An update from Dud Kay about Jerry Schulze and John Sasser.
Just a few 2700 miles apart, classmates Jerry Schulze and John Sasser got together with me to talk about the 50th and lots of other good stuff.
Jerry and Missy have lived in Beaufort on the water in a beautiful house they designed for about 13 years, about 30 minutes from our Bluffton house. Jill and I connected with them for a promised powerboat tour of the marshes with Jerry at the helm and both of them providing expert commentary on the environment, history, and economics of the area. Did you know that 60% of the U.S. marshlands are right there around Beaufort, SC? Starting the trip out we passed Marine base Parris Island and made our way to prime fishing, shrimping, crabbing, and oyster bed areas. The islands and peninsulas were dotted with "fishing camps," from tiny shacks to Jerry's own spacious building with large eating hall, kitchen, and bedrooms for the twelve guys and families who share in the operation. Generators and batteries supply the electricity. Our contribution to the day was a picnic lunch, the ingredients for wraps supplied by Jill, as well as a vegetarian chocolate and fruit dessert. It was a gorgeous day on the water with great company, and we made tentative plans next time for dinner and entertainment at a jazz club on Hilton Head.
Not long after, Jill and I flew out to Seattle for a visit with her grandchild and to tour the Great Northwest. However, on the first full day, I arranged with John Sasser, just two years removed from Baltimore, to meet for lunch at a waterside restaurant halfway between us in the town of Des Moines below SETAC Airport. We traded our life stories in capsule form, and John's is so great that I'll save it for his bio-essay in the Reunion Book. He and wife Nancy were just about to head out on his "floating RV" (boat) to explore the Gulf Islands up by Vancouver while Jill and I were preparing to our own adventure to San Juan Island and Victoria on Vancouver Island. We shared many memories and names of our classmates that we hope to nudge towards Reunion. John looks great and has a sunny and optimistic outlook that is infectious. Many laughs and a fine seafood lunch later, we said our goodbyes with a mutual excitement about meeting again in Hanover next June.
For our own part, Jill and I enjoyed a thrilling 3-hour sunset kayak adventure on the waters off San Juan Island yesterday, complete with a large pod of seals, three eagles on a small island, and jumping fish among the bald kelp vegetation. Today it was a a long tour of stunningly beautiful Butchart Gardens and now off to Victoria's Chinatown for dinner. It will be back to Seattle for the city sights and a Mariners vs, Astros game before we return home to SC. Right now we're relishing days in the 70's, nights around 60, and low humidity. Everything is beautiful and enchanting, a great area to visit.
Dud
