Writing the title of this post was extremely difficult for me.  This morning I checked my email to find a message from Gregory informing me of Hugh's passing yesterday and the dates and times of his visitation and funeral.  I was shocked, to say the least.

Hugh was my boat buddy.  The guy I could talk about boats with and talk about journeys yet to be made by the two of us.  Before Hugh retired a few years ago he was supposed to be getting his boat ready for a voyage down to some tropical island where it was always sunny and warm.  Being that we were both amateur radio operators the discussion of communications always came up and we talked about antennas, digital modes, and other radio-related topics.  He inspired me.

Hugh lived aboard his boat with his cat in Belhaven.  When he was at McCotters' Marina I used to visit him as my boat was at the marina next door.  Always hospitable, Hugh would invite me aboard and we would sit and talk for hours.

Unfortunately I haven't spent much time conversing with him as of late. With the move away from the area and life keeping me hopping I just never seemed to have time to sit down and write or call him up.  I was looking back on some of the messages we exchanged and discovered I hadn't really talked with him in some months.  Unacceptable.  It's not that I don't know better than to keep contact with folks but I guess I wasn't thinking.  Of course Hugh wasn't old enough for me to think that I'd have limited time to enjoy his company.  I guess we all are on limited time, though.

Fair winds and following seas, Hugh.  You are a good friend...