March 1877, when she was assigned to the Asiatic Fleet. Following a special fitting out for her new duty, Ranger left New York 21 May 1877, arriving Hong Kong 24 August 1877, via Gibraltar, Suez Canal, and Malacca Straits. The ship served on the Asiatic Station until the fall of 1879, protecting American interests and national policy in the Far East.
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Later, she was assigned to protect American seal fisheries in the Bering Sea. On 31 January 1894, she relieved Alliance in protecting American interests in Central America, where she remained until placed out of commission 26 November 1895, except for temporary duty in the Bering Sea in May 1894.
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Re-commissioned 1 November 1899, she was a survey ship for 2 years off Mexico and Baja California, then operated with USS Wisconsin (BB-9) off Central America, protecting American national interests. She was again decommissioned from 11 June 1903 to 30 March 1905 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.  She departed Puget Sound 16 April 1905 for the Asiatic Station, arriving Cavite 30 May. Due to recurring maintenance problems, she was decommissioned again at Cavite from 21 June 1905 to 10 August 1908. Departing Cavite 16 August, she arrived Boston 12 December via the Suez Canal, and was decommissioned immediately.
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On 26 April 1909, she was loaned to the State of Massachusetts as a school ship to replace Enterprise at the Massachusetts Nautical Training School. Her  name was changed to Rockport 30 October 1917 and then to Nantucket 20 February 1918. As Nantucket, she operated as a gunboat in the First Naval District during World War I, as well as a training ship for Navy midshipmen.  Designated PG-23 in 1920, Nantucket was re-designated IX-18 on 1 July 1921. On 11 November 1940, she was transferred to the Maritime Commission for final disposition, to be used as a school ship for the Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, N.Y. During the winter term of 1928 – 1929 the decision was made to paint the outside hull of the Nantucket black, instead of the usual white as in the past. Her four boilers were also updated.
On 30 November 1940, she was struck from the Navy list and was returned to the state of Massachusetts as a school ship.  Where is she today?  Why was she named Rockport for only 115 days?  I’ve been trying to figure that out for a year now.  Maybe one of your readers knows.
Bill Hubbard
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Visit my artists website and Blog at: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/bill-hubbard.html

Ten Pound Island From Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi, Joey,
Ever since I posted my rant about Google’s placing of the first Coast Guard Air Station at Harbor Look rather than on Ten Pound Island, I’ve heard from a number of your readers. 
There seems to be a lot of questions over which came first;  The US Fish Hatchery or the Coast Guard Air Station?  My picture attached is a coast guard photo of the island taken in 1900 just a year after the Fish Hatchery was established on the east end of the island.  The hatchery buildings and lighthouse buildings are as they appeared at that time which was 25 years before the US Coast Guard established Air Station Gloucester on the Island.
I’ve tried to find more information about the fish hatchery but details are lacking.  All I can establish is that they raised fish from eggs brought to the island by research vessels and some contracted fishing vessels.  I remember being told they raised Cod from eggs and also Lobsters from eggs but can’t seem to find the details.  Even though it was over 100 years ago, it’s amazing how much old data and pictures keeps making it’s way to Google.  I did find a Google Book with a great picture of the Air station from a post card but cannot figure out how to copy or print it.
Bill Hubbard

Ten Pound Is. 1900

Bill Hubbard Has A Beef With Wikipedia Over The Location Of The First Coast Guard Air Station

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro
First Coast Guard Air Station was established on Ten Pound Island – But Wikipedia has the wrong location

Hey, Joey,
Most of us know that the first US Coast Guard Air Station was built on Ten Pound Island in Gloucester Harbor but the know-all be-all online encyclopedia, Wikipedia has it wrong.  They wrongly state that the present Coast Guard Base on Harbor loop was built on the site of the first Coast Guard Air Station.
I’ve attached a picture of the first plane stationed on Ten Pound Island and of the fist Base Commander and Pilot to fly that plane.  The two early Coast Guard aviators, pictured together in their flying gear on May 5, 1927, established the first successful U.S. Coast Guard air unit on Ten Pound Island, Gloucester, Mass., in 1925, using one Vought seaplane borrowed from the Navy.  From left are Commander Carl C. von Paulsen who commanded Coast Guard Base 7, Gloucester, and the attached air unit (January 1925 to May 1928); and Ensign Leonard M. Melka who acted as pilot and mechanic. 
I’ve asked Wikipedia to correct their error but,,,don’t hold your breath….There are several Coast Guard websites which will veryify that information including: http://www.uscg.mil/history/webaircraft/USCGAviationHistoricPhotoGallery1916-
Bill Hubbard

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Visit my artists website and Blog at:
http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

Rough Rider Steam Gillnetter From Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Here’s one from out of the past.  The "Rough Rider" was a steam gillnetter built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin in 1904.  My great, great grandfather Axel B. Dahlmer bought her in 1909 and fished her out of Dunkirk, New York.  She here dimensions were  10gr.tons X 39′ length X 10′ beam and 5′ draft.  Axel sold her to my grandfather, John A. Dahlmer around 1910 and repowered her with a gasoline engine.  He brought her to Gloucester in 19
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Visit my artists website and Blog at:
http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

 

Roughrider

Bill Hubbard Shows His!

Posted on by capeannpainter

Bill Hubbard Shows His!

3rd Submission in the Series “Show Me Yours and I’ll Show You Mine”

http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

Paul,
This was a great idea until I tried to take a picture of my “corner” and came to the reality that I actually have four.  My wife is an artist and a writer.  I paint.  We live in a 2 bedroom apartment which has her sketches and my paintings on 8 walls of three rooms.  I even have a painting in my bathroom.  So, I’ve attempted to  show it all in two pictures.  For the last few months I’ve been painting out side quite a bit but now, the the advent ofhot weather, I’m back in my corners till fall.
I try to paint with a pallet limited to Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Deep Red,  Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue and Permanent Rose and get away with it when I’m outside and have limited space.  However, in my corner I’ve found good use for Daler & Rowney’s Flesh, Yellow Ochre and Ivory Black.  I paint mostly with large bristle flats and rounds but, for detail utilize a few sable points and a couple liners for rigging.
My mother taught me the rudementaries of oil painting and I took several of Bob Benham’s adult ed courses at GHS.  I also fished with Emile Gruppe and was fortunate to be invited to tag along for a number of his outings back in the 1960s.  I lived on Cape Cod and fished and painted with watercolorist, Anton Stetzko who introduced me to waer colors.  When I moved here to Florida I started seriously to paint again and took up Acrylics which I now mix with pen.
Visit my artists website and Blog at:
http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

Old Rocky Neck School Class circa 1914 ??? From Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi, Joey,
Here’s another puzzle maybe some of your readers may have the answer to.  The attachment is a picture of the class from the old one room schoolhouse on Rocky Neck. 

My uncle, Eber Dahlmer has been identified as the boy farthest left in the back row with the big smile on his face.  Next to him has been identified as the late Harry A. Wheeler, a lifelong Rockynecker.  Capt. John A. Dahlmer’s family settled on Rocky Neck on arrival from Michigan in 1914.  Eber would have been ten years old then, Ronald 11 and Margaret 9.  I would guess the picture was taken about that time.
I wonder if anyone can ID any of the others. 
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Visit my artists website and Blog at:
http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

Rocky Neck sch0001

Info on The Second USS Gloucester From Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

800px-Gloucester_(PF_22)

Bill forwards this info-

USS Gloucester – PF-22
Following here shakedown cruise in June 1944 she was employed in training Frigate crews at Galveston, TX.  On June 16 she was attached to Escort Division 38 and later ordered to the Alaskan Sea Frontier for transfer to Russia under Lend-Lease legislation.
Leased to the Soviets on Sept. 1945 and renamed EK-26 she served as a patrol vessel in the Far East.  Gloucester was returned to the US at Yokosuka, Japan in Oct. 1949.
Recommissioned in US Navy 11 Oct.1950, she served patrol and anti-submarine duty during the invasions of Winson, Korea and saw combat there, destroying gun emplacements.  On November, 1951 while engaging shore batteries off Kojo she took a direct hit which killed one and injured 11 of her crew.  Following repairs in Japan, she returned to Korean waters and continued effective support of UN forces on shore.  She was decommissioned in Japan 1 Oct.1953 and transferred to Japan in 1962 and served as Tsuge(PF-292).  She was decommissioned on 31 March 1968 and returned to US custody the same time.  Her fate is unknown
Note: from public domain, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Bill Hubbard Gloucester Paintings Now Online

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Bill Hubbard has been chosen to have a showing of 14 of his paintings in the Main Gallery of Copperflame Galleries from December 1 through December 31st, 2011. Beginning on Dec. 1st. you may view his artwork at http://copperflame.com/maingallery-15.php. Six other artists will be showing their work in adjacent galleries at Copper Flame.
Hubbard shares Indian River Artiosts Studio with his wife and partner, Theresa A. Kraemer.  He specializes in marine art, seascapes and boats as well as fishing and fish.
He is a member of the Strawbridge Art League in Melbourne, Florida, where he lives. Hubbard studied in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with Margaret Taylor and Robert Benham. Anton Stetzko, the watercolorist, greatly stimulated his urge to create art while he was living on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, from 2002 to 2006.
He is currently working in the mixed media of acrylic, pen and ink. He is from a fishing family, so his painting leans heavily toward seascapes, nautical and tall ship subjects. He paints realistic historical subjects like famous Gloucester fishing schooners, Maine trading schooners and Indian River wind and steam driven boats and ships. He looks at his marine paintings as telling a story – sometimes obvious and sometimes subtle..
For more information, visit his website andbBlog at: http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com
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Visit my artists website and Blog at:
http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

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GMG Visits Northern California

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi, Joey,
Just back from a few days fishing tailwater Steelhead streams in Northern California.
Here’s a  picture my wife took with my GMG bumper sticker at Lakes Berryessa Campground.
It was great to be able to log in to GMG while in Ca.  Managed it seven of the ten days
out there.  Great pictures and videos of the Schooner Races.
Bill Hubbard

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Old Picture of Shores Wharf From Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Joey,
It’s great to see the old pictures of the waterfront you run occasionally. 

Here’s one of my favorites.  It was taken from E. Main Street looking out over Shores’ Wharf to Smith Cove and Rocky Neck with the city skyline beyond.  One of these days I’m going to have to paint it.  The card is dated 1935 which is the year I was born and, I remember that view but, with a house just to the left foreground.
Bill Hubbard
Visit my artists website at: http://bill-hubbard.fineartamerica.com/

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Bill Hubbard Asks About His Grandfather’s Boat The Superior

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Bill Hubbard Writes-

Joey,
I’m trying to track down an important bit of history about my Grandfather’s Boat.  Capt. John A. Dahlmer’s fishing boat Superior was taken by the US Navy early in WW-II.  We have heard that she was used to supply weather stations along the Greenland and Newfoundland coasts with fuel and food.  She was returned to the family in 1944.  As a child, I remember seeing a paper certificate issued by the US Navy thanking him for the use of his boat in the war effort.  He was also paid $1 for each of the 4 years she was on naval duty.
My question is, what was the name of the navy command that operated Superior and other New England vessels during the war years?  I’m sure some of your readers had similar experiences with other boats at that time and, maybe someone can tell me.  Maybe even someone has a picture of her at that time.  A picture of Superior sporting her new, first in the fleet, whaleback bow in 1935 is attached.
Thanks,
Bill Hubbard
bill.hubbard@fineartamerica.com

Superior with whaleback bow

Bill this would be a great question that maybe our FOB Fred Buck at The Cape Ann Museum could answer-

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The Margaret D Painted By Bill Hubbard

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Good Morning Joey,
Joey,
Attached is my recent painting of another Dahlmer boat.  The Margaret D. was
launched in Dunkirk, NY and brought to Gloucester in 1910.  She was owned by my
Grandfather, Capt. John A. Dahlmer and christened by my mother, then 9yr.old Margaret
Dahlmer.  The Dahlmers lived on Rocky Neck then and later moved to Hovey Stree.
The Margaret D fished mostly as a gillnetter and later as a western-rigged
dragger.  My painting shows her returning from gillnetting, rounding Eastern
Point and about to pass Dog Bar Breakwater into the harbor.
She went ashore in fog on Salt Island in 1914 and was a total loss.  Grandfather
never began a trip on Good Friday or Friday 13th.
Bill Hubbard
www.indianriverartistsstudio.com
Marine Art & Therese’s Sketches

Margaret D-1912-2

Bill Hubbard Painting of the Alice S. Wentworth

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Joe,
Attachment is my painting of the Alice S. Wentworth for posting on GMG.  This is an Acrylic, Pen & Ink on 16X20 stretched canvas.  It is one of a series of paintings I am doing on historical coasting schooners.  She was built in Norwalk, CT. in 1863.  Bought by Capt. Arthur A. Stevens in early 1900s.  Completely rebuilt by Stevens and re-documented in 1905 as the A.S.Wentworth. 
Regarded as one of the fastest coasting schooners on the coast, she hauled general cargos including lumber, coal, gypsom, salt and merchandise to ports from New York to the canadian maritimes. She often loaded salt directly from the big salt steamers that called atGloucester to fish processors along the coast of Maine.
My painting depicts the Wentworth passing Thatchers I. and setting a course into the Gulf of Maine.  Loaded with salt in Gloucester and bound for Boothbay and other down east ports she has just come about and sprung her main and foresail wing-and-wing with the a dry sou’easter pushing her along.
I like to paint historic sailing ships doing what they were built to do.  I’ve just started a painting of the just re-built 130’  Sch Western Union of Key West, Florida.  She was built as a coaster in 1936 for and sailed as a Marine cable repair ship for Western Union Telegraph Company for 35 years.  She has just undergone a $1.24 million restoration and will operate out of Key West as a tour ship.
I’m currently looking for old photos of the Lanesvill and Rockport granite sloops and schooners as subject for another painting.  There are plenty of photos of Maine coasters and granits ships, but scant few of the Cape Ann boats.
Thanks for posting this picture, Joe, and a big thanks for Good Morning Cloucester .com – a great way for me to keep in touch with the Cape Ann scene.
Bill Hubbard

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