Times of the Islands Summer 2021

pointed out all the increase in work and suggested that
an increase in pay would be in order. Earlier, Algernon
Dean used to deliver the mail bag to the Brown house,
but now Osley had to walk to the airport several times a
week.
Another incident I recall is when CAL pilot Embry
Rucker and his wife Noreen were living in Caicos House
in South Caicos. Late one afternoon I was the only passenger
flying out of Grand Turk with Embry. As we were
climbing above Grand Turk, Embry said, “Lew is almost
landing on Providenciales, so I’m not going to waste fuel
and fly you over there this evening. You can sleep on the
couch at our place. I have to be on Providenciales early
tomorrow anyway.” Made sense. I thought it would be
nice if I could help out with dinner, since I was crashing
their place. I asked Embry if he could get somebody on
the radio and, if Lew hadn’t left, have him bring back four
steaks. Fritz’s favorite food was New York strip steaks
and I knew we had plenty in the freezer. Embry made
radio contact and ordered the “steaks.” But when Lew
arrived to Caicos House he brought four survey “stakes.”
Whoever Embry spoke to on the radio had figured that if
I was staying in South Caicos it was because I was doing
some survey work. I don’t remember what we had for
dinner that evening, but knowing Noreen she would have
opened some cans and whipped up something delicious.
As time went on, CAL expanded. More airplanes and
pilots were added. Even a DC3 was used on the downtown
strip in Grand Turk. By 1971 the main airport on Grand
Turk was opened for use. Soon thereafter, air service
between the Islands was taken over by other companies,
but it had all started in 1967 with Embry and Lew. a
The new post office in Providenciales is named after George Brown.
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