“We had to find our target the old-fashioned way while under constant threat of being seen by both Coasties and Canadian customs agents. “Remember, we had no radar, no LORAN, and no GPS. “After that, we’d make our way 12 miles offshore, camouflaged by total darkness, and into international waters to rendezvous with the supply vessel. “First, before we could even think about the run out to the ships - they were Canadian freighters - we had to cross the (sand) bar and let me tell you, that wasn’t easy even in daylight. In describing every detail, the passion exuded by Jake was palpable. “And later, to stay one step ahead of the Coast Guard, we even used airplane engines. But we owned another set so we’d always have fresh horsepower for the next trip. After every run, the engines were removed and completely overhauled. Our crew had to be top-notch, because the other option was unthinkable. “All of our boats were in Gardner’s Basin. But to the rum runners, it was simply business as usual. Now imagine navigating those towering walls of cresting water in pitch dark. To him, 9-foot swells were merely a “healthy chop.” Of course, Jake is nothing if not understated. “The winter swells are larger, and the spray slamming your face forms icicles on your eyelashes. The alternative was a trip straight to Davey Jones’ locker through body-numbing 35-degree water. When you’re a helmsman plying the frigid waters of New Jersey in the dead of winter, every detail, every nuance, every feature of sea and land must be observed and acted upon at a moment’s notice. His eyes, swollen almost shut by sun and salt water, were sharp as an eagle’s, and they had to be. But his memory lives on, stirring me to think of his Errol Flynn-like exploits every time I gaze at Atlantic City.įor most of his life, Jake was reluctant to talk about the “old days,” perhaps not wanting his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to think he prided himself on breaking the law, which included outrunning and outsmarting the “Coasties” who were always in hot pursuit.īut on one occasion, after much pressure, he relented and began divulging his own fascinating part in America’s ban on liquor. With the seasoned street smarts of someone twice his age, Jake instinctively knew how to bring home “boatloads” of cash.Īll he had to do was walk three blocks to the boatyard.Ī number of years ago, he passed away after living a life straight out of a Hollywood movie. So, without hesitation, Jake set out to find work - no easy task since the Great Depression had up-ended the American economy.
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