{"id":290,"date":"2021-09-07T23:25:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T23:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jmcw.blog\/pious-puffin\/?p=290"},"modified":"2021-09-20T15:43:13","modified_gmt":"2021-09-20T22:43:13","slug":"1969-bill-siebert-richmond-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jmcw.blog\/pious-puffin\/2021\/09\/07\/1969-bill-siebert-richmond-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"1969 Bill Siebert, Richmond Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n

Bill Siebert wanted to use the Pious Puffin II as a charter yacht, but the U.S. does not permit boats with foreign built hulls to be used for charter. However, since the Pious Puffin had supposedly been owned by the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, Siebert attempted to pass a bill through Congress, “Private Bill, H.R.2522<\/a> – To permit the vessel Pious Puffin to be documented for use in the coastwise trade.<\/em>” It was introduced by Rep. Thomas Downing (D-VA-1) on 01\/18\/1973. It was then referred to the House Committee – Merchant Marin and Fisheries. It failed when further investigation found that James had already died by the time his wife had purchased the vessel as a donation to Jones College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A number of friends and relatives of the Sieberts have sent stories:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had some memorable times on board her. She was like a living being that took care of us in so many ways. My Dad and his 2nd wife Pat got married on the poop deck. He was living on the boat at the time and they stayed on board for a while after they got married.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When I first saw her, the Puffin was docked at a marina in Kinsale, on the Yeocomico River in Virginia. We sailed her to Norfolk to have new sails fitted, then later on to Richmond where she stayed tied up in the city locks (she was too big to go into the canal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bill Siebert would often play an album of (mostly) German sea songs. It was Freddy Quinn – ‘Freddy Auf Hoher See’. For many years I have searched in vain for that album. I did find a few versions by the same artist with the same title, but they were not the same album.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the early 90’s, when the Internet as we know it came into existence, I’ve also searched for something – anything – about the Pious Puffin. (I’ve been a computer consultant since the late ’80s). It was just this past October that I found anything at all – that was your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding your site spurred me to continue the search for that album. After about a week, I chanced upon the details for the ‘right one’, which was issued in 1962 by Polydor in Germany. A short time after that, I found a copy in very good condition (via the web, of course), in a rare-records shop in Canada. The memories evoked from hearing those songs again! It seemed the perfect music by which to sail the Puffin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a couple of sites with the music: The original album<\/a> and sound clips<\/a> of some of the tracks.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

… by John Anderson, who also shares these photos:<\/p>\n\n\n\nOpen John Anderson Photos<\/span>

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John Anderson Photos<\/div>
\"View <\/div>
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View forward<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
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\"Bill <\/div>
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Bill Siebert<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
Probably listening to German Sea Chants.
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\"Poop <\/div>
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Poop Deck<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
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\"Stearage\" <\/div>
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Stearage<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
Note the plaque in Memory of James Forrestal.
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\"Climbing <\/div>
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Climbing the shrouds<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
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\"Main <\/div>
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Main Mast<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
New sails, gaff, and mast.
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\"View <\/div>
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View forward<\/div><\/div> <\/a>
Entering Sarah's Creek, York River Yacht Haven.
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