Posted on 05/12/2009 5:58:04 AM PDT by real_patriotic_american
(At right) Flanked by friends and family members, a wreath is carried down the beach to be released into the ocean in memory of Craig, "founding father" of the Beach Patrol. Carrying the wreath is the current head of the organization, Capt. Butch Arbin, who is flanked by Craig's son, Robert Craig, and grandson, Christopher Craig. (Above) Sean Williams pushes a surf board, carrying the wreath and the ashes of Capt. Craig, toward a Coast Guard boat, which released the wreath farther from the shore.
Captain Robert S. Craig, Ocean City Beach Patrol, Maryland, was a great man who touched so many people's lives. He will be forever missed.
Thanks
This merits a delmarva ping.
His ashes didn’t help my offshore fishing last week. It’s transition time, though. The togs aren’t completely gone, but the sea bass haven’t completely arrived.
... and thank you Tijeras_Slim!
I used to look over the inlet and ocean with Captain Craig watching the boats and ships coming and going.
The greatest culinary tragedy is that Thrasher’s Fries and the Owl Bar’s Green Chili Cheeseburger are 2000 miles apart.
Thanks for posting this.
Unfortunately a computer crash cost me almost all my ping lists, so I will have to recreate one.....please let me know if you want on or remember any folks who were on it....
But around the corner from Thrashers Fries is Phillips Crab House were they had the Memorial Service dinner.
YOu would have to say that. You know how hard it is to find a good crabcake at 7500’ in the New Mexico mountains? ;)
You are probably missing Ocean Downs, Trader Lees and the O.C. bus service as well?
Dayton’s chicken, Dollie’s caramel corn...
The italian ice at 11th and the Boardwalk...
Breakfast at the Santa Maria (torn down now)...
Up in the north end, it was either Denny’s, McD’s, or Duncan Doughnuts for scambled eggs, several pots of mud and lies.
I was probably headed out with Capt. Bunting on the Angler. I DID see Captain Craig’s memorial pics at the Livesaving Museum last weekend and remembered seeing him everywhere.
Captain Craig’s son also served on the OCBP and is a retired U.S. Navy officer and Vietnam Veteran.
Family has stayed at the same place on 14th and Pennsylvania for 53 years.
Great Grandfather owned a bunch of land there in the 30’s but sold it because it was getting “too crowded.”
Oh yes, Captain got around in various ways as he supervised us. One day when I was guarding along the boardwalk, I turned around and there was the Captain riding by on the boardwalk tram. Other times, he’d be in the jeep, pick-up or zodiac boat.
14th St.? I didn’t guard exactly on 14th, but several of the summers, I was a few blocks away.
Both Captain Craig and Assistant Captain Schoepf were teachers/coaches during the school year. Then they’d leave school and come down to serve on the OCBP during the summer. You never knew when they might show up. If they caught us with to many chics around our lifeguard stand, we’d get a dose of “The School of Hard Knocks.”
I never spent much time in OC, but many of the names you guys are tossing out are familiar to me, mostly stories from my husband about his misspent youth :)
Yes, Captain’s Craig and Schoepf expected us to maintain beach safety to the utmost and not be distracted from our duties. Having to many chics around your stand at the wrong time could get you a real good blistering!!
As members of the OCBP, we’d get discount cards from the town’s finest resteraunts. Ohhh, the good ole days....
Our tog season is currently closed, and the stripers are just starting to come back. Blues are due in the next couple weeks.
Thank God winter is OVER!
We could see the Navy ships sailing by on there way to and from Norfolk. I served in the Navy on the west coast myself.
Hey, the USAF would sometimes fly by overhead (and I mean real, real low). They were probably checking out the beautiful Ocean City scenery on the beach.
I recall Captain Craig telling me that he remembers when a horrific hurricane opened up the inlet in Ocean City in 1933. Shortly after the hurricane passed by, the ocean returned to extreme calm with very peaceful sunny blue skies.
In honor of OC, I’m wearing my Purple Moose Saloon t-shirt at work today.
.... O.K., then I’ll go dig up my “Back-of-the-Rack” t-shirt!
Alright fellows,
Now if you are true veterans of vintage Ocean City, tell me what happened to the Alaska Stand on the boardwalk at I believe 1st St.?
I still miss their fries and vinegar after 40 years!
Hummmmm, I believe that it was still there when I left.
I miss Billy’s Sub Shop, The Dough Roller, Tony’s Pizza and Leo’s Subs and Crabs Restaurant myself, etc.
As far as I know it’s still there. There’s also one near 8th street and the Boardwalk.
Some of the best summers I had were spent working there in a bikeshop in the late 70’s - living in a cottage around 7th and Baltimore with a bunch of bike/beach bums.
Anyone rememeber the Safari Shop of the 60’s and 70’s with the big gorilla on the roof around 14th?
I was a beach boy renting out mats, chairs and umbrellas. Sat and listened to tunes most of the day while watching bikinis stroll by.
Been spoiled for it ever since.
Will need to shield my young son from it lest he thinks that’s what life’s all about.
But I would go in a heartbeat to a beachboy/bum reunion!
There’s no going back, but at OC you can close your eyes and pretend pretty good!
If I’d known what the future would bring, I’d have appreciated those days a lot more.
Having lived in New Mexico for some time now, I have a problem with the humidity... I’m used to single digits!
Well thanks for those chairs on our stands.
Captain Craig had us pull our stands out close to the water so that you folks could put out all your umbrellas for rent. Of course, it was for safety as well.
Remember when the wind used to pick up those umbrellas and send them flying? Of course, we’d be right there to catch them.
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