THE
DREAM CAPTAIN
A sea of devotees, an ocean of tears and
cannon fire bid farewell on Saturday to Larry Mahan of Marstons Mills,
who died unexpectedly June 11, but his legacy lives on.
More than a shipbuilder and sailor, the 63-year-old Mahan had a special
gift, which he shared generously with millions of people through his
worldwide sailing adventures with his wife Marlene aboard the replica
1767 Boston Schooner he and friends built in his back yard over 30
years.
He and the 86-foot ship LARINDA, so-named for his children Larry and
Linda, had a certain magic that took people to the far side of wonder.
To see LARINDA was to step into the pages of the British fairy tale
“Little Grey Men,“ that sparked his childhood imagination and was his
lifelong muse. Far from ordinary, LARINDA was a phenomenon of cypress
and century-old hard pine carved into frogs, dolphins and seahorses,
plus a custom stained glass window and 300-pound bronze cannons. Her
museum-quality interior included a restored 1928 Wolverine engine,
custom tiles depicting the ship in the fairy tale, and 2,800 square feet
of red sails.
She was fantasia made real by a man who could rightly be called The
Dream Captain. Sailing and sharing LARINDA with others was his dream
come true.
Amid great fanfare and Cape pride, LARINDA was launched from Falmouth
Harbor nine years ago. In her little window of time, LARINDA, the Dream
Captain, Marlene and their crew sailed to countless seaports, starred in
nationally televised documentaries, won numerous boat show awards,
participated in seaport festivals and hosted youth sail training
programs to weddings. They were key players in events such as the
reenactment in 1999 of The Battle of Falmouth, a true and treacherous
sea-to-land battle between British forces and the colonial militia over
200 years ago along today’s Surf Drive.
The Dream Captain was constantly teaching people of all ages aboard his
sea-roving classroom about maritime heritage, concern for the
environment and protection of natural resources. He was an avid
supporter of and participant in the American Sail Training Association
based in Newport, Rhode Island, adhering to their mission, “to enocurage
character building through sail training, to promote sail training to
the American public and support education under sail.”
He, LARINDA, Marlene and the crew were unsung ambassadors of goodwill
for Cape Cod, sharing with the multitudes their pride of place. “Cape
Cod” was emblazoned on LARINDA’s transom in gold lettering as her
homeport beneath carved wood images of leaping Orca whales and a huge
scallop shell.
Even in his hour of sadness, when LARINDA sank during Hurricane Juan in
Nova Scotia two years ago, The Dream Captain delivered joy. He purchased
a replica 1790’s colonial square topsail ketch, which he named “The
Spirit of LARINDA.” He sailed her from California through rugged seas,
docked her at Falmouth Harbor and began transferring the magic to her.
The Dream Captain and LARINDA gave us something rare and enriching. They
made a mystical tale visible, lifted spirits and brought smiles to faces
with their bravura message to believe in yourself, follow your dreams
and bring goodness into life. We thank them for showing us passion for
life, can-do determination, ingenuity, humility, adventure, love for
humanity and the power of imagination. Sail on, Dream Captain!
Kathy Sharp Frisbee
Writer/Photographer - Cape Cod
www.kathysharpfrisbee.com
June 21, 2005
Photos:
1) The Dream Captain Larry Mahan sailing LARINDA in Vineyard Sound in
2000.
2) Larry and Marlene Mahan aboard LARINDA.
3) LARINDA in Vineyard Sound
4) Interior handcrafted tilework depicting LARINDA in the British fairy
tale “The Little Grey Men,” that inspired Larry to build the ship.
Photos by: Kathy Sharp Frisbee ©2000