October 10, 2006

Fair winds, Bruce Abraham

Posted by Brian at 1:58 PM

Pete Willcox, first skipper of the Rainbow Warrior, wrote this homage to activist Bruce Abraham:

Bruce Abraham died yesterday. I do not know the details.

I met Bruce in 1983 in Seattle, when we were there getting ready for that summer in Alaska. He wanted to join the crew, and came with us on the day trip from Lake Union to downtown Seattle. It was a tricky docking, with a good breeze blowing us off the dock. Bruce talked his way onto the bow and somehow into the position of throwing the heaving line to shore. The monkeys fist flew off the bow, right towards some picture windows of an overlooking restaurant. As the pilot and I gasped, Bruce at the last second gave a little flick of his wrist, and the heaving line fell gently on the dock. I hired him on the spot as third mate.

That summer, when we were doing the whaling action in Soviet Union, Bruce made his spectacular jump off the bow of the R'dub into the gasoline tank filled inflatable to save the film of the action and whaling station. He broke his leg, and later we realized he had badly ruptured a disk in his back. But he got the film, and whole thing was recorded on film. It took almost a year to get him back together. The whole maneuver had been his idea. He told me to let the speeding, driverless inflatable (Jim Henry had just been blown out by the helicopter.) hit the R'dub at the stern and he would do the rest. He did!

Bruce sailed with me for a year on the Syscomp 1, the RW II sister ship I ran. He introduced my daughter Anita to swinging twisters, and other joys. He was a great shipmate, who was a real seaman in the best sense of the word. He was an A.B. in 83, but by 89 had his Unlimited Masters license.

Most of my connection with him the last few years was to be on the receiving end of his of his prolific email jokes. The more mellow ones I would often forward on, but you had to have a real good sense of humor to appreciate most of his jokes. He must have spent a lot of time surf the web to find his stuff.

I got to hang out with him three years ago when I was in Seattle. He did not change much over the years, as he always had the beard. We talked several times a year, often about merchant marine stuff. He spent the last few years being a chief mate on a standby ship in Seattle. He always did figure out how to get the good jobs. He was not above bull shitting his way into a situation, but always could figure things out fast a make a success of it.

He was a good friend, and I will miss him.

R'dub crew: I am not in touch with everyone, but would like to be.
Could you all forward this around, and ask yourselves to get in touch.

Fair breezes,

Pete

Posted by Brian on October 10, 2006 1:58 PM |

Comments

I don't know if we can comment here as we are landlubbers in Yakima, Wa. But our kids, Andy and Diane Hoggarth were very close to Bruce and we got to know him through them. He was such a character and fun. We are conservatives (I have the courage to admit it) so he really enjoyed jabbing us and especially me, about my politics. We spent many Thanksgivings with Bruce at Andy and Diane's house and he was such an important part of the day. We will miss him a lot and appreciate hearing about Bruce from Pete Willcox. If you ever met Bruce you won't forget him! Jean Hoggarth

Posted by: Joe and Jean Hoggarth | October 13, 2006 2:54 AM

My favorite memory of Bruce was during Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago. The kitchen smelled of stuffing, pies and apple cider. My mom was sniffing a crock pot full of a wonderful smelling liquid. Bruce tempted her to try it. It was brine! Her reaction had me laughing for days. Bruce’s sense of humor will be missed as well as his stories. I've spent many Thanksgiving dinners with Bruce at Andy and Diane's house. Bruce, it won't be the same without you! This year we'll have a spoonful of brine to toast you! Corinne Setzer

Posted by: Corinne Setzer | October 13, 2006 8:57 PM

CAN ANYONE FILL ME IN ON THE DETAILS OF HIS DEATH? I'm shocked - I thought he'd outlive me - I've known him for over 25 yrs., at Open Door Clinic, he lived on Eastlake in my home, then we'd hook up at Pike Place Market and fiinally THE EMAILS. WOW!
He was intense, funny, had a great mind for getting around a problem, and was a very kind person. It is a shock and I still can't grasp that he is no longer here.

Posted by: madeline hoover | November 2, 2006 2:40 AM

I had just met Bruce this last august. I responded to his Craigslist posting, looking for shared housing. After several meetings he moved into the bottom part of my house the begining of October. I didn't know him for long but had grown to look forward to his calls and to having him share some of his time wih me. He was in good spirits but tired from the move. I last talked to him Saturday about supper time and Beth came over to spend time with him Saturday evening . I went to the library Sunday, I have recently returned to school, and when I came home it was quiet in the basement. I was worried that he might not be OK so checked on him. He had died peacefully in his sleep. The medical examiner says he had a heart attack.

I will miss him.
Charlotte

Posted by: Charlotte Green | November 5, 2006 10:41 PM

Damn. Bruce. Damn.
I'm the guy that filmed Bruce jumping off the Rainbow Warrior that day. (The idea to run the zodiac full of gas to AK with the film was my idea) I think Peter was referring to Bruce deciding to jump overboard to get the zodiac...what a move. Bruce, you're gone but not forgotten. Damn. Bruce was also a veteran of the Viet Nam war and saw action with the Marines at one of the bloodiest encounters of that shit piece war...a miserable place called Khe San. I just heard this news (March 30) from my friend Eddie Chavies. Bruce was everything that Peter says he was. He was friendly, funny, outrageous and responsible.

God bless you buddy.
John Parulis

Posted by: John Parulis | March 31, 2007 3:40 AM