Some 18 years ago and for reasons that I am at a complete loss to explain let alone remember, Dave started calling me ScottyCool. A bit of an oxymoron if you ask me and equally unexplainable, I actually adopted it as my eBay name coupled with my slip at the time in March of 2006, “ScottyCool1s12”. Why is this relevant you ask? Because ever since that time, after perhaps not talking to Dave for a spell, my phone would light up with “DaveB” and I knew what was coming. “Hey there…” I would say, and the excited voice on the other end would predictably reply, “ScottyCool, WTF? Over…”. I’m sure many of you have heard this same type of salutation from Dave. There was a welcome sense of jubilance and mischief in his voice that most times was wrapped in a boating experience or some adventure on the horizon. I was most fond of one of these calls that led to a very memorable and fortuitous convergence of our paths. Ring ring... "Hey there...", "ScottyCool, WTF... Over". What came next was never dull. "Are you up for a boat ride from Cancun to Panama?" Who wouldn't be, right! When I heard the potential float plan of the Kadey-Krogen 58 delivery, the dates coincided with something that I just couldn't change. I was already booked to sail from the Dominican Republic to Panama with my two sons (Trevor & Spencer) on Trevor's new Catamaran. Talk about bucket list item! But I was genuinely disappointed that I couldn't make the Kadey-Krogen delivery run with Dave as part of the crew. I enjoyed being on a boat with Dave. After chit chatting about details, it just wasn't in the cards for me. I did say without any seriousness at all, "maybe we'll meet up in Panama." I thought at the time, the chances of that would be zero to none. Well, very long story, short– within hours of each other we arrived at Shelter Bay Marina, Panama, the air thick with the smell of the ocean and a bit of diesel. The place having a relaxed, almost sleepy feel. You could tell it was a cruiser's haven – lots of boats, people chatting on the docks, and an overall easygoing atmosphere. A well-maintained marina, surrounded by trees, and had that classic tropical vibe, complete with howling monkeys in the surrounding jungle. All I can remember was how nice it was to see these familiar faces, Captain Dave, with friends and crew Mike Amery, and Tony Papa. Aboard Trevor's "Aldora", we had just completed 6 days at sea, no less than 25 knots of wind on any given day, a thousand miles covered always at least hundreds of miles from land; Dave and crew experiencing much the same aboard the Kadey-Krogen with some testy sea conditions to say the least, and there within mere hours, we ended up at this dreamy little harbor so far from home, toasting the local brew and recounting our high adventure. It was an uncanny feeling of reuniting with what felt like part of my "tribe" in this distant and foreign place. Dave was full of adrenaline and excitement having navigated in the dark into one of the smallest harbor entrances I have ever encountered. Complete with a pretty stiff breeze astern. We were men of the sea, kindred spirits, brought together by serendipity, but not really, to celebrate friendship in a special way. Dave was never at a loss for finding the exciting and positive parts of any experience. He exuded this energy and made you feel part of his world, that you mattered to him. He showed his friends authentic love and was always warm in this way. Dave had a vibrant spirit and a zest for life that will be deeply missed.