As any boater can tell you,
the amount of enjoyment you get from a cruise is directly linked to
those on the boat with you. You may well encounter bad weather or even
engine troubles, but it will be manageable in the company of people
whom you respect and who can laugh with you about your troubles.
For a dozen years now, my first mate - on the boat and in my
life - has been my lovely wife, Jan. I don’t usually get to give her
the credit she richly deserves for bringing so much joy into my and
many other people’s lives, so I hope you will indulge me in a little
(biased) introduction to you of this amazing woman. First, let me tell
you how we met.…
It was quite a day, here at the magazine! We were opening our
own typesetting operation. For the first time, we could actually see
what would become the printed words of the next issue, repairing them
as needed. It was the mid-1980s, and Lake Superior Typesetters seemed a
logical step in our growth. The Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors team
arrived to share in the excitement.
I’d become accustomed to being alone, having lost my dear
wife to illness some years before. But during the mayor’s kind remarks,
I noticed a very significant ambassador, who returned my smile and
kindled in me a significant interest.
Asking a friend who she was, he said, “Oh, that’s Jan Biga -
I think she works at the Voyageur Motel.” A bit later he added, “I
think she has been a widow for a while.”
In the socializing that followed the formal dedication, I
managed to make some small talk with Jan. She was, in a word,
delightful.
Screwing up my courage, I asked her if we could have lunch one of these days.
With another smile she agreed that might be fun, but we’d
have to wait since she was leaving shortly for a Norwegian tour with
her mother, Myrtle, and her daughter Tracy to visit relatives. I then
learned that Jan was manager and part owner of the motel along with
being deeply involved in several businesses with her daughter Kay and a
fine management team.
Upon Jan’s return from her tour, our visits over meals gradually extended. I was getting my boat, Skipper Sam II,
fitted out, planning to launch it in mid-May. At my invitation, Jan
came down to the boat yard, staring in considerable surprise at the
boat high on its cradle. She admitted that she had never spent any
amount of time out on any water.
This led to Jan joining the United States Power Squadron
class on boat handling (which she thoroughly enjoyed … she said).
Before long I found her busily cleaning Skipper Sam’s cabins
and polishing and cleaning various interior walls. It dawned on me that
my standard for interior finishes and clean glass were significantly
below what Jan considered standard. When Skipper Sam II finally hit the water, she literally glistened!
I had planned on a significant cruise for that summer with
family members and several boating enthusiasts as crew. It came as a
surprise when Jan accepted my invitation to join us, never having been
out onLake Superior.
The author, his wife, Jan, and their boat, Skipper Sam II, enjoy the accommodations at the marina at Thunder Bay, on yet another visit to the Ontario store. (photo Brent Linton/The Chronicle-Journal)
The weather and the lake can be challenging, I emphasized,
explaining how we try always to be less than an hour from a safe hiding
place. We set out for the north shore with Rossport, Ontario, as our
goal.
Weather, I said, would hold final control over how far we
might go. I again explained how we would find safety should the weather
turn against us, adding that the lake can quickly go from flat to
dangerous seas.
Stan Salmi, long first mate of Skipper Sam, made note
of the strange sea conditions on that trip: Day after day, the lake
simply stayed flat. In a little over a week, we secured to Rossport’s
main dock, a crew change taking place. Jan’s comment on her first Lake
Superior cruise almost embarrassed me: “Did you say all that hoping I’d
be afraid to come along?”
The return trip was interesting and pleasant, the flat water
finally became normal summer windy seas, nothing to fear. I realized
that Jan was really hooked on boating. I was overjoyed at having found
this incredible boat-loving lady.
We were married in 1991, bringing joy and happiness to both
of our families. Jan has since reduced many business interests, freeing
her for more community activities and the assisting of those around
her. I thank the Lord daily for this incredible gift, this wonderful
lady.
As you might guess, this is one first mate that’s sure fun to admire.
She sees her challenge as one of juggling varied interests - all interests - in the island park.
A selection of Jim Marshall’s columns of lake lore and his inland sea voyages
has been published as Lake Superior Journal: Views from the Bridge
by Lake Superior Port Cities Inc. Follow this link
for more information.
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