grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren to
visit. They live in Virginia, Georgia and North
Carolina, and the couple also plans to visit
Minnesota, where Mary is from.
After sailing the seas for all of these years,
does it feel different to travel on land?
“It just feels good,” said Mary. “I would like to
see us in Panama City one day, where Tater’s
from, but I don’t know if I’ll get him to move.”
Tater said he considers Boca Grande to be
their home now. According to him, they made
their living on the island and worked hard to
get there.
As retirement looms on the horizon, Tater has
cultivated many non-fi shing hobbies to keep
himself busy and content. He loves to garden,
and to make mulberry wine.
“People enjoy it and love it so much; it will
make your clothes fall right off,” laughed Mary.
“It gives you this warm, fuzzy feeling.”
Tater loves to hunt raccoons, possums, armadillos,
hogs and, as Mary said, “whatever’s right
outside the window.” She also claims he makes
the best king mackerel dip you’ve ever had.
Mary and Tater agree that it’s time to relax
and enjoy life. “After all, he’s been working since
he was 11 years old,” said Mary. “He deserves
some time off, my salty dog, redneck
fi sherman.”
Tater and Mary aboard Añejo.
ThTh rough the years...
A collection of photographs
taken through the years, all from
the “Tater” archives.