The launch and rescue of Eddie

When we purchased our TomCat from Ed Devlin of Long Island, one of the many items we received with the boat was a hand-made paper mache dish in the shape of a colourful fish. Ed's wife is an artist and she fashioned the dish to hold fruit. We kept the dish and it became a catch-all, a temporary one, as we felt a smaller, more compact arrangement eventually would suit our needs. When we installed a teak rack for dishes and whatnot in the galley, there no longer was a place for the fish. Thus, the plan to launch it so it might eventually find a home among the fishes of Lake Ontario. The problem was we started calling the fish Eddie as the days of the launch approached, and there was a tinge of sadness in our hearts as we prepared to set Eddie free.

But a plan is a plan so the Captain gently lowered Eddie into the water on the last day of our 1000 Islands cruise.

As Eddie drifted away, all was silent aboard the TomCat. Finally, the Admiral choked back a tear, "This is so sad." Mumbled the Captain, "What if Eddie is our good luck charm?"

And so it came to pass that we turned the boat around and rescued Eddie. He will sail with us all our days on At Last!