Thank you, Gwyn Skiles, for such a wonderful piece on Charlie Blair in last week’s Gazette. It captured Charlie’s warmth, friendliness and talents so well.

While most of the piece describes, appropriately, Charlie’s expertise and experiences in all things aquatic, it should be mentioned that Charlie also achieved some fame and notoriety on terra firma. While in his early 20’s, Charlie became a nationally recognized “dirt biker”, racing as part of the Kawasaki team, and winning the prestigious Pike’s Peak Hill Climb in Colorado one year.

All of us in Edgartown are fortunate he ultimately spent the bulk of his career on the waterfront, extending to all passerbys a big hello, a warm smile and, if we were lucky, a humorous story.

Peter Brooks

Edgartown and Boston