Barbie Schneider Wilson is with Robert Hoddinott.
May 31 at 9:37 PM
Fred The Tree…the Truth
as told by Robert (Capt. Bob) Hoddinott
Well, to make a long story short back in 1978, I was working for Andy Grant of Crusader Boats in Stock Island. Andy decided to move his boatyard to Marathon, FL. We would move all the 34’ x12’ boats to Marathon at night. That night, I was pulling a bare hull over the 7 mile bridge. The boat was tightened down with rope. Well, one of the ropes broke and the boat slipped off the trailer onto the bridge. Oh my! Paul Gladding and I jumped out of the truck and straightened out the boat while Andy came from the back side to push it back onto the trailer. While we waited for Andy, I went to the trailer and began pulling off some bushes. Within those bushes was a very small tree, an Australian pine that grew on Stock Island. I pulled it off and laid it along a seam in the bridge. Anyway, Andy finally got there and pushed the hull back on the trailer, tied it back down and off we went, around 2 a.m. And you know my wife’s father’s name was Fred…
I’ve been friends with Capt Bob over 30 yrs, Tonight he shared this story with me..Fred the tree..who knew? Driven by it a bazillion times, photographed it a bazillion times in my 33 years here on the rock… Capt Bob, and Fred the tree.. #flkeys legends 🤘🏻🌟💙
