Hundreds of people gathered Friday evening at the Black Dog Wharf to celebrate the life and memory of Robert Douglas, the Vineyard schooner captain and founder of the Black Dog who died in April at 93.
In addition to creating the Black Dog brand, a nationally recognized symbol of the Vineyard, Capt. Douglas designed and built the Shenandoah, a 108-foot long schooner which the captain used to teach thousands of young people to sail. He was also an Air Force veteran and owned Arrowhead Farm in West Tisbury with his wife, Charlene Douglas.
The Shenandoah and the Alabama, another of Mr. Douglas’s vessels, were anchored in Vineyard Haven harbor for Friday’s ceremony, which took place on the dock and spilled onto the beach. The tall vessels overflowed with family and friends of Mr. Douglas, many of whom worked for him in their youth.
After a biplane flyover, the captain’s son, Rob Douglas Jr., offered opening remarks.
“I’m thinking how amazed [the captain] would be today if he was here,” he said. “The words he would probably use would be, ‘Well, isn’t this neat?’”
He reflected on a childhood lit with his father’s passion for sailing. He said his father taught him not only how to navigate the open waters, but also how to navigate life’s obstacles.
“I’m honored to have had him as a father, but I’m even more so honored that he chose to give me his name,” he said.
Maritime historian Matt Stackpole stood to share tales of his time working with Mr. Douglas, as did Capt. Gary Maynard, who once worked on the Shenandoah and remained close friends with Mr. Douglas for the rest of his life. Mr. Maynard said he spent hours by Mr. Douglas’s bedside in the days leading up to his death.
“Robert S. Douglas was a truly remarkable man … a man who, by being true to himself and living his own unique dream, touched the lives of literally thousands of young people,” Mr. Maynard said. “Thanks to his vision and strength of character, we have a vibrant waterfront that is different from any other in the world.”
Speeches were interspersed with musical performances from Mariana Bell, Billy Schustik and Christopher Robin, all of whom once worked aboard the Shenandoah. They played the captain’s favorites, including classic sea shanties and Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.”
When it was time for guests’ remarks, so many people stood to share a memory of Mr. Douglas that the sky grew dark before the ceremony concluded. Steve Ewing, a friend of Mr. Douglas who had known him since his childhood, stood to read an original poem called “Thanks, Cap” written in the captain’s memory. Charlene Douglas looked on from aboard the Shenandoah, smiling.
The ceremony ended with a performance of “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes by Jamie Douglas, the captain’s son, and a firing of Shenandoah’s cannons into the night. The Douglas family passed around cups of Carolans Irish Cream, a favorite drink of the captain’s, for a toast led by Morgan Douglas, another one of Mr. Douglas’s sons.
“To you, Dad, the best father and friend there ever was,” he said.
“Here, here,” the crowd chorused, raising hundreds of cups into the darkness.
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