A GREAT LAKES SAILOR
by Janis Stein

Join in the continuation as Jerome Booms recalls an interesting ride aboard the McCullough in 1952.

While Jerome had encountered a few storms over the years, none would stick in his memory as great as the storm he faced in 1952, sailing aboard the C.H. McCullough. Traveling up bound on Lake Huron in the fall of the year, the McCullough was light when she encountered Mother Nature’s wicked winds and Lake Huron’s pounding waves. With no place to hide behind and nowhere to seek shelter, the McCullough faced the wind head-on to avoid a roll over.

As Third Engineer, Jerome spent his entire watch at the throttle. So great were the waves, the aft end of the McCullough would rise above the water, causing the sailors to quickly slow the engines down. As soon as everything was settled, the situation would reverse itself and for the next eight hours, the McCullough’s crew slammed through the waters of Lake Huron.

Those sailors on the forward end received word they’d be missing their supper, for no one was allowed on deck. Some were simply too sick to think about food anyway. But not Jerome. While the duration of his watch had been nerve-wracking and never before had he faced such a storm, one benefit of having a strong stomach and working on the aft end of the McCullough was ready access to the galley!

During the winter of 1952, Jerome studied some more, this time working towards achieving his license to hold the position of Second Engineer. All his hard work paid off, for in the spring of 1953, Jerome secured a job aboard another of Interlake Steamship Company’s boats, the Verona. The beginning of a new season always brought with it excitement, and Jerome couldn’t help but marvel each year at the sight of freighter after freighter lined up and waiting to make their way through the path of broken ice.

Jerome had his mind on other things in 1953 besides the Verona, for he had met a young lady by the name of Mildred Molloy. More often than not, his thoughts drifted to Millie as he made his way up and down the lakes, and he looked forward to the end of the sailing season as he never had before.

In January of 1954, Jerome and Millie married, and for a few short months as they shared their new life together, the pair wondered whether Jerome should continue sailing. Spring came early, and with it, Jerome’s orders to travel to Toledo to fit out the ship. Old habits die hard, and Jerome once again set sail.

The freighter sailed as far as Superior, and Jerome proceeded to help the crew lay that boat up and fit another one out; this second freighter would travel as far as Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, before the crew was released. Jerome stayed on, though, throughout the summer, acting as the ship’s keeper. Many freighters were being laid up, and at this dock alone, three lakers would sit idle for the summer.

Jerome’s wife, Millie, joined him in Wisconsin in June and, together, the pair kept a watchful eye on the ship. They didn’t have to pay for heat, and Millie prepared the majority of their meals from the food left over in the cook’s refrigerator with electricity coming from the dock. Millie occupied herself during the few days of the month when Jerome painted the deck and performed the few maintenance tasks required.

The summer proved to be a beautiful one, and Jerome smiled when he thought of his good fortune. Not only was he earning the same wages as he had while he was actually sailing – about $450 per month – he had Millie by his side. It was common practice for married ship keepers to bring their spouse aboard, and the pair slept in the chief engineer’s room and stretched out in the big double bed. When Jerome awoke at 7 a.m., more often than not Millie had already made her way to her favorite spot on the dock. After Jerome dressed and went in search of his new bride, he usually found her fishing and many times her pail was already half filled with perch!

Be sure to look for the conclusion next month as Jerome recalls fishing with his wife, Millie, in the waters of the Sturgeon Bay.

© 2008 Stein Expressions, LLC