In Memory of Captain Arthur Kimberly

Captain Arthur Kimberly Dies

From the St. Thomas Source

Clyde Sanadi was in New Smyrna Beach yesterday with Skipper’s family. There will be a memorial service on October 8, 2011 at 10am at Settle-Wilder Funeral Home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Their address is:

Settle-Wilder Funeral Home and Cremation Service
406 S. Orange Street
New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168
Phone: 386-428-5757

From Peter Wholihan-
This past May, Skipper visited the Virgin Islands for the last time. There was a grand celebration for him, as Marineros came to Jost Van Dyke to be with him aboard the Picton Castle, which was on the final leg of her 5th round the world sail. Skipper shed 20 years of his 89 year old body as he stepped aboard the ship "made himself useful" and sailed one last time on a square rigged ship. This was the last time I would see him. Skipper lived a great life and on his own terms. We will all miss him.

From Capt. Dan Moreland on Skipper's ships (see photos)-
In addition to leaky coasting schooners before the war and watching the last BLUENOSE / GERTUDE THEOBAUD contest and sailing in Tankers all through WWII and working in Ted Hoods first sail loft in the 1950's, then he sailed in Swedish Bark ABRAHAM RYDBERG before WWII as an OS. He sailed in this one as Chief Mate - Schooner GUINEVERE - after WWII - cargo in the med and master of this one - the YANKEE - and I believe in command for this pic. Then as Master of this one - MANADALAY and the Schooner OLAD chartering in the Bahamas before finding and sailing the ROMANCE for 23 years.

From Chris Allen-
I'm very saddened to hear that the Skipper has left our shore, but then I remember he's signed aboard with Gloria and so many other good friends. I know I'm one of hundreds whose lives he's changed. The Skipper always like the wind two points abaft the port beam and the sea quartering the starboard bow. That way you could get the Main's yards into the waves... he liked it when that sturdy oak hull pounded down, washing the decks short of the quarterdeck. We'll miss him greatly, but we'll never forget him. Chris Allen, September-December 1968.

From Walt Haney-
One of the proudest moments of my life was when he asked me if I would be Bosun' s Mate on the Romance. He and Gloria were truly two wonderful people.

From Roger Conrad-
What a sad day. The Skipper was a gruff and secretly sweet man. When I first came aboard for three months as an ordinary deck hand, I was seasick. God was I seasick. Capt. Kimberly didn’t have much patience, but did offer the advice of keeping my eyes on the horizon and to remember that Admiral Nelson got sea sick too. I never felt that I was living up to his standards, until the day he pulled me aside and told me that I was now an ‘able bodied seaman,’ and would earn the lordly salary of $2.50 a day, plus room and board. The extra fifty cents meant nothing. I had Mrs. Kimberly’s good cooking, a dry place to sleep and free beer, courtesy of the passengers. What meant everything was his approval.

From Capt. Adrian Loughborough-
It was very sad news to hear Captain Kimberly recently died. He had been my major inspiration and teacher when it came to the sea. As a young man in my early twenties, I arrived in Florida to work on a Mike Burk ship only to be informed that there were no positions. Across the harbour and tied up where now, all the mammoth cruise ships berth was the ‘Romance’. My buddy and I motor cycled over and asked for a job. We were the first young chaps with short ‘normal’ hair to ask for a job (remember this was the mid ‘60s). We were both hired at $15.00/week, room and board. This was the beginning of my life’s career at sea. After a full season aboard and down in the Caribbean, I returned to Canada, settled my debts and a year later found the ‘Romance’ up the Miami River at Merrill-Stevens for routine maintenance. I was rehired as first mate and a whopping $35.00/week. Another season passed by and the following spring in the Virgin Islands, I wrote for and received my first USCG license. From that day forward I have ‘climbed the ladder’ of licenses and am at present the captain and master of a 154’ motor yacht. Captain Kimberly will always be remembered most dearly in my heart and memory.

From David "Charlie" Brown-
What a great man to work with and know. At 19 in 1969 he taught me seamanship and celestial navigation and rum. I was more than thrilled when he promoted me to mate. My pay went from $2 a day to $100 a month! Capt. Kimberly was more than the real deal and I will always be thankful for the opportunity to work and live with the Kimberlys on the ROMANCE. RIP (photos: At the Wheel & The K's)

From Guy Hermann-
Many things about my time on Romance have stuck with me. Perhaps the most enduring is Skipper's repeated admonition to do things "Properly Way!" or, as I remember it more colorfully: "G** d*** it, Guy, you have to, G** d*** it, do it G** d*** Properly Way! G** d*** it!" Perhaps my memory distorts the exact terminology, but the lesson was clear and is one that I still use repeatedly with myself and my kids. He was a great man.

From Owen Hardy-
I'm an aging "Marinero" - served on the Romance in 1969 - and, like the rest of us - was saddened to learn of the Skipper's passing. Doubly sad, because I was always meaning to get to a Romance reunion, and to see Capt. Kimberly, but "things" always got in the way. Ironically, the day the Skipper died, I was at a dinner party, and the subject of "key events in one's life" came up. Of course, I told of my experience on the Romance, and my audience was almost disbelieving. I hadn't thought of the Romance in months; when I got home that night, I saw the email that Skipper had died. I realized that night that my "audience" wasn't the only one amazed by my Romance experience. I was as well, yet I'd never really stopped to think about it. Until then, which, unfortunately, was too late to pay my respects to the Kimberlys. But it's not too late to remember. As chance would have it, I'm scheduled to give a talk Nov. 11 to my local (Louisville, KY) men's club, and I've decided I want it to be on my Romance experience. "Two Months Before the Mast" is my working title.

From Peter Damon-
Just visited your site for the first time in a long time and saw the news about Skipper. Thanks for publishing it. Add me to the list of those that value every bit of our time with him and Gloria – for me, close to 3 years. Lifelong lessons, glorious seas, pride of accomplishment, patience – numerous other qualities and gifts. I’ll always remember him.

From Art Read -
One of my last days on the ship... No passengers. Making the provisioning run into Charlotte Amalia on St. Thomas. Reaching down Sir Francis Drake channel making about 7-10 knots. All plain sail. At the helm, all alone on deck steering while everyone else, including Skipper, grabbed lunch down below. 10 sails, 115' of waterline, 80 some tons and five other trusting human beings. All in my hands. I was twenty. An existential moment. How many human beings in the later half of the twentieth century have ever had such a moment? Lasted about half an hour before Skipper came up to relieve me so I could get my own lunch. I never wanted a meal less.... He circumnavigated the globe under square sail three times. He sailed around Cape Horn twice as a teenager before the mast. He held a Master's License, any ocean, any tonnage, sail or steam. He had thumbs that could push a nail through oak. (I watched him do it once.) He was my skipper.

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I will update this area as information becomes available. If you would like to share your recollections, thoughts and special photos of Capt. Kimberly, please E-mail them to me.