TALK OF THE TOWN SPEAKER SERIES: Cape Cod Sea Captains: Each Town’s Contribution to Maritime History

The popular Talk of the Town Speaker Series is sponsored by the Sandwich Cultural Council.

In lieu of hosting these events at the Museum they will be available virtually on-line and filmed at SCTV. Channel 15 (Sandwich)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 – 7:00 PM

Cape Cod Sea Captains:  Each Town’s Contribution to Maritime History

Dr. Michael Pregot

Whether you call Cape Cod a man-made island or describe it as a geographic peninsula connected to the mainland by bridges, there is one undebatable fact.  Cape Cod is surrounded by water on all four sides, jutting out prominently into the Atlantic Ocean. This characteristic accounts in large measure for its history, its economic development, its aesthetic beauty, and its maritime legacy.

This narrative explores the connection that each Cape Cod town has to the sea as demonstrated through its seafaring residents. It provides a glimpse into heroic maritime adventures, entrepreneurial brilliance, and an appreciation of the resolve needed by captains to thrive in a hostile seaside environment maritime figures take several forms such as distinguished fishermen, military war heroes, deep-sea merchants, local coasters, packet boat captains, whalers, ship architects, luxury passenger liner magnets, and even “mooscussers” prowling along the coastline for treasure.

A definite emphasis is placed on the role of indigenous people, black sea captains, the female perspective of living aboard a ship, and social status awarded to ethnic groups brave enough to face the perils of deep-sea travel.

This book examines each Cape Cod town’s relative engagement to the seafaring life. Can one specific town assert unique mastery of the sea, or should several communities share in this heritage? In reviewing the data, we discover that every town assuredly has a substantive connection to the sea and deserves to be given at least some credit for its maritime history.

About the Speaker:

Since coming to the Cape over 20 years ago, Dr. Michael Pregot has become passionately interested in the lives of the Cape Cod Sea Captains.  He found there were so many intriguing stories to explore.  He has written two books about the subject.  His first book detailed the lives of the 36 Captains mentionED on the two courses at the Captains Golf Course in Brewster. He is a retired Massachusetts School Superintendent as well as a University Professor of School Leadership.