Race for the Fourth Lubec recalls Prohibition with return of ‘rumrunners’ for holiday

loading...

With preteens urging one another to spray their hair in temporary green and red colors, and as the sun beat down on families at the dock, action at the Lubec waterfront Monday felt just like the Fourth of July.

That it was only July 3 made no difference in the festivities.

“I don’t mind,” Charles LeGris said. “It’s not the sandwich. It’s the picnic.”

Lubec – Maine’s easternmost town, population 1,600 – was counting down to celebrating the Fourth, and LeGris’ dory at the dock filled a big part of the afternoon.

The handcrafted wooden boat, built in the style that has served 400 years of fishing off Newfoundland, was the centerpiece of a rollicking revival of the town’s long-ago rum-running lore. It was all part of the town’s holiday schedule, with events taking place over these few days.

Campobello Island, across the Narrows in New Brunswick, provided a sun-drenched backdrop for the festive stretch of summer – two days after Canada Day, July 1, and one day short of America’s birthday.

But decades ago, during America’s Prohibition, Canada across the bay was more than just a pretty place.

It was the source of alcohol, and stories are told of men crossing the water from Lubec at night and returning with the goods.

On Monday, the “rumrunners race” would replicate the ruse that, not so surprisingly, brought a good deal of money to some Lubec families.

The race went like this: Two people seated in the dory row out to Craig Fletcher’s lobster boat in the harbor and there exchange one beer keg – empty – for another. It’s back as quick as they can row, then throw the replacement keg onto the dock.

Seven teams turned up, from the father-and-daughter combination of George and Abby McBride of Machiasport, to a pair of friends, Breanne McPherson, 21, of Lubec and Dari-lee Matthews, 20, of Campobello.

“That was embarrassing,” said McPherson, who had never before tried rowing. “It looks so easy, but it’s way hard.”

There also was Cathy Weiss, 57, visiting from Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and 18-year-old Lee Gauthier of Lubec, who agreed to help her out when she announced she needed a partner.

Those were the newcomers to the event.

The rest were old hands at the race, which was taking place for the fourth time as part of Lubec’s Fourth of July.

Most of the other contenders live in Lubec and largely had grown up with each other. Beating the other times, therefore, became critical, good for another year’s worth of stories.

Each team of two took its turn in the dory.

LeGris went along with all, partly to put some weight in the back of the 13-foot dory, which was built for one, but more important “to prevent a mishap.” Last year’s race was so frantic that both oars and the old-fashioned toll pins ended up broken, he said.

Craig McCaslin, 50, and Todd Scoville, 46, took 4 minutes, 1 second, for the out-and-back task.

“I didn’t handle the keg very well out there,” McCaslin said. “I choked.”

Danny Fitzsimmons, 43, and Danny Jodway, 39, posted a time of 3:19.

“We got our rhythm there,” said Fitzsimmons, who doubled as the race organizer.

Then went David Marston, 48, and Mel Gallant, 37. The largest of all the competitors, Marston took along Casey, his miniature dachshund – “He doesn’t like to be left alone.”

The pair and the dog came back puffing, and put up the time to beat – 3:03.

Tracy Sawtelle and Ricky Wright, both 37, went last. They had gone for their turn earlier, but didn’t round the blue boat in the harbor as the other rowers had. They could have been disqualified but Fitzsimmons, looking for a real race for the crowd, gave them another chance.

“God bless you guys,” Gallant said as their send-off, “but we are the champions.”

“They’re not done yet,” Marston reminded Gallant as the last pair rowed away.

Sawtelle and Wright clocked 3:10 – seven seconds too slow to win, but not bad for a second time around.

“I was tired after the first one,” Wright said.

On his turn, Marston had actually fallen back into the boat, exhausted and laughing once the keg hit the dock.

“It’s fun,” he said at the event’s end, “even if you don’t win.”