in the boatswain chair. The flying was aggressive enough to be recounted in Sail Magazine and immediately became part of Whittier family lore. In 1990 he transitioned to the third Sandpiper, an Alden 44. This boat took him on some terrific journeys: from the Marion to Bermuda race to sailing along the Maine coast into the St. John River in New Brunswick. His signature cruise was an Atlantic crossing between the Portland Yacht Club and Portugal in 1994. Once there, he thought it made sense to stay a while, so he set up shop in Mallorca and enjoyed all things
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Mediterranean for the next two years. He became a member of the Cruising Club of America in 1999, and also belonged to Harraseeket, Kollegewidgwok, and Portland Yacht clubs. Charlie was an active supporter of the Maine Historical Society and the Maine Maritime Museum. He served on the board of directors for both organizations, relishing the opportunity to savor, promote, and celebrate Maine’s unique history. While he loved his time on the water, at the mountain, and in his books, nothing trumped Charlie’s love
for family. Particularly in his later years, his seven grandchildren were a tremendous source of pride and joy. He headed into his last summer as member number 1 at PYC with high hopes of getting on the water. Toward the end of his boating days, he traded in his sails for some horsepower with the Sandowl, a Hinckley Picnic Boat. On August 4, 2021, his family, led by his seven grandchildren, took him on his closing sail aboard the Sandpiper, where his ashes were fittingly spread on Hussey Sound. Mike Whittier
