Charlie Mitchell
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project
This project documents the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project began in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, educational celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals from other ports around the country. Folklorist and Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar and Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are project leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.
Laura Orleans
On September 25, 2010, Markham Starr interviewed Charlie Mitchell as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Charlie describes his childhood in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, where he developed a love for the water. After attending school, his plans to go to law school were interrupted by the Vietnam War. Charlie chose to join the Navy and gained extensive experience aboard vessels. Following the war, Charlie entered the tug boating business, founding Mitchell Towing and Salvage, in 1973. A significant portion of the interview focuses on the creation of the tugboat Jaguar. Reflecting on his work in salvage and rescue operations, Charlie chronicles some of his more memorable experiences, sharing two stories in particular: an operation involving a coastal cruiser that ran aground and faced substantial damage, and vessel on the brink of capsizing due to flooding. He details the collaborative efforts with the Coast Guard, other salvage companies, and divers, as well as the ingenuity needed to help mitigate the damage during disasters.
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