08212020 WEEKEND

Friday, August 21, 2020

Weekend

art books gardening crafts history puzzles photography animals START PLANTING! Page 10

Camera to canvas

Local artist captures memories in 3D

pgs 08 & 09

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

photography

A Rose-Coloured Lens Weather’s many faces

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eauty is all around us in the Bahamas, on land and in the sea. But many of us are too busy with everyday life to pause and really see and enjoy the astonishing sights that surround us. Veteran photographer ROLAND ROSE captures both the ordinary and extraordinary, and puts it in frame for us so we can see our environment in a new light.

From wind rustling through the palm trees, to gusts blowing the foam off waters roiled by a hurricane; from the lightning strike to the rainbow... these are some the spectacular sights of the weather in the Bahamas.

Friday, August 21, 2020

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, August 21, 2020

Weekend Inside

Interview 4 – 5

A new children’s book author shares environmental message and lets local kids see themselves in her stories

Puzzles 6 Books 7, 15

Best-selling Bahamian author launches a unique series, plus a new pirate anthology spans time and space

My perfect Bahamian weekend

Art 8 – 9

Alexander Fox | Hotel inspector

Gardening 10

Q

Deryl King gets photorealistic with her portraits With the summer months waning, it’s time to start planting

Q

Crafts 11

Q

A ‘Cymphony’ of keepsakes

Literary Lives 12 – 13

Q

The tragic end and unresolved mystery of a former Hollywood ingenue

Forgotten Facts 14

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The successes of a 19th century Governor of the Bahamas

Animals 16

A love letter to my readers.

Plus, Pet of the Week

THIS WEEKEND IN HISTORY August 21

•In 1609, Galileo Galilei demonstrated his new telescope to a group of officials atop the Campanile in Venice.

• In 1831, Nat Turner launched a violent slave rebellion in Virginia resulting in the deaths of at least 55 whites. (Turner was later executed.)

• In 1911, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris. (The painting was recovered two years later in Italy.)

Today’s birthdays: Actor-director Melvin Van Peebles is 88. Actor Clarence Williams III is 81. Actor Kim Cattrall is 64. Actor Carrie-Anne Moss is 50. Singer Kelis is 41. Olympic gold

like his acting and would : What will you be binge-watching during like to pick his mind about ‘Contagion’.” the weekendlockdown?

“The weather/news...with : What is on your all that’s going on and it weekendmenu? being hurricane season.”

“Grilled food. Veggies for family...chicken, : What activities will steak et cetera for me.” you be doing to stay busy while indoors? : If you could “Backyard gardening. travel to one place Growing fruits, vegetables for a coronavirus-free and peppers.” weekendgetaway, where would it be and why? : If you could be “Probably Mayaguana; quarantined with just to relax, smell a celebrity, who would fresh air, fish and to get it be and why? away from busy life.”

“Matt Damon, because I

Q

medal sprinter Usain Bolt is 34.

born at Versailles. He was last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution and was married to Marie Antoinette.

• In 1775, Britain’s King George III proclaimed the American colonies to be in a state of “open and avowed rebellion.”

• In 1973, a bank robbery-turnedhostage-taking began in Stockholm, Sweden; the four hostages ended up empathising with their captors, a psychological condition now referred to as “Stockholm Syndrome.”

August 22

• In 1851, the schooner America outraced more than a dozen British vessels off the English coast to win a trophy that came to be known as the America’s Cup. • In 1910, Japan annexed Korea, which remained under Japanese control until the end of World War II. • In 1986, Kerr-McGee Corp agreed to pay the estate of the late Karen Silkwood $1.38 million, settling a 10-year-old nuclear contamination lawsuit. A film starring Meryl Streep, Cher and Kurt Russell on subject had been in theatres in 1983.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Ty Burrell is 53. Celebrity chef Giada DeLaurentiis is 50. Rap-reggae singer Beenie Man is 47. Singer Howie Dorough (Backstreet Boys) is 47. Comedian-

GALILEO helped create modern astronomy with his telescope actor Kristen Wiig is 47. Talk show host James Corden is 42.

August 23 • In 1754, France’s King Louis XVI was

Today’s birthdays: Actor Vera Miles is 90. Actor Barbara Eden is 89.

Actor Shelley Long is 71. Actorsinger Rick Springfield is 71. Actor Ray Park is 46. Actor Scott Caan is 44. Actor Joanne Froggatt is 40.

Basketball player Jeremy Lin is 32.

– The Associated Press

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 21, 2020

interview

Dominique Smith A lover of books since she was very young, this new author is now writing stories Bahamian kids can see themselves in. The Grand Bahama native tells ALESHA CADET how it is also important for her to include a serious environmental message in her work for youngsters.

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OMINIQUE SMITH has always been an avid reader. As a child, her parents constantly had to buy new volumes to keep up with her appetite for the written word. She also spent many afternoons at the Sir Charles Hayward Library in Grand Bahama.

“I remember I had pretty much exhausted the books in the children’s section, and the librarian at the time, Ms Zonnicle, would try to find age-appropriate magazines and books from other sections for me. I also won an award in primary school for reading just shy of 1,000 books in an academic year,” she told Tribune Weekend.

“I loved imagining myself as the characters, and would often change the story to how I wanted it to be because the characters in the books didn’t look like me and I couldn’t identify with them,” said Dominique.

In the back of mind she always dreamed of one day writing a book from a Bahamian and Caribbean perspective. And that dream has now come true, after experiencing some detours along the way.

“After reading ‘Woman Take Two’ by Bahamian author Telcine Turner in the 12th grade, I thought I would write young adult novels, but it was overwhelming and I can’t begin to tell you how many times I started a draft only to struggle and not complete it. The dream never died throughout the years though. Once God places a call over your life, it will be done,” she said.

While she was trying to figure out what to do about her writing, Dominique completed her undergraduate studies at South Dakota State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics with a Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies.

Returning home after university, she decided to shiftgears and target a younger audience with her stories. This is what finally did the trick. She started with a smaller project, a children’s book inspired by her niece. In writing the story, it was of utmost importance to her that her niece would be able would to identify with the main character, so she used her likeness for the book’s illustrations, which were done by Özlem Aksöz.

If ever there was ever a “life comes full circle” moment, this was it, said Dominique. With the

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

Friday, August 21, 2020

completion of her first book, “Zoé’s Beach Day”, she had finally created something her younger self would have devoured.

The new author plans for “Zoé’s Beach Day” to be the first instalment of a collection of books she calls “Puppet Tales: A Bahamian Series”.

The story of the first book follows a little girl named Zoé, who goes to her favourite beach with her mom. She brings along her favourite toy, a puppet named Candace, who is also her best friend. When they arrive at the beach, Zoé finds her toy has become covered in litter, which her little heart and makes her feel her whole outing has been ruined. But a surprise happens, and with a little touch of magic, her best friend helps save

“I honestly cannot call myself an environmentalist, I don’t put in enough work to be considered as such, but I consider my book to be my contribution to the cause.” the day.

The story is a fun one written with young readers in mind, but nonetheless, it also has a serious message about the protecting the environment.

“Although the book is set in Grand Bahama, litter is not unique to that specific island. It is in fact a global issue. The takeaway that I sincerely hope all readers of ‘Zoé’s Beach Day’ receive is to appreciate the natural resources we are blessed to have, and in turn, take care of it. To quote Chee Vai Tang, ‘If we could all see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything.’ I honestly cannot call myself an environmentalist, I don’t put in enough work to be considered as such, but I consider my book to be my contribution to the cause. The storyline is fiction, however, litter is very much a real issue.

Also, my niece loves the beach, so it gives it a realistic value,” said Dominique.

From writing the manuscript and applying for and receiving her copyright, to learning how to self-publish and finally holding the proofs in her hand, she admits the process was a stressful one, and she really didn’t appreciate the end result until she had received the first shipment of 100 copies.

“The moment I clicked the button to confirm publishing my book on the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing platform, I went to sleep feeling overwhelmed with anxiety. But I also felt a sense

of pride and accomplishment. I had achieved what was essentially a lifelong dream. I became an author. There is no better feeling than knowing you fulfilled one of the divine purposes God placed over your life. Every time I feel a little down, I grab a copy of my book, look at it, and remind myself, ‘Girl, you are an author’.”

Dominique said she has already received great feedback from those who have read “Zoé’s Beach Day”. They seem to love the bright and vivid illustrations and the approach used to discuss an important topic.

“I think what gets me most is the feedback from parents. Internationally, they love that they get to know more about the Bahamas. They do more research on our country as a result of reading my book. Locally, I’ve received positive feedback from some teachers and parents. With every fivestar review I’ve received to date across Amazon

and social media, I am humbled, but it also gives me a boost of confidence that I am on the right track,” she said.

Dominique said she is now looking forward to publishing her next book in the “Puppet Tales” series; book number two will be called “Daniel the Litterbug”.

This book, she said, will continue the discussion of the far-reaching impact of littering. Daniel, a mischievous little boy with a habit for leaving discarded items and garbage behind everywhere he goes, is known among family, friends and neighbours as a “litterbug”. A surprise visitor works his magic to help Daniel see the error of his ways – and activates Daniel’s “green” mode.

“I can’t wait to release this, as it now will serve as a great inspiration to Bahamian and Caribbean boys. I feel that representation is so important. So I will continue to use my books to promote black, diverse and Caribbean voices in literature stories.

I look forward to hearing feedback from fathers and their sons. Some see ‘Zoé’s Beach Day’ as a book for girls. Though this is not the case, I hope ‘Daniel the Litterbug’ will resonate with boys,” she said.

A virtual launch for this second book, Dominique added, is something that is in the pipelines.

“I’m still trying to navigate exactly how to pull it off considering certain key elements I still require are not accessible due to the Emergency Orders as a result of the pandemic. I didn’t get to have a book launch for ‘Zoé’s Beach Day’ because of Hurricane Dorian. So I would like to make this one as special as possible,” said Dominique.

“Zoé’s Beach Day” is currently available on Amazon. For more information on the author, visit her website, www.dominiquesmithbooks. com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram @ dominiquesmithauthor.

21 Staring at a 22 torn page Maxim; 23 (5) Emotion; S S N O Q J P H 24 Clergy; 25 Famous.

22 Look after the intellect (4) I E N C K H T A 1 Aridity (4) 2 Stuck-26 23 Cross, seeingdown: prejudice August up;Friday, 3 Trait; 4 Surfeit; L F21, N N 2020 O I S M

25 Bondsman hearing waves on the shore (4) 26 Daughter is instructed to be messy (10) 27 Flour for breakfast, say (4)

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

5 Avert; 6 Cruel; 9 Unbridled; 14 Plumage; 15 Janitor; 16 Oneness; 19 Smack; 20 Excel; 21 Foray.

Ac l cr E nEA

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.

TODAY’S TARGET Good 17; very good 25; excellent 33 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 Sudoku for Answer today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 One abandoned by players on opponent’s ground (8) 2 She confuses people about a couple of points (8) 3 Rings about turning up for work (4) 5 Arms of the fighting services (7,2,3) 6 Fuel records (4) 7 End of the beef soup? (6) 8 High-powered firm (6) 11 Having no outstanding commitments (4,4,4) 15 Came across a number employed in making roads (5) 16 Not rounds used in an erratic salvo (5) 18 Covers too many circuits (8) 19 Murderer is a fool because wrong (8) 21 Give the word to pass by a Quaker (6) 22 Fruit held in hand (6) 26 Adviser provides the odd idea (4) 27 Treat the soil to get fruit (4)

Across 1 Top car manufacturer who takes prize? (6) 4 Partition between pigs and birds (8) 9 Made to climb and was ridiculed (4,2) 10 He’s not alone in breaking the law (8) 12 Turning point in tax legislation (4) 13 Jason’s craft heads north in the atmosphere (5) 14 Right out of line (4) 17 Even I perhaps could be afraid (12) 20 Handy things to draw on (4,2,6) 23 The last men to raise offspring (4) 24 Unkind words earned a bad mark (5) 25 Professional on a sailing vessel (4) 28 A marked man perhaps (8) 29 Six vehicles for clergymen (6) 30 Idle cats get local tongues wagging (8) 31 Time to make things palatable (6)

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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Cobra, 4 Sparing, 8 Out, 9 Eagle-eyed, 10 Scatter, 11 Abbey, 13 Shindy, 15 Decamp, 18 Bonus, 19 Doleful, 21 Tiger lily, 23 UFO, 24 Suggest, 25 Ritzy.

Down: 1 Croesus, 2 Battalion, 3 Adept, 4 Sugary, 5 Average, 6 Ivy, 7 Godly, 12 Bear fruit, 14 Deserve, 16 Pillory, 17 Adrift, 18 Butts, 20 Layer, 22 Gag.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Album, 4 Deborah, 8 Pea, 9 Conceited, 10 Awkward, 11 Kites, 13 Saucer, 15 Broker, 18 Patio, 19 Accosts, 21 President, 23 Owl, 24 Rebates, 25 Hiker.

Down: 1 Appears, 2 Black suit, 3 Mecca, 4 Denude, 5 Breaker, 6 Rut, 7 Hades, 12 Take stock, 14 Egotist, 16 Rustler, 17 Layers, 18 Paper, 20 Catch, 22 Ebb.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Large domesticated bird (6) 4 Pretentious nonsense (8) 9 Occult (6) 10 Unprepared for surprise (3,5) 12 Sharpen (4) 13 Take it easy (5) 14 Arrange beforehand (4) 17 Gain easy victory (3,5,4) 20 Purest embodiment (12) 23 Undisguised (4) 24 Musical wind instrument (5) 25 An attempt (4) 28 Done with great care (8) 29 Important person (6) 30 Tower over (8) 31 North American deep gorge (6)

Down 1 American Indian war axe (8) 2 Echoing (8) 3 To utter (4) 5 Vitally important (4-3-5) 6 Leaf of a book (4) 7 Positively (6) 8 Precisionist in teaching (6) 11 Very influential member (7,5) 15 Imprecise (5) 16 Unexpected development (5) 18 Causing obstruction (2,3,3) 19 US military leadership (8) 21 Habitual (6) 22 Change for the better (6) 26 Become member of (4) 27 Prima donna (4)

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off.

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S R E T L A W C E Y

THE ALPHABEATE

TARGET Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

W E H T L N F

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The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, August 21, 2020

books

It’s a topsy turvy world in Bahamian author’s new series

By Fay Knowles

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new book boasting some interesting cover art called “Eppington: Where Dogs Rule” kicks off a new series for Bahamian author Tanya R Taylor.

Labelled a “cozy conspiracy”, this marks the award-winning writer’s 32nd published book and the first instalment of the “Hewey Spader Cozy Mystery Series.”

The story follows four close friends who return to their respective homes only to discover that things are not quite the way they’d left them. Their family members are acting very strange and their dogs’ behaviour, in particular, is beyond peculiar. Hewey and AUTHOR his friends Rob, Jason Tanya R Taylor and Samantha must now set out to get to the bottom of what’s really going on in the town of Eppington.

Ms Taylor is the author of several No 1 best-sellers across the various Amazon stores. All of her books have made Amazon Kindle’s Top 100 Paid Best-sellers’ List in several categories. She is also the silver medal winner of Readers’ Favourite 2019 International Book Awards in the Young Adult/Paranormal division for her popular tale “Cornelius”.

While readers will know her from her paranormal romances, mysteries and fantastical tales, Ms Taylor’s has lately been more focused on cozy mysteries, such as her “Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series”. However, coming in November there will be a “Reunion From Hell”, the 14th part of the “The Cornelius”, which all her fans around the world are anxiously awaiting.

Asked what makes her want to keep on writing more books, Ms. Taylor said: “I guess the answer to that question is that I can’t stop

Audible bestsellers 1

. Letters From Camp by Jamie Lee Curtis, performed by the author

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. When You Finish Saving the World by Jesse Eisenberg, performed by Kaitlyn Dever, Jesse Eisenberg, Finn Wolfhard

3 4

. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer, narrated by Jake Abel

. Phreaks by Matthew Derby, performed by Ben McKenzie, Carrie Coon, Christian Slater, Justice Smith, Bree Klauser

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. Stuck by Chris Grabenstein, performed by Mark Sanderlin, Elizabeth Hess, Oliver Wyman, and full cast

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. Bella Bella by Harvey Fierstein, performed by the author

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. The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Dirk Maggs, performed by Riz Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Neil Gaiman, James McAvoy, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis, and Michael Sheen

8 myself even if I tried! I can’t separate myself from writing because it’s a part of who I am. New stories keep coming to mind and I keep writing them. And I think of my readers too: how they’re always looking forward to another book I’ve written. I write across various genres and some of my readers have read every single book that I’ve written. I have no intention of letting them down.”

In addition to her novels, she has also co-authored a non-fiction book with her daughter called “I Didn’t Know I was Beautiful: The Real & Raw Facts That Every Woman on the Planet Should Know.”

For more information about Tanya R Taylor, visit her Amazon author page or her website at www.tanya-r-taylor.com.

. The Guest List: A Novel by Lucy Foley, narrated by Jot Davies, Chloe Massey, Olivia Dowd, Aoife McMahon, Sarah Ovens, Rich Keeble

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. Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens, narrated by Cassandra Campbell

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. The Short Drop: Gibson Vaughn by Matthew FitzSimmons, narrated by James Patrick Cronin (Brilliance Audio) - By The Associated Press

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 21, 2020

gardening

On your marks, get set, plant!

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UGUST is flying by, and that means that our prime vegetable growing season is fast approaching.

Typically I do not start seeds until around the first or second week in September. Everything is a little different this year. I have begun seeding tomato, spinach, squash, etcetera, already for the season. Mostly that’s because we have not been able to open our doors to customers, and it has given me time to get a head start.

There are things that it is still a bit early for. Some of my cooler weather loving lettuces, arugula and celery are taking a bit longer to germinate as the soil temperatures are still higher than ideal. Lettuce can have a tendency to bolt very quickly if planted too early. Just as in the north, where seeds are started indoors before the spring, now is a good time to start sowing seeds, and we can do them indoors to protect them from the heat. Cauliflower, broccoli, lettuces, endive, even cucumbers, things like these that really do best out of the highest of our summer temperatures will happily germinate indoors if you’re running air-condition, or if you’ve got a cool, shady spot in your garden that may also be a good place to start seeding. Radishes, beets, potato, okra… whatever you fancy to grow this season, now is as good a time as any to get started, although, some may choose to wait a few more weeks as the hurricane season is also picking up steam.

I have lost lots of material in the past due to getting them out a bit early and then having a storm come along and wreck some of the work.

One thing that I love above many of the other benefits of gardening is the ability to experiment and to attempt to grow things even if someone else says, ‘No, it cannot be done.’

If something is not doing well in a certain spot, then move it. Container gardeners benefit by being able to move things around if something is not happy, as compared to those who plant straight to the ground. Professional farmers, of which there are many very competent and experienced ones in our Bahamas, they’ll know exactly when and what they’re going to be planting. It helps to take

notes each year as to what does well, where, and when. One thing that I can tell you from my experience is that we have moved our growing of

annuals back several weeks from our historic start dates because of the heat, so why would I be trying to grow vegetables already? Mostly because I’ve had more time to do it, and customers are asking for them earlier and earlier and while I used to not give in to the demand, if anything this year has given me, it’s a shift in perspective.

The heat is still posing a challenge to vegetable gardening, but it doesn’t mean that it cannot be done. Melons, peppers, onions, it’s about time to start thinking of getting started if you haven’t already - that is if you can find starter plants or seeds; the global market for seeds has been faced with many unique challenges this year due to COVID-19, as many others have as well.

Be aware that not everything you’re seeking may be available all at the same time this season, more so than in years past. I for one, have a hard time sourcing some things that are usually very easy to get hold of. Things are a bit askew in many

supply chains, to say the least. If you’re keeping seeds from previous crops, be aware that what you harvested last time around may not be what comes up this time around.

Peppers, for example, are easily hybridised with each other and cross pollination can corrupt strains so that they can come out quite different from generation to generation. Now is an excellent time to be amending soils in the ground, raised beds, or containers by adding composts, peat moss or coconut coir to loosen the soil media and to liven them up through aeration and improved drainage. Let the preparations begin! As always, I wish you happy gardening.

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery.

You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

Friday, August 21, 2020

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

crafts

Art as a keepsake

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

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LTHOUGH she only started her small creative business during the initial stages of the nation’s lockdown, Cymphony WallaceFerguson has been developing her artistic skills for years.

“I have always been surrounded by activities such as painting and making crafts because of my mother. I took an interest in creative and interesting ways to paint the things that were in my environment or modify them to stand out,” said she told Tribune Weekend.

She’s chosen to use her art skills to make something unique: keychain decorations and other hand-made keepsakes.

Her Cymph-lux keychain pieces are made of resin –a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers; plastics, lacquers, inks, and more.

“Once I mix the resin together, my creativity begins to flow and I then add paint, sand, shells, or glitter to create my keychains and coasters.

Once created, the resin takes about 24 hours to cure in the silicone mould, and on the next day I am able to take it out and turn it into a keychain and coaster,” she explained.

“I believe during a time like this being an artist can really be a healthy outlet for stress. I personally know that being in the same space without a proper release for stress can be unhealthy mentally. And by being creative and doing artwork, it can really be a huge relief as well as something that can distract you,” said Cymphony.

She believes her keychains and coasters give her the opportunity for her creative talents to be discovered in way they might have otherwise not been.

“Very often artistic talent goes undiscovered, but this field provides the creative exposure for those who have not been able to obtain it,” she said of small art-focused companies.

“Genuinely, this is my first major art venture, and it was developed during the lockdown.

Although it was created over these past months, that does not downgrade all of the progress, improvements, hard work and overall quality of my products and what I can produce. The only way to improve at something is through practice, and once you are fully comfortable and proud of your work, I think it is best to release it to the world.”

CYMPHONY Wallace-Ferguson pours her heart and creativity into her Cymph-lux products.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 21, 2020

Literary lives - Natalie Wood

The tragedy of a Hollywood ingenue - Part II Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the RussianAmerican actress who became a Hollywood star and received three Oscar nominations by the time she was 25 years old. She died in mysterious circumstances.

Natalie Wood’s cause of death was originally ruled as an “accidental drowning”.

The initial investigation found that she had died while “slightly intoxicated”. Thomas T Noguchi, the Los Angeles county medical examiner at the time, theorised that she was under the influence of alcohol when she slipped and fell into the water as she tried to board a dinghy. However, Wood’s sister Lana has spoken out against this theory, saying that Natalie was always afraid of open water and that she would have never tried to leave the boat alone.

“Natalie would not go anywhere not fully made-up, wearing something terrific. She certainly would not get into a dinghy in her nightgown by herself. She would get dressed, put on full makeup and have Dennis Davern, the captain, take her ashore to stay in a motel on Catalina, which is what she did ... when she wanted to leave.”

- Lana Wood, Natalie Wood’s sister The investigator’s report attached to Thomas T Noguchi’s medical document stated that Wood, and a small party that included her husband Robert Wagner, had left the Splendour for a restaurant dinner on Catalina Island. At about 10pm the intoxicated group returned to the yacht, using its dinghy, Valiant. Robert Wagner told the investigators that Wood retired for the night in the couple’s cabin at about 10.45pm, but after talking for a while longer with their guest Christopher Walken, Wagner went to join Wood in their cabin, only to find her missing. Wagner and the others also discovered that the dinghy, Valiant, was missing and they immediately radioed for help. Harbour Patrol and eventually the Coast Guard combed the water and island coastline. The Sheriff’s Department helicopter eventually found Wood’s floating body.

For the remainder of the 1970s Wood appeared in lacklustre films and TV movies.

In 1981, she began work on a science fiction thriller Brainstorm (1983) and, much the way she had 25 years earlier with James Dean on the set of Rebel Without a Cause, she became enthralled with her co-star Christopher Walken.

Despite rumours that the couple were having an affair, Wagner invited Walken to join them on his yacht for a 1981 Thanksgiving weekend cruise off Catalina Island.

On a cool November day in 1981 four adults went for a cruise 22 miles off the southwest coast of Los Angeles aboard Splendour – a 55-foot yacht. Only three – Robert Wagner, Christopher Walken and Dennis Davern (the boat’s captain) would come back safely to shore. The fourth adult – 43-year-old Natalie Wood – was found floating in the water wearing a red down jacket and flannel nightgown. She was pronounced dead at 7.44am on November 29, 1981.

Natalie Wood (1938 – 1981)

Three decades later the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reopened the investigation and in February 2018 Captain Christopher Bergner of the homicide department said that new witnesses had been identified and that a different timeline had emerged of Natalie Wood’s last hours. It contained startling claims of arguments between Wood and Wagner before she was declared missing. The ship’s captain, Dennis Davern,

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Friday, August 21, 2020

had revised his testament, saying his former report was not the whole truth, and he revealed ugly scenes on the yacht with tales of drunkenness, rage, and accused infidelity.

“The argument started the day before. The tension was on-going through the whole weekend. Robert Wagner was jealous of Christopher Walken.”

- Dennis Davern Davern went on to report that Wood and Walken spent hours at a bar on Catalina Island, laughing and seemingly flirting. When her husband showed up, he was fuming. The four proceeded to have dinner at Doug’s Harbor Reef Restaurant, drinking champagne, two bottles of wine, and cocktails. Employees of the restaurant also reported that at one point Wood or Walken threw a glass at the wall.

The restaurant manager saw how drunk members of the group were becoming, and worried they would not be able to reach their yacht safely when they staggered out after 10pm. Using their inflatable dinghy, Valiant, the group did reach Splendour that night, but Wood was dead hours before sunrise.

The story of what happened after the four returned to the yacht has changed several times according to Suzanne Finstad’s book The Biography of Natalie Wood (2011). Walken evidently told investigators that he and Wagner had an argument about parents being away from their children for an extended time. Apologies were made and they resumed drinking. Wagner then broke a bottle of wine on a table and accused Walken of trying to sleep with his wife – following which Walken left to go to his cabin. Wood also left for her cabin, with Wagner following. Davern heard loud quarrelling which eventually continued on the deck of the boat. Then everything went silent, causing Davern to check on the situation.

He found Wagner alone on deck, saying “Natalie is missing”. He asked Davern to look for her.

When his search was unsuccessful Davern rejoined Wagner who told him the dinghy Valiant was missing too. Davern also reported that Wagner refused to turn on the yacht’s flood lights because he didn’t want to attract bad publicity. Wagner delayed calling for help.

Sheriff investigators also referred to a statement from Marilyn Wayne who was on a boat moored 80 feet from the Splendour. She recalled a woman calling out at around 11pm.

“Somebody please help me, I’m drowning,” The cries went on until almost 11.30pm. When Wayne’s boyfriend tried to call the harbourmaster, no one answered.

NATALIE Wood on the yacht Splendour, just weeks before she died in 1981. talk to us. He has rights and he can not talk to us if he doesn’t want to.”

- Sheriff’s Department Los Angeles Christopher Walken has said very little in public about Wood’s death. In one of his few statements, he suggested that people couldn’t handle the strangeness, the randomness, of Wood’s drowning.

“Anybody there saw the logistics – of the boat, the night, where we were, that it was raining – and would know exactly what happened. You hear things happening to people – they slip in the bathtub, fall down the stairs, step off the curb in London because they think the cars come the other way – and they die. You feel you want to die making an effort at something; you don’t want to die in some unnecessary way.”

- Christopher Walken Playboy Magazine, 1997

NATALIE Wood and Robert Wagner with their daughters. that if he chose to give further evidence to the police it would be purely voluntary.

Investigators have made at least ten attempts to interview Wagner again after reopening the investigation in 2011, including tracking him down in Colorado. But either Wagner or his lawyer refused.

- The Associated Press

Far from notifying authorities immediately, according to Finstad’s book, Wagner did not make his first call to shore until 1.30 a.m.

The Sheriff’s Department have acknowledged that Wagner now was “a person of interest” only.

Wagner has never been charged with any crime in connection to the death of his wife, meaning

“We would love to talk to Robert Wagner. He’s refused to talk to us. We can never force him to

Walken appears blameless.

Something could still advance the investigation. The Los Angeles Coroner, remarkably, has officially changed the cause of death 30 years after she died – which means that her gruesome death was never fully investigated and she might have been wrongly and publicly blamed and shamed as the drunken cause of her own death.

The truth about the death of Natalie Wood may never be fully known.

NEXT WEEK: The last of the greats of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; and from The Biography of Natalie Wood (2001) by Suzanne Finstad.

14 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 21, 2020

history

Remembering Sir John Pope-Hennessy, Governor of the Bahamas

By Paul C Aranha | Forgotten facts

S

ir John Pope-Hennessy’s personal motto was “Three Grand Qualifications to Success”: “The first is audacity, the second is audacity, and the third is audacity.”

Whenever I received a mailing form Jonathan Ramsay, proprietor of Balmain Antiques, I devote however much time it takes to study each and every item, and over the years my collection of Bahamian books, postcards and memorabilia has expanded steadily.

One of those items, a framed caricature of Sir John Pope-Hennessy, hangs on the wall in front of me. Painted by the Italian caricaturist Carlo Pellegrini, better known as ‘Ape’, whose drawings graced the pages of Vanity Fair magazine for 20 years. This particular one appeared in an 1875 edition of Vanity Fair. Sir John was Governor of the Bahamas from 1873 to 1874.

I also bought a copy of ‘Verandah’, a 1964 book

by Sir John’s grandson, James Pope-Hennessy. It gives a good insight into the extensive career of one of our governors, leaving me with the feeling that if Sir John had stayed longer, the Bahamas could have been a better place.

Having joined the Colonial Office, Sir John’s first appointment as governor was to Labuan (Malaysia) in 1867. There, he is credited with putting that colony into solvency by introducing convict labour from the Straits Settlements.

Next came the Gold Coast (1872), then Sierra Leone (1872-1873), followed by the Bahamas (1873-1874), Barbados and the Windward Islands (1876-1877), Hong Kong (1877-1882), and Mauritius (1883-1889).

In Hong Kong, Sir John realised that the Chinese people, who were treated as second-class citizens up to that time, had developed an increasingly important influence on the Hong Kong economy. With that in mind, he lifted the ban that forbade Chinese people from buying lands, constructing buildings and operating businesses in the Central District, causing a development boom there. Also, he allowed Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong to naturalise as British subjects.

After Hong Kong, Sir John went on to become the 15th Governor of Mauritius (1883-1889), where he undertook to “mauricianise’’ the local administration by reducing the powers of the English officials, appointing Mauritians to positions of responsibility and proposing a new constitution, based on the principle “Mauritius for Mauritians”.

This reminds me of the Bahamas in the 1960s.

SIR John with this family Mauritius was his last post in the Colonial Service, but in 20 years, he had covered large swaths of the globe and, in writing his grandfather’s biography, James Pope-Hennessy covered his entire life, but found space for the following observations about the Bahamas: “He had most probably been selected . . . owing to his political experience; the Bahamas Assembly, representing settlers who had been born and bred in the islands, for several generations, had always proved independent-minded and obdurate. For years, the legislature had been on bad terms with successive Governors and had proved impossible to manage. The Public Treasury was bankrupt . . . The editor of the Nassau Guardian wrote: ‘We hope His Excellency may be as successful, in the Government of the Bahamas, as he has been in that of the West Coast of Africa.’ “. . . the climate of the Colony was then, and still is, considered one of the most delightful in the world . . .there is no question that my grandparents were happy in Nassau . . . they could, and did, make real friends.”

A CARICATURE of Sir John by ‘Ape’ appeared in Vanity Fair in 1875, a year after he left the Bahamas.

• For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com

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Friday, August 21, 2020

books

I

Gather ’round, maties, for new pirate tales spanning time and genres

By CARA HUNT • Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

nternational travel may be banned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but you can still explore new worlds thanks to a new pirate anthology created

by Inklings Press called “Tales From the Pirate’s Cove”, released last week.

Bahamian resident Leo McBride, whose story “To the End of the World” is included in the collection of 12 stories, told Tribune Weekend that the group chose a subject they thought would be fun and open to interpretation.

“This is the ninth anthology which we have created. Over the years, we have published all kinds of genres, from sci-fi to alternative history to horror, and this time we decided to draw inspiration from pirates. It’s a fun subject that can lend itself to wide interpretation. We have tales of traditional pirates, time pirates, space pirates, and really who doesn’t like pirates?”

Inklings Press has grown tremendously since it’s first book, “Tales from the Tavern”, was released in 2015.

The debut anthology included five stories written by Leo and four of his fellow Inklings.

The group was started as a small press to help them get their writing published.

Leo is both a contributing writer and editor.

“So we have gone from that first anthology which had five stories to this one which has 12 stories. Some of the authors we had never heard from until they answered our call for submissions and some of the authors, like Claire Buss and Lawrence

Harding, had read our earlier books and now they are a part of this recent anthology. So it is nice to see that we are inspiring others to write as well,” said Leo. “Over the years, some of the Inklings authors have gone on to win major awards and so that has also inspired all of us at Inklings to constantly raise the bar. The quality of the books have also steadily improved.”

As to the visual aspect of this new anthology, Leo said: “The cover looks different and we have done individual cover art and other forms of art for each of the stories.”

For his own story, Leo said he took traditional pirate lore and gave it a twist. “ ‘To the End of the World’ is a classic pirate tale but with a twist of horror. One of the things that makes horror great is that there is nowhere to get away and nowhere is more dangerous than out at sea. I also included a love story, because we don’t always make the wisest choices when it comes to love,” he said.

The pandemic has put plans for a 10th instalment of the anthologies on hold for now, but Leo says it may be a return to alternative history - one of the earliest topics.

“Tales From the Pirate’s Cove” is available from Amazon at mybook. to/piratecove, as both an e-book and paperback. You can find out more about Inklings Press by visiting www.inklingspress.com, and you can follow Leo on Twitter at @ AlteredInstinct.

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 21, 2020

animals

A love letter to my readers

By Kim Aranha | Animal Matters

W

ow, what an amazing roller coaster we are all experiencing right now... stress levels elevated, fear, anxiety and serious concerns about what tomorrow will bring.

Am I the only one, or do we all secretly wonder to ourselves if we were able to avoid the coronavirus for yet another day when we had to go out and mix with people in busy places?

Our homes have become sanctuaries that we can seek refuge in whilst we recharge our batteries and become stronger to go out and “face the music”.

Thank goodness for our own spaces, places where we are surrounded with belongings and memories. How terribly difficult it must be for those who do not have a refuge to go to, somewhere to re-group, gather your thoughts, put your fears to bed, and become whole again before donning your armour once again, both figuratively and literally, and going out yet again to face a rather unpleasant reality.

We are all in the same boat, and we all must have similar fears.

I am always calling out to be kind to animals and to consider their feelings and put yourself in their shoes, to imagine how they feel. This is very valid advice and it is also applicable to how we should act with our fellow human beings. Some people have been out of work for months and have little or no means to earn money. They need food, all of us need food; they need us now.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to assist these animal-loving families to feed their animals, because

those pets help keep everything together. The antics of a kitten, a puppy chasing after a ball, a dog curled up on the sofa, with or without a TV to watch, these are simple pleasure that give us moments of enormous comfort. They are the simple, free moments that life gives us in order to provide us all with a calming pool to gather our thoughts and shoo away the anxieties.

The Bahamas Humane Society is so proud to have a thrift shop that can assist in times like this and help people buy clothing for a shade of what it costs in a regular store. There are also children’s toys and books to help keep the youngest of us occupied during these long endless days of lockdown. We have scores of books for the adults, who perhaps normally never had the time to give in the extraordinary self-indulgence of sitting, preferably dog or cat beside you, and embarking on a magical journey as you turn the pages.

Today it is really to you, my readers, all great animal lovers and people full of empathy and love that my thoughts turn. I wonder how you are all doing, if you are finding peace and solace in your homes?

I am hoping the incredible frustrations of trying to find a bank open, or a dozen limes, or a cabbage that is in good condition without having to pull half the leaves off is not getting to you.

I know that there are certainly times that I feel a bit like a rubber band with very little elastic left to stretch much further.

You let me into your lives and houses every week, you read what I have to say, and though

Pet of the Week A comfort for sleepless nights

She’s fairly laid back and young enough to be trainable.

So if you’re looking for that bright spot in a dark night, Midnight could be your answer.

Call the Bahamas Humane Society at 323-5138 to find out more about her and the other adoption animals. Not quite ready to adopt? Consider fostering as a test run. Midnight looks forward to meeting you.

By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY

H

aving some sleepless nights? Worried about your loved ones? Well, rather than stay up until midnight worrying, why not adopt Midnight and have someone to comfort you in times of stress.

Midnight is about two years old and gets along pretty much with everyone, human and dog alike.

many of you do at times reach out to me and tell me how you enjoyed an article or make a suggestion, in general, I do not know who you are. I feel that on many occasions that I am preaching to the converted and my pleas for kindness to animals have already been answered before I made them.

It is with this sentiment in mind that I dedicate my thoughts and this article to you, to your family, human and furry. I hope that this COVID- 19 storm will eventually subside and we will come through it stronger, wiser and much kinder. Our kindness and unselfishness must embrace nature and fellow mankind.

We need to love our animals and our nature.

Our beaches need nurturing. It was dreadful to see how wantonly the beaches were treated during that brief period that we were allowed to use them. From day one people were taking food and drinks to the beach and leaving their trash behind, strewn all over the place. This is a dreadful legacy to leave behind.

When all of this sad and trying time of COVID19 is behind us, as it will be eventually, please let’s make all the sacrifices and suffering worth while.

I am counting on us all to be more caring, more considerate, more aware, and a heck of a lot kinder to our natural resources.

So my dear readers, I wish you a safe and peaceful weekend ahead with as little stress as possible.

•Save your pennies!

MIDNIGHT with BHS staff member De’Andrea Kelly (Photo/Patricia Vazquez)

“Share your 2 cents” with the BHS, and all coins collected will go to the shelter. More information on the programme and about drop-off sites will follow, but coins can also be left at the BHS.