Larry Dickens - Novelist & Mariner
Gone with the Breeze
WHAM-TV13, interview with Patrice Walsh. March 30, 2006.
(Copyright
©
2006 WHAM-TV)
“Gone With The Breeze” Ferry Tell-All Book
Last Update: 3/30/2006 7:58:33 PM
Patrice Walsh
(Rochester, NY) - Larry Dickens, the man who served as chief mate on both ferry
ventures, is telling the about life on the fast ferry.
The book is called “Gone With The Breeze, The Former Chief Mate's Story,” some
of which, he said, has never been told.
Dickens said, "The crew was never credited for their efforts on the ship."
In his book, Dickens said CATS treated the crew members better than Bay Ferries,
but both managers had issues.
He said crew turnover prevented the reflagging of the ship, which cost millions
of dollars. But he said the main problem was-- the ship is just too big.
There were days when the ship carried a full passenger load, but Dickens said it
was embarrassing to run the ship with only a handful of passengers, knowing that
a round trip ate up $16,000 in fuel.
"There were days when the trip should've been cancelled because they were
throwing money away," Dickens said.
His book pays tribute to crew members who stuck it out through CATS and Bay
Ferries. He said, "After two times, a lot of people felt burned and want to move
on with their lives."
This is Dickens’ fourth book, and writing it has helped him move on.
He really likes writing Children’s books, and he reads to kids at school events.
But he believes the story about the ferry needed to be told.
He hopes to publish his book this summer.