“The best lessons in life are the lessons well learned.” LifeMotivationalLessonsGiovanniedesadeleerGiovannie De Sadeleer Author:Giovannie de Sadeleer
“If you do not master the laws of nature, you will kneel to those who did” ScienceReligionFaithKingdomConversionsion Author:‘Yemi Success, MD
“Sometimes we see best when we close our eyes.” LoveSometimesWisdomEyesSeeGiovanniedesadeleerGiovannie De SadeleerClose Author:Giovannie de Sadeleer
“It took seconds to fall in love and years to tell her.” LoveMomentsFeelingsPoetryRelationshipsRomanticFalling In LoveGiovanniedesadeleerGiovannie De Sadeleer Author:Giovannie de Sadeleer
“Why do you think I am special?’ The girl asked. The boy stared at her. ‘Because you put a spell on my dreams and brought it to life.” FeelingsPoetryGirlDreamsSpecialPoemsGiovanniedesadeleerGiovannie De Sadeleer Author:Giovannie de Sadeleer
“Throughout the year we worked at maintaining and painting the vessels secured at the Academy waterfront. The school had lifeboats, running boats, sailboats, a wooden-hulled “Submarine Chaser” and the “Training Ship.” During the years that I was at the Academy, most of these ships and boats, being holdovers from World War II, were hardly new. They were in constant need of maintenance and repair, which, of course, fell to us midshipmen. Most of the other academies had the funding to hire a permanent maintenance staff, but not us. At MMA we took pride in what we did and we were the ones who took care of almost everything. Every winter, for all the years that I was at Maine Maritime Academy, we sailed from Castine, Maine, to the warm waters of the Caribbean in January. In The Tricks End, our yearbook, the Caribbean was called our third home. It gave us something to look forward to, and it gave us the practical, seagoing training we needed to become officers in the United States Maritime Service.” ShipsCaptain Hank BrackerSea StoriesMaine Maritime AcademyMaine HistoryNautical History Author:Captain Hank Bracker, "Salty & Saucy Maine"
“Half running, with my thumb out, I eventually got to the bridge crossing the Raritan River. Starting across it, I saw a stake-sided farm truck pulling over, and then stop ahead of me. “Where you go’n, sailor?” the driver asked. When I told him “Toms River,” he said that he was going right through there. The truck driver had a rough look about him, but he seemed friendly enough when he asked if I was in the Coast Guard, knowing that USCG sailors travel this way to their Boot Camp in Cape May. “No Sir,” I answered and explained that I was late getting back to Admiral Farragut Academy. “No problem,” he answered. “I’ll get you there!” It wasn’t the nicest truck, or the fastest, but it was a ride. We rumbled through Toms River and Beachwood and then on to Pine Beach, with only minutes to spare. Thanking him, I jumped out of the truck and ran towards Dupont Hall to check in. “Who was that?” one of the cadets asked, as I opened the door. “Oh… Just an Uncle who came to see me,” was the answer I gave as casually as I could….” Captain Hank BrackerSea StoriesNew Jersey HistoryAdmiral Farragut AcademyT 500 Author:Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One"
“Finally I just put the box containing the brownie mix down into the snow, crouched down against a building, and pulled my pea coat over my head. Breathing into it, I managed to generate a little heat. I pressed the flaps of the coat against my ears until I could feel them again. Aside from my frozen feet, I warmed up enough this way to be able to continue. Picking up the box, I got up and once again faced the harsh elements. There was little sign of life, and with this cold wind, I could easily have gotten frostbite. Most people who lived in Maine had better sense than to be out under these arctic conditions. The plows had not cleared the streets yet, and behind me I could see a lone car spinning its wheels, trying in vain to make the steep grade. Once again I had to put down the box. I took off my gloves and tried to warm my hands by blowing onto them, as I did a little dance stomping my feet, but nothing helped anymore; my hands and feet were numb. When I picked the box up again, the bottom was caked with snow, making matters even worse! With only a short distance left I thought about Ann and the aroma from baking brownies, so I continued trudging on. I could now see the statue of Longfellow, slouched in his massive chair. “Hi, Henry. What do you think of this glorious weather?” Not getting an answer was answer enough. I was convinced that his bronze butt was frozen to the chair, but in spite of the weather, he still looked comfortable!” Captain Hank BrackerMainePortlandBrowniesMaine HistoryLongfellow Square Author:Captain Hank Bracker, "Salty & Saucy Maine"
“The only cigarettes allowed in the Dominican Republic were those made from tobacco grown on Trujillo’s plantations and manufactured at his 1,600-man cigarette factory. Although Dominican tobacco is good when used in making cigars, the people wanted what they couldn’t have and that was American-made cigarettes, which were impossible to get on the island. It was also more profitable to raise sugarcane on the available land, so that also hampered the amount of tobacco grown. Noticing the bumboats around the stern, I shouted down to them, asking what they were selling. It turned out that they were buying and were willing to pay $50 per carton for the same American cigarettes that we only paid twenty-five cents a pack for. At that time we were allowed to keep the ship’s store open in port, so the arithmetic made sense. I quickly bought five cartons at $2.50 each, and started lowering them down in a bucket. Each time I lowered a carton of Lucky Strikes, $50.00 came back up. Not bad, and all went well, until I got to the fourth carton and the bucket came up empty. The scoundrel, on his bumboat, was heading back to the port with a carton that he didn’t pay for. There were still other vendors in boats looking to make a deal, but by now I couldn’t buy any more cigarettes because the ship’s storekeeper had figured out what was happening. Knowing that it would deplete the cigarettes left in the ship’s store, he dropped the wire screen closure. Okay, I knew what to do…. I went to the carpenter’s locker and carefully slit open my remaining carton and filled the empty carton with sawdust before resealing it again. Down went the carton and up came $50. With that, I closed up shop, knowing that the guys in the bumboats would figure out what had happened and would try to get even. I wound up with $200 and 10 packs of cigarettes, less my unforeseen expenses. Not a bad day’s work.” Captain Hank BrackerSea StoriesMaine Maritime AcademyDominion RepublicUss Sea Cloud Author:Captain Hank Bracker, "Salty & Saucy Maine"
“Within minutes the four of us were dressed and standing outside of our room, at attention. We listened very carefully to the instructions that were being broadcast over the infernal loudspeaker, conveniently mounted on the bulkhead, just outside of our room. I already detested the blaring sound of the PA system and my first full day at the Academy had hardly started. We were instructed to go down to the Quarterdeck near the lobby and get into the chow line for breakfast. Everything happened so fast that I didn’t even notice that the sun came up while we were chowing down. Following breakfast, all of us had to report to the ship’s store for the purpose of being fitted for our denim working uniforms, which included a U.S. Navy foul weather jacket. Our other uniforms would be issued at various times during the first week, but for now these dungarees would be the only uniform we would need. By the time it was 10:00 a.m. we looked like Q-Balls with our regulation haircuts, were dressed in our newly stenciled uniforms, had eaten breakfast, made our beds and squared away our quarters and oh yes, it was only the beginning, the best was yet to come!” Captain Hank BrackerSea StoriesMaine Maritime AcademyUs NavyRecruits Author:Captain Hank Bracker, "Salty & Saucy Maine"