Dana Gaines is our island friend and neighbor and he’s the one who produced the beautiful illustrations in my book, Living Off the Sea. While working on the book last summer I was expecting a new batch of illustrations. Jeff and I were boating in Edgartown Harbor and we heard our names being called out by someone in a passing sailboat. It was Dana and he was waving a packet. We pulled up alongside him and he handed over the latest illustrations. I call that Vineyard express!

Dana became owner at age 21 of one of the four “camps” his Dad built on Chappy. His camp is right up the road from our cottage. He’s been renting it out to one tenant in particular since the days of no electricity and kerosene lamps.

Dana probably gets around more by sea than land. If he isn’t working in his studio you can probably find him on the water. He’s an avid kayaker and for the last 25 years he’s has been competing in paddling races. He trains every morning for 1-3 hours, depending on the weather, the tides, and the upcoming race that he’s preparing for. In July he placed third in the prestigious 20 mile Blackburn Challenge, and in May he placed third in the 6 mile Essex River Race. His boating logs are as detailed as his drawings.  Along with the tides, currents and temperature he uses a GPS to measure his speed, distance and time. Last year he topped off his summer with a one day 55 mile paddle around all of Martha’s Vineyard!

 

 

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