Alice Hodgdon Thompson, Hugh’s mother, was a bright and shining light when I photographed at the Hodgdon Yachts yard on Murray Hill Road in East Boothbay. She would always alert the crew when she joined them at break time, “Watch the language.” For the most part everyone obeyed with an occasional slip up Alice seemed to manage quite well in the shipbuilding environment, partly, and probably because she had grown up around boats and the workers who built them. Famous for building many significant vessels, Alice’s father Norman Hodgdon had a shop on the east side of the Harbor adjacent to what once was Cap’n Fish’s motel, now the home of the newly created waterfront park.

We actually owned a skiff that was built by Alice’s dad, but he built the famous Boothbay Harbor One designs and some lovely runabout “Lyman” style boats as well.

So, Hugh Thompson really didn’t have much to say about his ancestors’ quite significant history on the waterfront and with boats. His mother’s mother, Hugh’s maternal grandmother, was Paul Luke’s sister, another very notable member of the local maritime community. Hugh grew up messing about with boats. He told me how his mother had cautioned him about being careful around the greased up skids used for haul outs at the boat shop on Atlantic Avenue. “Don’t go out in the yard with glass,” she warned. “If you slip on the ways you could really get hurt.” Dr. Griffin, whose office was next door to the boat shop, stitched up Hugh after his first fall. It wouldn’t be Hugh’s only visit to the doctor’s office.

Hugh, when a youngster, accompanied Eliot Winslow often on tugboat jobs. His early exposure to the waterfront experience stuck and for years Hugh would ride along on jobs with the Winslow tugs for launchings, BIW ships docking and other assorted adventures. Although Hugh did not seek to advance his tugboat experience, he became quite adept at jobs aboard ship. He often could be seen helping out on tugs with David Winslow and other crew members, Bill Sherman and Mark Stover, among others.

Hugh worked with Donny Wotton for several years at the pier now operated by Hodgdon Yachts in Boothbay Harbor. And, for 23 years, he lobstered out of Southport. When Eliot and Marge Winslow bought Robinson’s Wharf, Hugh joined up in 2006.

If you are enjoying a meal on the pier at Robinson’s and you notice boats arriving with the day’s catch of lobster, there’s a good chance you may see Hugh working the lift to unload the crates of valuable cargo. I’m not sure how many boats tie up and work out of Robinson’s but it can get quite busy. For many who dine, the opportunity to watch Sonny Artzer pull up to unload after hauling since early morning is worth the price of admission. If Hugh is unloading the daily catch, he may be happy to discuss the process he has come to know so well. His years of experience mesh well with the members of the Southport fleet. There is always some local banter about a variety of subjects during the unloading of the Maine delicacy. I’m sure Hugh would be happy to share some perspectives.