Das Boot Sinkt

Standing on the stern of this vessel is my former employer and good friend, Hubertus Rechberg of Eschenloe, Germany.






The photo was taken yesterday inside The boat house at Hubert's farm on Wicomico Creek, MD. If you can notice, the interior is a reflective pool.

The boat is named a Volga. Volga is a small hydrofoil vessel. Around 6,800 boats have been built. Full-load displacement 1.9-2.6 tons, speed 29-33.5 knots, passengers 6, range 97-160 n.m

AT 0900 yesterday the phone rang with a female voice saying, "Lee, the boat has sunk in the boat house. I gathered up our family friend and adopted brother to my daughter Kathy, Andy Linz, from Weilheim, Germany and we met at the farm. God bless Andy, ever the respondant. We borrowed several chains from a local farmer and pulled the boat to the front of the boat house. We then went to a local Crane Co., gotta give him a plug, Houston Crane G.L. the owner fixed us up with two straps to hook on to the 4 mechanical hoists in the ceiling of the boat house. Andy and Hubert, after several hours of hard work were able to hoist the boat and begin the process of draining it.

Once Billy the boat man gets to the farm the situation will be evaluated and perhaps the boat will motor once again. My guess is not this year. We Shall see.

I must tell you this was not the first sinking of Das Boot. No, it's gone down previously. On that occasion the local Fire Brigade as Hubert calls them, responded. To give them credit, The Allen Volunteer Fire Company, aka, Station #15.

I have been affiliated with the farm for fifteen years, and each year when the owner and his family arrive it has always been an adventure. I'm trying to think if it could be a mini series who would play Hubert's part. Our guess is Walter Matthau. At some point down the line I'll embellish on the happenings at Rechberg Farm mthrough the years and try to paint the characters for you.

Andy returned home to Germany this afternoon after sharing himself with all of us for a month. A wonderful young man who my family has come to love as their own. We are hoping he returns to spend Christmas with us. Andy lost his mother this past March and misses her very much. As an adopted family, we grieve in his loss with him.

Now the process of packing for the trip two days away begins. I must spend a few minutes with our long time friends Bob & Linda Lataille. They stopped by last week on their way south to Wilmington, NC to see one of their daughters and are here again on the return. I'm preparing the charcoal, have basted the Pork Chops and await our daughter Sarah's arrival to begin the cooking process.

So until tomorrow, Semper Fi, Go Navy beat Army!