The Lowell Song was recorded by The Camelots, a band that performed at the old Spear House back in the 60's. The members were Charlie Pelly on cocktail drum, Dick Dube on the organ and Walter Sarmento on Guitar. I had the pleasure to perform with them on a number of occasions in the early 70's and thought my retirement gig would be a Camelot, but as luck would have it they tore the old Spear House down to build those high rise apartments.
Anyway as the years went by I heard the song every now and then 5 years ago I joined a band called the FunRazrs. One of the members was Rich Sarmento the nephew of Walter Sarmento . I told him I played with his uncle at the Spear House and he told me his uncle co wrote the Lowell Song.
Fast forward to this past summer. I listen to WCAP 980 am everyday a local radio station and they have a segment every Thursday with the unofficial Mayor of downtown Lowell. Ziggy Burns. He is a great guy and does a lot of good in the community and for charity's but his theme song is the old Lowell Song.
Teddy Panos the host of the programs family owes the Athenen Rest and has entertainment during the summer. I put it out to Ziggy to come out and sing his theme song the next time we played at Teddys Rest. and he did.He did a great job and they now play the live version of Ziggys performance as his theme song.
Then I had the idea....Let's redo the song with Ziggy singing it and all proceeded s go to the Salvation Army.
It is all done and the CD is on it's way to be packaged in time for the Salvation Army Radiothon. WCAP will debut it on Tuesday at 7:35 am. We will also lip sync to the track at the City of Lights parade next Sat. in Lowell in front of City Hall.
It was a lot of fun going into the studio to rerecord Richie's uncle s song for the good....
I hope you enjoy it because it was a labor of love.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
The Day After Election Day
It's been a long campaign season for both national and local candidates. How many times have I heard this past week " I can't wait for this to be over" but I sympathize for the candidates having run twice for local office and worked on another campaign for three years in a row.
First thing we should do is thank anyone that is willing to put there name on a ballot and be willing to serve the public. The minute you're a candidate you are open game to political pundits the media and the public.
As a candidate you lean on your family and friends and supporters to help you get your message out with door knocking and visibility and the toughest thing ( for me ) asking people for money because running a campaign is not cheap.
You are on the go everyday knocking on doors going to this event and that fundraiser. Going to the Senior Centers and meetings with unions. Going to debates and in between knocking on doors. Standing on street corners and
going to coffee shops and standing in front of supermarkets.
You are on the phone all day talking to your advisers and supporters and searching out advice from former elected officials that you admire. You hear your name on the radio and tv. Sometimes its good sometimes it's bad but you keep going and your skin gets thicker.
You lay in bed at night wondering did I do enough today and think about what to do tomorrow.........
Then election day comes. You feel you have done everything you could do to get your message out and now it's up to the voters. It's a long day going to all the polls and making sure there is visibility and all your supporters are happy and thank them for their time. but thats all you can do. It's in the hands of the voters
Results come in if you're a winner it's the greatest feeling in the world. If you lose you wonder what more you could have done.
You have gone 100mph and then it stops. No place to go . No calls to make. No media to talk to.....Its a very very strange feeling. Support the ones that won their races and thank those who were willing to serve.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
First thing we should do is thank anyone that is willing to put there name on a ballot and be willing to serve the public. The minute you're a candidate you are open game to political pundits the media and the public.
As a candidate you lean on your family and friends and supporters to help you get your message out with door knocking and visibility and the toughest thing ( for me ) asking people for money because running a campaign is not cheap.
You are on the go everyday knocking on doors going to this event and that fundraiser. Going to the Senior Centers and meetings with unions. Going to debates and in between knocking on doors. Standing on street corners and
going to coffee shops and standing in front of supermarkets.
You are on the phone all day talking to your advisers and supporters and searching out advice from former elected officials that you admire. You hear your name on the radio and tv. Sometimes its good sometimes it's bad but you keep going and your skin gets thicker.
You lay in bed at night wondering did I do enough today and think about what to do tomorrow.........
Then election day comes. You feel you have done everything you could do to get your message out and now it's up to the voters. It's a long day going to all the polls and making sure there is visibility and all your supporters are happy and thank them for their time. but thats all you can do. It's in the hands of the voters
Results come in if you're a winner it's the greatest feeling in the world. If you lose you wonder what more you could have done.
You have gone 100mph and then it stops. No place to go . No calls to make. No media to talk to.....Its a very very strange feeling. Support the ones that won their races and thank those who were willing to serve.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Winterizing your Boat
Since taking the boat out of the water for the season the weather has been tough to winterize the boat but I finally got to it yesterday. Some folks pay a lot of money to do this but it is fairly easy to do. I hope these tips help.
The first thing I do when I get the boat home is power wash the hull to remove the scum while it's still fresh. Don't worry about any barnacles on the hull because you will be able to scrape them off easy in the Spring before you touch up your bottom paint.
Next I pour marine grade fuel stabilizer ( blue stuff ) in to the fuel tanks. I use a pint on each side.
Place your ears on your lower end of the outboard....not your ears ears..LOL but a sort of clamp with suction cups that you attach a garden hose to. Place the ears over the intake vents behind the prop.
Turn the water on and start the engine, let it run for a little while to make sure the stabilizer gets in the carburetors.While its running turn off your fuel switch and let the motor run till it runs dry. Some folks have the engine fogged, I've never done it so I don't know if it's good or bad.
Changing the lower end fluid is important One it's lets you see if you have water in the oil which means your seals are gone. And two it lets you see if you have any metal chips in the oil . Unscrew the top screw on the lower end then on do the bottom one. Drain oil and take a look at the bottom screw. The bottom screw should have a magnet on it . Check for metal flakes and if the oil is milky you have water.
If everything looks alright refill your lower end fluid. Some products come with a hose that screws into the lower end or what looks like a caulking tube. Fill from the bottom hole first till it comes out the top hole.. Your done.
Remove engine cover and spray WD 40 on wires and linkage. This keeps moisture from rusting parts and keeps wiring from drying up.
I have been having my boat shrinkwrapped the last 4 yrs and it is well worth it come Spring time. You can pay anywhere from $8 to $10 a foot and for a little more they can put a zipped door in if you what to.
Anyway it's not hard to do.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
The first thing I do when I get the boat home is power wash the hull to remove the scum while it's still fresh. Don't worry about any barnacles on the hull because you will be able to scrape them off easy in the Spring before you touch up your bottom paint.
Next I pour marine grade fuel stabilizer ( blue stuff ) in to the fuel tanks. I use a pint on each side.
Place your ears on your lower end of the outboard....not your ears ears..LOL but a sort of clamp with suction cups that you attach a garden hose to. Place the ears over the intake vents behind the prop.
Turn the water on and start the engine, let it run for a little while to make sure the stabilizer gets in the carburetors.While its running turn off your fuel switch and let the motor run till it runs dry. Some folks have the engine fogged, I've never done it so I don't know if it's good or bad.
Changing the lower end fluid is important One it's lets you see if you have water in the oil which means your seals are gone. And two it lets you see if you have any metal chips in the oil . Unscrew the top screw on the lower end then on do the bottom one. Drain oil and take a look at the bottom screw. The bottom screw should have a magnet on it . Check for metal flakes and if the oil is milky you have water.
If everything looks alright refill your lower end fluid. Some products come with a hose that screws into the lower end or what looks like a caulking tube. Fill from the bottom hole first till it comes out the top hole.. Your done.
Remove engine cover and spray WD 40 on wires and linkage. This keeps moisture from rusting parts and keeps wiring from drying up.
I have been having my boat shrinkwrapped the last 4 yrs and it is well worth it come Spring time. You can pay anywhere from $8 to $10 a foot and for a little more they can put a zipped door in if you what to.
Anyway it's not hard to do.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Last Boating Day of the Season
I don't know where the summer went, but here it is the last day. All in all I had a good fishing charter season and it was great to see my regulars and new customers. The Striper fishing was strange this year with most of the big fish being caught in deep water instead of in the mouth of the Merrimack River.
Next season I'll be looking at some changes at the marina as we have new owners. I've heard they plan to push the marina out closer to the channel to accommodate more boat slips and push the gas docks out and widen it to accommodate four boats at the same time.
I don't know what will happen to the old Fish Tale Diner ,some say it was sold and to be moved to a new location and I've heard they may turn it into a Tiki Bar. With all these changes I knew my slip fee would go up and it did by four hundred.
I don't plan to move because I still have the best deal and location on the river. I just hope they will let the charterboat captains operate with no restrictions.
The take out went smooth with us going out to sea and picking up the lobster traps for the last time. We had bugs in every one but only one keeper the rest were either shorts or eggers. We headed back in and put the traps in the back of the truck.
The guys went to the boatyard and picked up my boat trailer and met me up river at Cashmans Park boat ramp. I always feel a little sad as I putt up river looking at all the empty mooring balls and boat slips but I'm also happy that I get to do what I love.
My wife is also happy because she has a list a mile long of chores to do around the house.
I'll talk about winterizing your boat on my next blog.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Next season I'll be looking at some changes at the marina as we have new owners. I've heard they plan to push the marina out closer to the channel to accommodate more boat slips and push the gas docks out and widen it to accommodate four boats at the same time.
I don't know what will happen to the old Fish Tale Diner ,some say it was sold and to be moved to a new location and I've heard they may turn it into a Tiki Bar. With all these changes I knew my slip fee would go up and it did by four hundred.
I don't plan to move because I still have the best deal and location on the river. I just hope they will let the charterboat captains operate with no restrictions.
The take out went smooth with us going out to sea and picking up the lobster traps for the last time. We had bugs in every one but only one keeper the rest were either shorts or eggers. We headed back in and put the traps in the back of the truck.
The guys went to the boatyard and picked up my boat trailer and met me up river at Cashmans Park boat ramp. I always feel a little sad as I putt up river looking at all the empty mooring balls and boat slips but I'm also happy that I get to do what I love.
My wife is also happy because she has a list a mile long of chores to do around the house.
I'll talk about winterizing your boat on my next blog.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Striper Fishing in Cape Cod Bay
My friends and I decided to change it up and charter a 36ft Sport fishing boat down the Cape and try our luck on the infamous striper fishing we only hear about up here in the north shore.
The boat was a beauty and Captian John Carty and 1st mate Kevin made us feel welcome aboard the Lucky Lady II. I wasn't prepared for the rough seas and the kind of fishing we were in store for. We checked the weather before we left my buddy's house in Sandwich and they said one foot seas and wind out of the NNW at 5 miles and hour. When we got to the boat it was blowing at 15 miles an hour with 3 to 4 ft seas.
We headed out banging though the waves and started to troll along Barnstable beaches about 300 yards off shore using purple jig heads. Two guys sitting in the fighting chairs at the stern pumping the jigs at a good clip up and down as the Capt. worked the boat as he called it over a pile of fish.
It was exhausting at times but rewarding when we hooked up. We kept swapping off and heckled one another and had a lot off laughs and took some shots from the good natured Capt. up on the fly bridge.
After the tide went slack we headed toward the Cape Cod Canal and fished a ledge about a mile off shore.
I have fished in a bunch off boats before but this was crazy, about 60 boats trolling tubes on a small rock pile so close I could walk onto a boat going by at times. This is where we caught our biggest fish and it was awesome.
The wind calmed down and the sun came out and we headed back to the dock after 8hrs at sea and with over a hundred pounds of filet in our cooler. It is very cool to check out the different ways to catch fish because what works down the Cape doesn't always work in the north shore.
I love Striper fishing...
Sea Ya
The Capt.
The boat was a beauty and Captian John Carty and 1st mate Kevin made us feel welcome aboard the Lucky Lady II. I wasn't prepared for the rough seas and the kind of fishing we were in store for. We checked the weather before we left my buddy's house in Sandwich and they said one foot seas and wind out of the NNW at 5 miles and hour. When we got to the boat it was blowing at 15 miles an hour with 3 to 4 ft seas.
We headed out banging though the waves and started to troll along Barnstable beaches about 300 yards off shore using purple jig heads. Two guys sitting in the fighting chairs at the stern pumping the jigs at a good clip up and down as the Capt. worked the boat as he called it over a pile of fish.
It was exhausting at times but rewarding when we hooked up. We kept swapping off and heckled one another and had a lot off laughs and took some shots from the good natured Capt. up on the fly bridge.
After the tide went slack we headed toward the Cape Cod Canal and fished a ledge about a mile off shore.
I have fished in a bunch off boats before but this was crazy, about 60 boats trolling tubes on a small rock pile so close I could walk onto a boat going by at times. This is where we caught our biggest fish and it was awesome.
The wind calmed down and the sun came out and we headed back to the dock after 8hrs at sea and with over a hundred pounds of filet in our cooler. It is very cool to check out the different ways to catch fish because what works down the Cape doesn't always work in the north shore.
I love Striper fishing...
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Open apology to Gerry Nutter
As a political junky I read all the local blogs. I do comment on occasion on things that interest me and sometimes get caught in the web. I was alittle harsh on Gerry when he accused me of knowing of or being a part of illegal activities pertaining to the stealing of scrap from the Jullian Steel Project.
Gerry does a good job covering local politics and puts in a lot of time in it and his blog is my source of information. I sometimes get frustrated when I hear him on City Life or on Warren Shaws Show make statements like they were fact.
I should know better then to lash out and for that Gerry I am sorry . Keep doing what you do and I'll keep reading and try not to get caught in the web.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Gerry does a good job covering local politics and puts in a lot of time in it and his blog is my source of information. I sometimes get frustrated when I hear him on City Life or on Warren Shaws Show make statements like they were fact.
I should know better then to lash out and for that Gerry I am sorry . Keep doing what you do and I'll keep reading and try not to get caught in the web.
Sea Ya
The Capt.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Motorcycle ride to the past.
I had the pleasure to ride my Harley with my friends to Conn. this weekend and stayed at my buddy's daughters camp on Hayward Lake . I don't know what town it's in but I saw what living should be like and the pace we should be living at.
I love living in Lowell and I go about making a living every day but when I take a putt with my buddy's we end up somewhere I have never been and see these little towns and talk to the locals I wonder if a simple life in a rural place is the answer.
The lake we stayed on was beautiful and the bass fishing was unbelievable. The water was clear and clean and you could tell by looking at the fish because they were bright and healthy. The country side was also beautiful with rolling hills and open space and old farm houses on large parcels of land.
My buddy Paul and I took a putt on Sat. and got lost on purpose and ended up on dirt roads for miles and had to stop and let a flock of turkeys cross the road. We also found a old cemetery with many unmarked graves but some from the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War ...very cool.
At night the locals came out to the beach and whooped it up with a band and danced the night away.
They had home cooked side dishes and a 50/ 50 raffle and were very kind to us .
I don't know but it reminded me of a earlier time in my life when we would go to my uncles lake house in the early 60's. I'm very happy that there are still places like the one I found this weekend.
I still don't know what town I was in but it was a beautiful and happy place.
Sea Ya
The Capt..
I love living in Lowell and I go about making a living every day but when I take a putt with my buddy's we end up somewhere I have never been and see these little towns and talk to the locals I wonder if a simple life in a rural place is the answer.
The lake we stayed on was beautiful and the bass fishing was unbelievable. The water was clear and clean and you could tell by looking at the fish because they were bright and healthy. The country side was also beautiful with rolling hills and open space and old farm houses on large parcels of land.
My buddy Paul and I took a putt on Sat. and got lost on purpose and ended up on dirt roads for miles and had to stop and let a flock of turkeys cross the road. We also found a old cemetery with many unmarked graves but some from the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War ...very cool.
At night the locals came out to the beach and whooped it up with a band and danced the night away.
They had home cooked side dishes and a 50/ 50 raffle and were very kind to us .
I don't know but it reminded me of a earlier time in my life when we would go to my uncles lake house in the early 60's. I'm very happy that there are still places like the one I found this weekend.
I still don't know what town I was in but it was a beautiful and happy place.
Sea Ya
The Capt..
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