Captains and First Mates: Papa's Teachers of the Sea

Captains and First Mates: Papa's Teachers of the Sea. . Eddie "Bra" Saunders , Captain Eddie "Bra" Saunders took Hemingway to the Marquesas on his first fishing excursion in 1928. Bra gave Ernest his first lessons about deep-sea fishing in the Gulf Stream., Charles Thompson , Charles Thomson met Hemingway in 1928. They became lifelong friends who competitively fished an hunted. The character 'Old Karl' in The Green Hills of Africa is based on Thompson., 'Sloppy Joe Russell , Captain 'Sloppy' Joe Russell and his boat were chartered by Hemingway for fishing trips to Cuba in the 1930s. Perhaps not coincidentally, Russell also owned Ernest's favorite bar., Carlos Gutierrez , Carols Gutierrez served as first mate on Hemingway's newly purchased boat Pilar from 1935 until 1938. Hemingway called Guiterrez the "best marlin and swordfisherman around Cuba"., Gregario Fuentes , Gregario Fuentes became Pilar's first mate in 1938. He and his predecessor, Guiterrez, are believed to have been the character models for 'Santiago' in The Old Man and the Sea., Winfred 'Red' Williams , Winfred 'Red' Williams served as first mate aboard Pilar in the 1940s adn 1950s. Red and Ernest spent much of their time deep-sea fishing for marlin and sailfish off the coast of Cuba.