Happy New Year 2017

Indigo Star underway to Pelican Bay

We rang in the new year with our PGIslander Boat Club friends.  We took m/v, Indigo Star, to Pelican Bay near Cayo Costa.  Our friends rafted up their three catamarans for the "party platform."  The weather was perfect - unusually warm, for this time of year in the 70's.   People began arriving at the boats about 5:30 p.m., just before sunset.  Everyone provided wonderful appetizers and drinks. 


The New Year's Eve Party Platform - 3 catamarans

We surprised Richard for his 70th Birthday with a skit and songs about his life.  Here is the script for your reading enjoyment...



Richard looking good at age 70

On NEW YEAR'S EVE, Dec 31, 1946, Richard Christopher Collins was born in Dover, NJ, the first child of Arthur & Julia Jo Collins. As he lay in the hospital basinette, and the clock struck midnite, this is the first tune he heard:

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?

Richard was a good baby, but his world was uprooted when his only sibling, younger brother, Bart, was born when Richard was 3 years old. His song was then:

          WE ARE FAMILY....

          I'VE GOT A PESKY KID BROTHER AND ME!

Richard's Dad was in the Air Force and his childhood was a series of moves.. all throughout the US and Guam. He loved moving around and Richard was often overheard humming:

      On the Road Again by Willie Nelson

          On the road again
          Goin' places that I've never been
          Seein' things that I may never see again,
          And I can't wait to get on the road again

• To Long Island, NY in Levittown age 1-5
• To Guam ages 6-7
• To Orlando, FL age 8
• To Amarillo, TX age 9
• To Rantoul, Illinois, age 10
• To Jacksonville, Arkansas, age 11
• To Smyrna, Tennessee, age 12-14
• To Abilene, Texas, age 15-22

He figured he attended about 12 different schools by the time he got to college.

Blowing out the big 70 candles on favorite carrot cake

HE WAS OFTEN BORED IN SCHOOL AND ONE TIME GOT IN TROUBLE FOR CLIMBING OUT THE CLASSROOM WINDOW!

Even so, he received a scholarship to McMurray College and graduated in 1969 with a BS in Chemistry.

Richard inherited his Mom's love of animals. As a teenager, he had cowboy boots, bought 2 horses (named SHAWNEE AND LACKAWANA), worked in a stable and for a vet. His song then was:

      I`m back in the saddle again
      Out where a friend is a friend...

After college, he wanted to leave home and get out of Abilene... so he enlisted in the Air Force. His song was then...

Gene, Sue and John getting ready to party

        US Air Force Song

           Off we go into the wild blue yonder,

Climbing high into the sun  

Richard was stationed in the remote Azore Islands off the coast of Portugal. He enjoyed exploring the islands and here, he had his first opportunity to go sailing on a sailboat. It was love at first sight!

His song was then:

Sloop John B

So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the main sail sets
Call for the Captain ashore
Let me go home,

He wound up being transferred to Austin, TX where he finished his 4 years of service to Uncle Sam. He then attended Graduate school under the GI Bill. He received a Ph.D. From University of Texas ...and moved to Providence, RI for a 2 yr. postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University.

New Year's Day Brunch on the catamarans - YUM

While at UT, he learned the UT Football Fight Song:

“Give 'em hell, give 'em hell! Make 'em eat shit.”

After 2 years in Rhode Island, he obtained his first professional position at Occidental Chemical Corporation. He relocated to Lake City, FL and was in the research lab there for many years and was awarded “Kiwanian of the Year.”

When he was 45, he took a transfer to the Houston, Texas area. It was here that he met Joanne, at a Methodist Church Singles Group. He called her for a date and soon it was

GETTING TO KNOW YOU, GETTING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU.

However, Joanne was not so sure about Richard since she was having a great time dating other guys. Time passed... Richard then decided to buy himself a 28 ft sailboat, named Sea Growth. After a few weeks, he asked her whether she would like to go on the sailboat with him. She canceled her date with another guy and went sailing with him and her girlfriends. During this time, she asked him if he would point the boat out of the sun. He piped up telling her “sure” that “if he could, he would move the sun and the moon for her!” It was that statement that turned her around and love bloomed. They were so happy together and their song was

What a Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
They were married on May 7, 1994 at St. Mary's Catholic Church. They bought a beautiful home in Dickinson, TX, a suburb of Houston. They were active in a wonderful group called New Life and a sailing clubs, expecially the Texas Mariners Cruising Association. During this period of Richard's life, Joanne's daughter, Michele, became a doctor and Richard was and continues to be a supportive step-dad. They owned 2 other sailboats – a 33 ft. Caliber and then a 35 ft. Catalina called Eagle's Wings. Every weekend, they were usually up at the marina going sailing or hanging out on the boat. 

Discovering a shell tree on Cayo Costa New Year's Day

Richard decided to retire in April 2007 at age 61. He persuaded Joanne to retire the year after. They could go sailing and have fun traveling! His song is summed up as....

Changes in Attitude, Changes in Latitudes

It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

Whoa ! Then, Richard's cousin, Connie had an exciting proposition. She arranged a house sitting gig in PG Isles, so Richard decided to sail Eagle's Wings here all the way from Houston. Before they knew it, they fell in love with Punta Gorgeous, sold their home in Texas, bought land and built a house in 2010 on Lido Drive. They joined the PGIslanders and other clubs, traveled extensively and have had a blast living here! One of the highlights of Richard's life was serving as Commodore of the PGIslander's.

Birthday FUN !

Richard's song for the PGIslanders is

Don't worry, be happy! - GET A FUN METER!!!

Just this summer, Richard & Joanne sold their sailboat, Eagle's Wings and bought a 40 ft trawler, INDIGO STAR! They are busy learning her operations, especially how to dock her!

Finally, we have come to this SPECIAL MOMENT IN TIME and you can hear him sing...NOW THAT I'M 70, IT IS A VERY GOOD YEAR!

Richard, we hope you can joyfully relate to the moments in your life and know that we have benefitted from knowing you through each experience for they have made you the wonderful husband, step-father, brother, cousin, uncle and friend that you are! So even though it is an oldie, it is appropriate that we end this with this song. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU....