Dave Roper is a regular columnist for Points East. Next to sailing, telling and writing stories is Dave’s favorite pastime. His most recent book, Watching for Mermaids was a three-time Boston Globe bestseller www.watchingformermaids.net. His writing has been published in eighteen languages. Dave has been a yacht delivery skipper, captain of a 135’ Mississippi River stern wheel cruise ship, and life-long cruiser along the coast of Maine aboard his 31’ Independence sloop, Elsa Marie. Dave is the founder of A-Script, a career advisory and resume writing firm in Marblehead, MA. davidroper00@gmail.com
Fall 2023 By David Roper I kept replaying it in my head: “And we’re not stopping at Bermuda,” Mark had commanded. But he wasn’t the captain. I was. And I told him so. He’d smirked, then winked at Artie. “Yeah, sure you are.” At this point, alone on deck, itRead More
September 2023 By David Roper We were headed out into the Bermuda Triangle on a delivery from Rhode Island to St. Thomas on an untested vessel. With me was Hobie, a fellow river pilot who’d never sailed or been on the ocean, and two other crew, Mark and Artie, whoRead More
Dave’s delivery becomes increasingly grim as the weather and crew deterioriate.
July 2023 By David Roper It was in a dark, decrepit bar by the New Bedford waterfront where I found him. He was half slumped on the last stool by the swinging door to the kitchen. “He’s over there. That one,” the bartender said, lifting and pointing his chin towardsRead More
June 2023 By David Roper 1966. She sat before me in all her 21-year-old splendor. She looked relaxed, as if she were enjoying the coolness that came with the late summer afternoon. Her hair was cut short. She combed it with her fingers now, tilting her head back while puttingRead More
May 2023 By David Roper In part 1 of “Spineless Sam – A Sea Story,” we meet Sam Martin, a down-on-his-luck liveaboard sailor who wants to win back the heart of his ex-girlfriend, Sylvia. His alcohol-soaked plan? He will heroically sail his boat seven hours to see her, braving aRead More
Spring 2023 By David Roper It could be his last night on earth. But twenty-seven year old Sam Martin doesn’t know that yet. It’s 9:35 pm. Saturday, January 5, 2004. It’s 12 degrees Fahrenheit, and the wind is gusty and southwest. Sam is sitting on his usual stool in theRead More
Winter 2023 By David Roper For Points East In my files this winter, I came across this invitation from nearly twenty years ago, sent to ‘middle-aged sailing men’ who are now, in 2023, old sailing men: As a Middle-Aged Sailing Man Known to be a Competent Bullshitter You are HerebyRead More
October/November 2022 By David Roper As you can see from the black and white photo here of your Poppy, I have been watching much longer than you, for more than sixty years, in fact. Sailors know it is important to always keep a watchful eye, to look forward as bestRead More
