Clyde Sanadi was curious to see where many of the early Marineros came from. Either Beloit or Kalamazoo Colleges. The response was great including many recollections of their time aboard. Some of the names were suggestions, some were only first names. If you can add last names or correct where they were from, please let me know and I'll move them accordingly.
Beloit
John Richert
Ken Bryant and I both Beloit graduates class of 72 boarded the Romance in St. Thomas Sept. of 1970, Ken went back to the states later that year I stayed on board the ship until Jan. 71. Arthur Thexton (Beloit 72) and Linc or link (Beloit 73 from Lincoln Nebraska) joined us in Grenada either late 70 or early 71 to assist with the sail back to St. Thomas. Greatest and Craziest 5 months of my life. Everyday there was a hilarious event or two which I have told in story format over the years to a good number of my friends, I don't think many of them really believed me. Probably the one that sticks in my mind the most was the Captain falling asleep many evenings in his salad covered with ranch dressing at the dinner table. After the meal was finished Gloria would wipe the Captain's face off and explain to the passengers that the Captain had worked hard that day and they would be retiring to their quarters early. The crew would take the passengers ashore for the evening entertainment. First time passengers were mortified.
Michael Graff
When I was 16, I was in the Virgin Islands and saw the Romance when she anchored off Peter Island. I swam up to her and Mrs. K invited me to come on board. I was on board ten minutes, met a Beloit Marinero. Three years later, I was a Beloit Student and realized I could get a berth on the ship. I graduated from Beloit College in 1976.
I arrived August, 1974 in St. Thomas. Dan Moreland was a crewman, soon to be first mate. Clark Voss left shortly after I arrived. Paul Ballou arrived around the same time. Later in Grenada, Andy O’Connell joined followed by Robie Price. Before we left Grenada, the painter, Clary, joined the crew. I was on board the Romance from August 1974 through December of that year.
David Stricker
I crewed aboard Romance from Jan-April ‘71. I was Beloit ‘73. I served with Joe Ruedi and a kid named Dutch. One of these guys was from K College, maybe both. There was a 4th crew but I don’t recall his name. Another Beloit grad Romance alum I can think of is Arthur Thexton. After I left Romance, she was headed to Grenada. Always had some regret about heading back to Beloit rather than make the cruise to Grenada. After many 8 day trips around the BVIs, a long cruise would have been a different sailing experience. We sailed to San Juan my first days aboard, but I didn’t really appreciate the experience, except the image of the main against the sunset after less than 24 hours aboard.
Guy Hermann
I sailed on Romance from January to April or May of 1973. My most vivid memory of Skipper, among many vivid memories, is him screeching at me “Goddamnit Guy! You got to do it goddamn properly way!” I heard that a lot, and frequently tell the story onboard boats, still when confronted with sloppy seamanship. I went on to graduate with a lit degree and after a brief stint on Madison Avenue parlayed my Romance experience into a rigging job aboard Peking at South Street Seaport. I spent most of the rest of my 20s sailing a wide variety of boats before more or less settling down to shoreside work.
Ken Bryant
John Richert and I from Beloit College crewed on the Romance in 1970. Met up in St. Thomas and sailed, just the 4 of us, directly to Grenada. Completely refitted the Brigantine there pulling down all the masts, spars and rigging; varnishing, painting and re-tarring everything. All done aboard the ship without any outside help. Pretty amazing. I was replaced by “Link” also from Beloit.
Jim Webster
I started the Beloit Romance field term program. I was a sophomore at Beloit and looking for interesting field term experience. Sailed small boats in Long Island Sound. Wanted to work on boat for my field term. Saw tiny Romance ad for charters in New York Times or Yachting Magazine. Wrote Skipper in 1987 a letter explaining field term and wanting a job. Gloria wrote back you are hired $15 per week. Beloit approved program. Gloria told me to be at Purple Pumping station in St Thomas on Jan 3. I had never been out of USA before. Arrived on worked on Romance from Jan – April 1968 doing VI headboat charters. Best experience of my life. When I got back to Beloit wrote report and Jon Biester head of Field Term program subsequently sent many Beloit students to Romance. Many years later Skipper told me Beloit sent good people and program was a big help to Romance. After 50 years I am still in the yachting business. www.jimwebster.com
John Hansen, Phd
Chris Allen and I crewed on the Romance from October through December, 1968 as part of our Beloit Field Term. We sailed from Miami to St. Thomas and then crewed on eight-day voyages throughout the British Virgin Islands.
Jonathan Giddings
I was a Marinero from Beloit College from early January until mid-April 1974. Robie Price was First Mate and fellow Marineros were John Taylor from Kalamazoo College, Mike Brown, and Philip "the Bird" Lloyd. I have fond memories of my opportunity and my shipmates, but I did not keep in contact with any of them.
Phil Lloyd
Burt Rogers and John Marvrengenis came from Beloit and joined the Romance in Hawaii to make the 33 day passage to LA. The Romance, then laid up at San Pedro in preparation for the 2nd round the world voyage or WW2 as skipper called it.
Ronn Winkler
I was from Beloit - Jan - Apr 1971. South Pacific Voyage 1971-72
Susan Morley
I went to Beloit, though I transferred away. I was on the first round the world voyage.
Chris Allen
I was on the Romance for a Beloit work semester from September through end of December 1968. Adrian Loughborough was first mate and a guy named John from the Chicago suburbs (don't have his last name at the moment) was the other guy from Beloit.
Dave "Charlie" Brown
I was on the ROMANCE in April 1969 till the fall with Mark Nebel both for our Beloit college field term. I thank you Jim Webster for opening the door to this great experience. Owen Hardy from Kalamazoo was on board for our first 8 day cruises along with two locals including Chal Beaver who used to crew for Mike Burke. At the end of summer we sailed to Grenada for a haulout. Years later living in San Diego I met Jim Brink living on the square rigger STAR OF INDIA and making canvas sails for all the old ships on the west coast. Any one live in San Diego?
Kalamazoo
Rob Peterson
I went to Kalamazoo college and was on the Romance in the Spring of 1982 with Don Lindsay, someone named Kurt, a guy who could play the steel drums, maybe named Val, "Wretched" Pat (most beloved of Skipper and Mrs K), and later a guy from Beloit, whose name I can't remember.
Clyde Sanadi
Kalamazoo here.
Gregg Chandler
I was from Kalamazoo College, crewed aboard Romance in the fall of 1977. I joined down in Grenada where we did quite a bit of work on her. I helped Skipper layout a new main one afternoon. We spent time worming, parceling, painting, ... The shipwrights, Fitzroy and Mr. Tedo, fitted new planks in the hull, etc. (I think we had 12 shipwrights each day for a couple of months. One of my duties was to fetch them each morning, and take them back to the GYC each afternoon.) We then sailed up to the Virgin Islands taking passengers along the way, and had multiple trips in the Virgin Islands—always being careful to board them in the BVI’s.
We were joined in Grenada by Jake, who hopped a ship to the Mediterranean once we got to the VI’s. There was someone from Connecticut, who Skipper and Mrs. K effectively sent home. He didn’t really fit well. Can’t remember his name. He wasn’t there long. We also had a fourth, possibly named Skip, from Beloit.
One of my fondest memories was a day when the other crew and passengers were all sea sick. It was quite a blow and Skipper, Mrs K and I did all sail handling after we had left the morning’s anchorage. As a reward, I think, Skipper let me take the helm. He stood a bit off and watched carefully. We were on a broad reach, and the squares were pulling hard. I remember how she sliced through the waves. None of that bouncing about on the waves as with other vessels. They were tall waves too.
I also had to take in all sail, by myself. While on the foot ropes aloft taking in the top sail on the main, (royal or t’ gallant?,) I looked down and could see the water in front and beneath fluoresce—probably due to plankton. A pair of porpoises or dolphins were surfing our bow wave beneath the surface criss-crossing across the bow. One hand for myself and one hand for Romance, as I took in sail—realizing that if I fell, I wouldn’t hit the deck, but also that they probably couldn’t come back and find me. Lunch was Chili and brownies for desert. I had all I wanted. I left December 24, 1974. If I had stayed we were going to head out to the South Pacific.
Roger Conrad
I was on board with Jim Chase, another K-college crew member, who went on to join one of the Pacific voyages.
Michael Jehle
K-College
Owen Hardy
I was a Marinero from Kalamazoo College during the spring of 1969. As far as I’m aware, I was the first student from Kalamazoo to crew on the Romance. For a short time, I worked with a guy from Beloit College whose name is Reed Taylor. Anyone have any information on him or how to contact him? Thanks!