Mattapoisett rolled out the welcome mat for Sea Scouts visiting from Pennsylvania on June 19. With the assistance of Harbormaster Jill Simmons and locals willing to help the Scouts see as much as possible during their short stay, Ship 25 hailing from York, PA, tied up.

The day started out rather wet with low misty skies, not perfect for sailing. Undeterred, the Scouts under Skipper George Kain headed out of Fall River en route to Mattapoisett. As they sailed away from Battleship Cove where they had taken in the ships and history of Fall River, Kain – with the able assistance of seasoned trans-Atlantic sailor (and former Sea Scout) Brian Kurzik and five young Sea Scouts – navigated through glass-like waters. Kain said the trip was one of the most beautiful he has experienced in a long career of sailing the eastern seaboard.

By the time the boat navigated into Mattapoisett Harbor, the skies had cleared, giving the Scouts one of the most spectacular summer days the region has enjoyed thus far. And that was just the beginning for Dakoda Prize, 17 (BSA Eagle looking forward to a U.S. Coast Guard career); Pat Clemens, 17 (Boatswain for the ship, three years with BSA and Sea Scouting heading for a maritime education and career); Andrew Ankers, 15 (green Sea Scout on his first long voyage); Candace Kottmyer, 18 (the only female on-board, heading to Penn State in the fall, embarked on her third long voyage in three years of Scouting); and Kyle Roy, 16 (another green Sea Scout learning the ropes). These Scouts all began their Scouting careers in either the Boy Scouts or Girls Scouts before advancing into the more rigorous and exacting Sea Scouting program.

They hail from the greater York, PA area, a land-locked location where one wouldn’t expect an ocean-based program. Yet Kain, whose naval background wouldn’t be stilled upon retirement, brought Sea Scouting to the town. Kain served in the U.S. Navy for seven years and has owned and operated various types of boats since childhood. His résumé includes participation in the Bermuda race out of Marion and sailing from Cape Hatteras to Nova Scotia as well as other ports-of-call along the eastern seaboard. He explained that although one wouldn’t expect a sailing program to be offered in a land-locked location, there is access to the Chesapeake Bay about 65 miles east. So once a week, the Sea Scouts gather for the hour-long trip to the coast where they can learn and experience firsthand the skills necessary for safe sailing. Kain said with the program, “…Sea Scouting gives kids a seafaring experience they otherwise might not know about…” regardless of their location.

The group drove from Pennsylvania to Groton, CT where they boarded the 32-foot Endeavor, built in 1979, that had been loaned to them for the trip. From there, they sailed to Newport then on to Fall River before making landfall in Mattapoisett.

On shore, they were greeted by Emily Newell, 15, Mattapoisett, sophomore at ORRHS and second year Sea Scout with Ship 40 out of East Falmouth, along with her mother, Diane Newell (former GSA and Sea Scout) and grandfather, Alan Beal (retired Chief Warrant Officer, USCG and Sea Scout Skipper). Beal and Kain met through the Scouting program about ten years ago and have been instrumental in assisting each other’s programs over the years.

After enjoying a refreshing cold shower at the town beach bathhouse, the Scouts were treated to a private tour of the Mattapoisett Historical Society Museum, which is now in preparation for its summer opening. Curator Elizabeth Hutchinson graciously opened the museum doors in advance of the official season start on June 26. The Scouts found this precious gem a real surprise and enjoyed the variety of exhibits it holds.

Next up was the New Bedford Whaling Museum, a must-see attraction on their itinerary. One of the most intriguing parts of the museum for these visitors was the half-scale model of the Bark Lagoda, an 89-foot tribute to Jonathan Bourne that was built in 1915 with funding from his daughter. At another exhibit, the Scouts got into the spirit by climbing the full-scale replica of a whaling ship “fo’c’sle,” or forecastle, giving them both a below-deck and on-deck reality check. Clearly, modern conveniences were on the Scouts’ minds against the stark reality of what life was like on a whaling ship in the 1800s. Cell phone cameras captured the moment. Then it was back to the 21st century and Nick’s Pizza, after which the Scouts hung out with the local kids at the first summer wharf dance.

At 9:00 am on June 20, under another sun-drenched day, the sailboat headed gently out of Mattapoisett Harbor with Newell on board to help maneuver them into Woods Hole. There the Scouts will meet up with the Falmouth crew for more sailing and camping adventures.

The Scouts headed back to their point of origin on Monday, June 23. They sailed out of Woods Hole to Block Island and then returned to Groton. Bos’n Clemens said, “Our trip has been wonderful. I’ve seen things I wouldn’t normally see living in central Pennsylvania and the people in New England have been beyond nice.” As for first mate Kurzik, he said, “I think I’ve found my new home. Mattapoisett is so beautiful and everyone has been very helpful. What a place!”

By Marilou Newell

It was not Derek DeCosta’s intent to write a book telling the story of his traumatic childhood when he sat down to write a foreword to a fitness book he planned to market in Korea. But when he began writing about his Korean roots, the dam that for years had held back a river of repressed memories and emotions burst, and The Moonlight King floated up from the tormented waters that flowed from the reconciliation with his painful past.

Born Yoon Sang Kyun, DeCosta lived a privileged life as the only son to his father and loving mother – until one day when he was five years old and his life changed forever. Innocence was soon lost, and the nightmare of the next eight years of his life began.

DeCosta describes in vivid, agonizing detail how his parents would divorce, and DeCosta and his older sister would be hastily sent late one night to the United States and adopted by a single mother in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The children are imprisoned and enslaved by the woman and her son, enduring years of every possible form of torture and abuse.

The book documents the harrowing process of DeCosta’s journey from the darkness of his childhood into the triumphant light of becoming a free man and a successful adult.

On the evening of June 19, DeCosta shared his message of transcendence through forgiveness and love with dozens of people during an author’s talk at the Elizabeth Taber Library in Marion.

“I didn’t write the book to write a book,” said DeCosta, calling it a form of release – a “cathartic purge” – a letting go of demons.

When DeCosta started the book, his words began to assemble shocking sentences, which developed into painful paragraphs, progressing on to bone-chilling chapters. DeCosta said he did not stop to read his own story until a few days after he finished it.

“That was difficult … to relive childhood,” said DeCosta, “in living color – with no buffer.”

Throughout his tumultuous life, DeCosta has been both a sprinter and a runner of proverbial marathons, and the readers will find themselves running alongside him, cheering him on from the sidelines as he tries to reach the ever-retreating finish line. There is relief when, finally, he does.

When DeCosta talks, people listen. There is an invisible light that emanates from his words of encouragement and inspiration as he speaks, and his message resonates on some level with the experiences of all people.

DeCosta’s struggle adds pathos and ethos to the insight, wisdom, and advice that he weaves into every page. Forgiveness and love are the keys that finally unshackle DeCosta as he realizes his own self worth and asserts his right to an important and meaningful life.

His writing style is poetic but easy to read, using powerful language and descriptive imagery to describe the ugliest of experiences and feelings. If DeCosta’s experiences are the thorns, this book is the rose.

DeCosta resides in Mattapoisett and he is a fitness trainer, life coach, and mentor. Seated inside the Taber Library that Thursday evening were some of the people whose lives have been touched by DeCosta. He has his own public access show on ORCTV called Become Your Own Gym, and he strives to assist people in discovering themselves both physically and spiritually in his own wellness program.

The book is not yet published, but DeCosta has donated several copies to the Elizabeth Taber Library and the Mattapoisett Free Library, and he plans to distribute the book to the surrounding town libraries as well. Visit www.themoonlightking.com for more information about DeCosta and the book.

By Jean Perry