Sailing Stories
The Derkits family donated a lighted boat compass, barometer, and aluminum net float to the Port Aransas Maritime Museum in memory of John James Derkits, Jr, who grew up sailing with his dad on the Alabama Gulf Coast. My mom moved back to the coast at the beginning of 2022. She grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida; now she resides in Rockport, Texas. When she moved, I collected these artifacts, and wanted to share them. There are so many details I wish I could verify and ask about, but that time has passed. My dad, John James Derkits, Jr. has died so the stories of he and Grandad that my mom, sisters, and I remember are the stories. He grew up on Mobile Bay. His dad was a sailor, and taught his boy, called JJ, to sail. JJ, who is known by his grandchildren as Papa, often sailed further than he was supposed to, I heard about those memorable occasions he got in trouble, unable to resist sailing just a little farther, sailing a little longer than he was supposed to. He was