Written by Winston Bumpus

I had first sailed as a boy on a similar boat, a classic Beetle Cat, when I worked one summer in the Mattapoisett Boat Yard for a dollar an hour. My family could never have afforded such a luxury, but I was able to crew with the boat yard owner’s son on his gaff rigged catboat.
Virginia brought back many memories of my early days of sailing on the East Coast. The Herreshoff 12 ½ is very similar to the Beetle Cat in many ways as it too was gaff-rigged with a wooden boom, mast and gaff. It also had a centerboard and when on-board you mostly sat low almost on the sole of the cockpit. The main difference from the Beetle Cat to the 12 ½ was that the Herreshoff had a self tending jib as the catboat, of course, had none.
Jim had her moored in the harbor just off of Edgartown. We took the water taxi from the dock to her mooring. It took us a few moments once on board to rig the sails and hoist the main. While Jim controlled the tiller and the main, I climbed forward to pull us up to the mooring with the mooring line and then let it go. Off we sailed.
I have always enjoyed sailing thru a mooring area as it makes the sailing a little challenging but also allows you to see the different boats close up, a view you do not always get of other boats. As we tacked our way out of the moorings I remember seeing a beautiful boat docked at a private dock on shore. I think it was at least fifty or sixty feet in length, but truth be known I was never a good judge of boat lengths. I just remember the shiny hull and the bimini covered cockpit. It was a beauty.
I asked Jim if he knew anything about her and he said it belonged to Walter Cronkite. As we continued to tack back and forth as we headed to the outer Edgartown Harbor, I noticed a crew on board. All were wearing matching polo shirts. I looked but did not see Walter as it would have been nice to see him in person. We continued to tack our way between the moorings and up to the mouth of the harbor.
To exit the inner harbor in a sailboat without an engine is always a little challenging and nerve racking as at the mouth of the harbor there are ferries between Edgartown and Chappaquiddick. These ferries, known as “On Time 1” and “On Time 2”, have no schedule so therefore they are always on time. Each of the ferries hold three cars and as many bicycles and people as can fit. As there is only one dock on either side, so when one leaves from one side the other must also cross over. So, for a little sailboat as you tack into the wind and sometimes into the current, you must time it just right or you could end up between the two ferries.
After making it thru the gauntlet of the ferries it was wonderful sailing into the outer Edgartown Harbor. As I looked over the stern I saw that beautiful boat making its way thru to the outer harbor as well and sure enough Walter Cronkite was at the helm. I figured he must be in his eighties and what a wonderful thing for a man like him to get to enjoy sailing after serving so many years as the anchor not only to the nightly news but an anchor to our world as we saw it every night. Of course he was under power and could catch up and pass right by us.
I remember him and his crew passing by, pulling up fenders, and tidying dock lines as they steamed out. But most of all I remember seeing Walter at the helm of his beautiful boat and, as he passed near by we waved and with a grin, he waved back. Then I thought how sweet, he must be sailing off to the cape for a visit with friends in Hyannis or over to Wood’s Hole.
Jim and I spent the rest of that glorious summer afternoon, sailing on his new joy and just enjoying the warm summer wind and Martha’s Vineyard sunshine. We tacked, jibed and just played like kids again in a small boat in perfect wind. We took turns at the tiller and it certainly brought back joyful boyhood memories.
Eventually we needed to turn and head back in as we would need to hail the water taxi upon our return as we wanted to catch it before the water taxi skipper had gone home for the day. So reluctantly we sailed to the inner harbor, and cautiously timed our passage between those to schedule-less ferries.
I took a look around and once again saw coming up behind our stern, Walter and his beautiful boat coming home right behind us. I thought to myself this is even sweeter. Walter wasn’t on a mission to meet some friend or out for any special purpose. He was just like us out playing in his boat on a beautiful day. If anyone ever earned the right to such a day it was he.
We jibed our way back to the mooring and Jim expertly brought the little boat up to the mooring ball headed into the wind. I reached over, grabbed it, tied us off and we were at last secured.
I heard this week that Walter Cronkite had passed away. The news reminded me of that golden day sailing in Martha’s Vineyard. Sailing with my friend and playing around on a beautiful little boat. I also recall how I reveled in the thought that Walter got to enjoy that day, something I think I shall always remember. Sail on Walter; sail on.
And that’s the way it was……