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CAPTAIN NICK

William C. Wardlow

Judah E. Nickerson is captain of the "Kateri-Tek," a boat
that takes passengers from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard. For the
last three summers, I have worked as purser on the boat, The greatest
single experience I had while working on the boat was my association
with Captain Nick.

He was born in 1877, the son of a Cape Codfisherman. He first
went to sea in 1890,when he was thirteen years old. His father and his
brother took him with them on their swordfishing trips. Captain
Nick was a sword fisherman for the next fifteen years. Then he began
a forty-year career on tug boats in the waters from New York to Maine.
He has had his Masters license since he was thirty-five years old. For
the past twelve years he has been living in semi-retirement on Cape
Cod. His only work is in the summer when he pilots the passenger
boat from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard.

Most people would never think that Captain Nick is eighty-one
years old. He acts younger than most men of fifty. He frequently takes
long walks. His stride is as springy and as lively as a high-spirited
colt. He holds his back so straight that you would think he had a
ramrod down the back of his shirt. Physically, he is the most amazing
octogenarian I have ever known. He used to wear glasses,but he threw
them away about ten years ago. He has no teeth, but he claims that
his gums are hard enough to chew anything that he cares to chew.
His energy is limitless. He only sleeps five hours a day. The first
thing that he does upon arising is to take a two or three mile walk.
Then he comes home and chops wood. A few years ago, he built his
own house in his spare time. Captain Nick never would use the gang-
way when he left the boat. He would always jump the rail like a
young seaman. I doubt that there are many men in their eighties, or
even seventies, who are as physically capable as Captain Nick.

However, it is not only his physical side that amazes me. Captain
Nick has seen a great deal of life and has profited by it. I value his
judgments highly. He has a keen and perceptive mind. His phi-
losophy of life is a simple one. To put it in his words, "You've got to
play the hand that you're dealt. Anybody can win with a good hand
and anybody can lose with a bad hand. It takes a damn good man

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