Hundreds mourn loss of fishermen

ROCKLAND – Hundreds of lighted candles flickered in the dark in Harbor Park Thursday evening in memory of four Maine fishermen presumably lost at sea last week.

The fishing vessel Candy B II, based in Waldoboro, was fishing out of Provincetown, Mass., when it went missing Friday night 42 miles southeast of Nantucket, leaving hardly a trace. The only sign of the boat was an electronic emergency distress beacon found floating in the ocean.

During the vigil, the Rev. Allen Jervey, pastor of Soul’s Harbor Church, where one of the lost fishermen was a parishioner, led a prayer service and hymns.

Although the fishermen’s families will never know the things that happened during the men’s final moments, they do know that “the Lord is with us,” Jervey said. “The Lord loves us with unfailing and unconditional love.”

Many tears were shed and warm embraces shared among those who attended the vigil, while Jervey prayed for the missing men: Howard “Cappy” Crudell, 38, of Warren; Adrian Randall, 25, of Rockland; Ralph “Bubba” Boyington, 34, of Waldoboro; and Brandon “B.J.” Feyler, 17, of Union.

Some people created small memorials to remember their departed friends, like Jon-David Gleason of Union, who made a solid circle with votive candles for his friend B.J., for whom he used to baby-sit.

“I used to look after him after school,” Gleason said. “It’s very tragic … very upsetting. I came to pay my respects.”

Friends, family, fellow fishermen and community members also came to honor the lost fishermen.

SAD 40 interim Superintendent Jerry White and board Chairwoman Susan Wilcox were there especially for Jay Feyler, B.J.’s father, who is a former SAD 40 director, as well as a selectman in Union. “And, we’re a close community,” Wilcox said.

B.J. Feyler and his girlfriend, Lacey Beal, were planning for the arrival of a baby girl around Thanksgiving, his father told all at the vigil. Feyler vowed to keep his promise to his son to “keep them safe and happy.”

Bud Beal, Lacey’s father, who captains a fishing vessel out of Port Clyde, said he had met his “future son-in-law” on only two occasions, but said his daughter had met a fine man.

In the past, Beal also had worked on boats with Boyington and Crudell. He said they were hard-working fishermen. “They called us dory mates,” he said.

“Life at sea is not an easy one,” an uncle to Adrian Randall said. “It’s a difficult one.”