I can only speculate that fishing and boating can teach virtues like patience, tolerance for the whims and vagaries of Nature that can then be applied to humanity, appreciation for the simple beauties of creation, self-reliance, and stress management.
Greetings!
Welcome to the inaugural Clarke's Chronicle -- a blog about and for the marine industry. In it you'll find news, opinion and philosophy encompassing all aspects of this niche business in which we've all invested our passion. There will be no bias toward or against power or sail, salt or fresh, warm or cold. If it relates to the liquid seven-tenths of our planet, it's fair game. I look forward to reader participation!
I suppose my passion for all things waterborne started when my grandfather and father were taking a new water heater out to Hen Island where my family spent summers. I am told I was about three months old and was in a basket on a seat of the launch my Dad was driving. Apparently we hit a large wave and I was bounced out of the boat. According to my father, my grandfather was over the side and holding the basket up out of the water before its bottom ever got wet!
Over the years, I found that while the distaff side of my family certainly contributed greatly to who I have turned out to be (I lived in a household of very capable, feminist-oriented women), my father and grandfather had the greatest impact on my molding. And they truly ingrained in me the concept that children who get involved in and around the water turn out well.
It's certainly true that children learn the hard, brutal side of life at far earlier ages than when I was growing up. But overall, children today aren’t any better or worse than they've ever been. As a general rule, those who get loving attention turn out well and those who get ignored or worse -- well, don't.
I have a theory about quality time based on they way my father and grandfather treated me as a child.
As I said, we were a watersports family-- always out on boats, fishing, sailing, cruising, or just traveling from point A to point B where a boat was often the shortest and fastest route.
But what I remember most vividly are the "growing up" discussions, especially with my Dad. Every time we had something important to discuss; Sex, drugs, drinking, college, career, behavior, responsibility, you get the idea, we discussed it out on the boat.
Something about the boat was a great equalizer. I learned to run boats at an early age and had more than my share of independence on the water. When out there, I felt we were having a very private conversation rather than a sermon. I never had to worry about the embarrassment of someone (my sister or mother) interrupting. It was just us. Back then, it was far less common for women to go boating by themselves so I'm afraid my sister didn't enjoy the same special time aboard that I did. Fortunately, that’s changing.
What is it about sitting at anchor with a fishing rod that allows you to discuss even the most intimate subjects when the same discussion elsewhere would be painfully uncomfortable?
To be honest, I haven't a clue. I can only speculate that fishing and boating can teach virtues like patience, tolerance for the whims and vagaries of Nature that can then be applied to humanity, appreciation for the simple beauties of creation, self-reliance, and stress management.
What I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt from my own experience and the reports from others that boating and fishing provide a bonding venue second to none. It's no accident that the fishing tackle industry has programs to encourage fishing instead of drugs, to promote the fun and adventure of angling among youngsters rather than letting them fend for themselves out on the street corners.
Take your child boating or fishing without everyone else along. You'll be amazed at what you'll gain. It's a long-term investment that can start paying dividends today.
Dean Travis Clarke comes from a family of watermen. His grandfather was a boat builder, his father a fireman and US Coast Guardsman. Dean got his first professional captain’s job at age 14 running a private Hatteras sport fisherman out of Montauk, N.Y. during summers. A licensed captain, Dean has more than 100,000 sea miles on both power and sailing vessels around the world. He was a member of the crew of Courageous in the 1983 America’s Cup and has sailed in numerous one-design national and world championships.
For the past 25 years, Dean has been a marine journalist, holding the position of executive editor at Bonnier Corporation for the past 20+ years. At Bonnier, Dean worked with Sport Fishing, Marlin, Fly-Fishing in Saltwaters, Boating, Motorboating and Yachting magazines. He also hosted the popular and award-winning Sport Fishing TV show on the Versus and SunSports Networks as well as created award-winning digital and social media campaigns for various advertisers and government agencies.
Recently, after 21 years with the company, Dean left Bonnier and started his own marine multimedia creative agency called DTC-Marine Multimedia.
In 1999, Dean received the prestigious National Marine Manufacturers Association’s Directors Award for being the foremost marine journalist in North America. Dean received appointments from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to serve on both the National Safe Boating Advisory Council and the Navigation Safety Advisory Council. He also sits on the National Advisory Board of BOAT/US. Dean is also an active, licensed Judge Referee with the US Rowing Association. He can be reached at dean@deantravisclarke.com.
Welcome to the inaugural Clarke's Chronicle -- a blog about and for the marine industry. In it you'll find news, opinion and philosophy encompassing all aspects of this niche business in which we've all invested our passion. There will be no bias toward or against power or sail, salt or fresh, warm or cold. If it relates to the liquid seven-tenths of our planet, it's fair game. I look forward to reader participation!
I suppose my passion for all things waterborne started when my grandfather and father were taking a new water heater out to Hen Island where my family spent summers. I am told I was about three months old and was in a basket on a seat of the launch my Dad was driving. Apparently we hit a large wave and I was bounced out of the boat. According to my father, my grandfather was over the side and holding the basket up out of the water before its bottom ever got wet!
Over the years, I found that while the distaff side of my family certainly contributed greatly to who I have turned out to be (I lived in a household of very capable, feminist-oriented women), my father and grandfather had the greatest impact on my molding. And they truly ingrained in me the concept that children who get involved in and around the water turn out well.
It's certainly true that children learn the hard, brutal side of life at far earlier ages than when I was growing up. But overall, children today aren’t any better or worse than they've ever been. As a general rule, those who get loving attention turn out well and those who get ignored or worse -- well, don't.
I have a theory about quality time based on they way my father and grandfather treated me as a child.
As I said, we were a watersports family-- always out on boats, fishing, sailing, cruising, or just traveling from point A to point B where a boat was often the shortest and fastest route.
But what I remember most vividly are the "growing up" discussions, especially with my Dad. Every time we had something important to discuss; Sex, drugs, drinking, college, career, behavior, responsibility, you get the idea, we discussed it out on the boat.
Something about the boat was a great equalizer. I learned to run boats at an early age and had more than my share of independence on the water. When out there, I felt we were having a very private conversation rather than a sermon. I never had to worry about the embarrassment of someone (my sister or mother) interrupting. It was just us. Back then, it was far less common for women to go boating by themselves so I'm afraid my sister didn't enjoy the same special time aboard that I did. Fortunately, that’s changing.
What is it about sitting at anchor with a fishing rod that allows you to discuss even the most intimate subjects when the same discussion elsewhere would be painfully uncomfortable?
To be honest, I haven't a clue. I can only speculate that fishing and boating can teach virtues like patience, tolerance for the whims and vagaries of Nature that can then be applied to humanity, appreciation for the simple beauties of creation, self-reliance, and stress management.
What I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt from my own experience and the reports from others that boating and fishing provide a bonding venue second to none. It's no accident that the fishing tackle industry has programs to encourage fishing instead of drugs, to promote the fun and adventure of angling among youngsters rather than letting them fend for themselves out on the street corners.
Take your child boating or fishing without everyone else along. You'll be amazed at what you'll gain. It's a long-term investment that can start paying dividends today.
Dean Travis Clarke comes from a family of watermen. His grandfather was a boat builder, his father a fireman and US Coast Guardsman. Dean got his first professional captain’s job at age 14 running a private Hatteras sport fisherman out of Montauk, N.Y. during summers. A licensed captain, Dean has more than 100,000 sea miles on both power and sailing vessels around the world. He was a member of the crew of Courageous in the 1983 America’s Cup and has sailed in numerous one-design national and world championships.
For the past 25 years, Dean has been a marine journalist, holding the position of executive editor at Bonnier Corporation for the past 20+ years. At Bonnier, Dean worked with Sport Fishing, Marlin, Fly-Fishing in Saltwaters, Boating, Motorboating and Yachting magazines. He also hosted the popular and award-winning Sport Fishing TV show on the Versus and SunSports Networks as well as created award-winning digital and social media campaigns for various advertisers and government agencies.
Recently, after 21 years with the company, Dean left Bonnier and started his own marine multimedia creative agency called DTC-Marine Multimedia.
In 1999, Dean received the prestigious National Marine Manufacturers Association’s Directors Award for being the foremost marine journalist in North America. Dean received appointments from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to serve on both the National Safe Boating Advisory Council and the Navigation Safety Advisory Council. He also sits on the National Advisory Board of BOAT/US. Dean is also an active, licensed Judge Referee with the US Rowing Association. He can be reached at dean@deantravisclarke.com.