This book describes, in a humorous manner, a period of time, 1960 to 1997, and a unique summertime occupation, Irish Sea Mossing, in a small seaside community approximately 30 miles south of Boston Massachusetts, on the Atlantic Ocean. The book describes the author's discovery of this unique job and his total embracing of it for the better part of 25 years. During this story you will meet many of the other young men who shared in the times and activities described in this book. Irish Sea Mossing was brought to the Scituate shores by Irish immigrants during the mid 1800s. Recognizing the same underwater plant that they had used to thicken their Blanc Mange pudding in Ireland, they knew that they could gather it and sell it to food manufacturers for its food binding abilities. Soon a thriving business developed as the local lads went out in their dories and daily gathered the moss during each summer season. Mossing became an integral part of the community as an addition to lobstering, clamming and fishing. The industry continued until 1997, at which time modern technology and foreign markets dictated an end to this wonderful time.Join us in this book as we reminisce and relive our wonderful times. As the final sentence in our book reads, "We will go down to the sea no more. Our day is gone, perhaps never to return. But oh what times we had!"
About the Author: Hawk Hickok Hickman was born in Chatham Massachusetts at 11:30 p.m. on Halloween 1943. He spent most of his childhood on the South Shore of Mass. and moved to Scituate in 1959. During his years spent mossing, he finished High School and then earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from Boston State Teacher's College (later absorbed by the University of Mass.). He then went on to earn his Master's degree in mathematical statistics from Arizona State University. After several years of math teaching at various levels, he joined an environmental clean-up company and spent the next 30 odd years in that industry, culminating in a position of Emergency Response Contract Manager. During these years he worked on many U.S. oil spills as a contract administrator and administered the U.S.C.G. emergency response contract for his company (Clean Harbors Environmental). He also married and helped raise four children. Retiring 8 years ago at age 65, he now travels the country year round, in a travel trailer, with his partner, Red Fox, two Harleys, two kayaks and two bicycles. He spent approximately 5 years writing this book and has now written three additional books, one a prequel to this one and two on the first three years of their travels. At the time of this writing (2017) he now has 6 grandchildren and will be celebrating his 74 birthday this coming Halloween.