From Bruce Landau

The Seeth Family

When I think of the 60’s and Long Island, I always think of the Seeth Family. Growing up in East Williston, they were a big part of my life. There was always something going on in there house. Always motion, activity, energy and challenge. Always a story to tell or to be apart of. Randy and I were good friends.  Don was very much apart of my life too.

I also spent sometime with them in Mattituck. It was there that the love I have for sailing today was cultivated. Donald was the inspiration. Good memories of sailing in a sailfish on the Great Peconic Bay. Don showing me the ins and outs of sailing. Don and I being in races at the yacht club.

One day Don came up with the idea of trying to sail around Robbins Island. Mr. Seeth , Paul and Randy will best appreciate this story.  I was maybe 8 or 9 years. He asked me if I would go with him. He said it would be good experience. I of coarse agreed. Early in the morning we set out in a sailfish, headed east to the north point of the island. This took almost to lunch to do. It was a sunny day. Light winds. What we did not realize was that we were only a third of the way through the journey. We most like likely would have returned home late that night at the speed we were going. Unknown to us, Mrs. Seeth and my mother had been following our progress from the beach in front of the yacht club. They saw us round the point and came after us in a power boat. They caught up to us. There was a lot yelling from the power boat ordering us to turn around which we did. When we returned there were lectures related to “what were you think of” and “do you know what could of happened” kind of thing. We were ground from sailing for a few days.

My family moved to Princeton, NJ in the late 60’s. I lost track of the Seeth family. Many years later I eventually bought a sailboat of my own and started doing a lot of single handed sailing out to Block Island or Newport RI.  From my home in NJ, I liked the run out through the New York Harbor and the Long Island Sound. This route gave good places to anchor for the evening.

On one of my runs out, I anchored one evening at the end of the Mattituck creek. I found a spot next to a boat called Sea Dreams. I took notice of it because my boats name is Seahorse. Someone eventually came out on deck. I noticed how tall the person was and his smile. He asked where I was going and coming from. We talked about the weather and a few other things. He then introduced himself to me and it was Don. I told him who I was and we were both taken back. We did not recognize each other because of the years. I can’t tell you how gratefully stunned I was to see him. It was karma. Meeting on boats in Mattituck many years later.  We had a few drinks, Bloody Mary’s as I recall, and talked of family and the doings of life. I think we exchanged numbers and addresses. I left early the next morning.

The last time I saw Don was at a Blue’s festival in Ft Lauderdale when I went to visit Randy. It was good to see him.

I new Don best in his youth. I only had brief moments with him in later years. But of him I want to say this. He always made me feel like a close friend. You could see his spirit  in love with life and adventures. Always energy. Always challenging himself. A good smile and heart.

As I write on this Christmas Day, I am grateful to have known him. May he rest in peace.

To The Seeths on this day my thoughts are with you.

Bruce Landau

Mine Goes to Eleven!

When a friendship spans a lifetime you end up sharing a lot of those awkward but funny ‘coming of age’ moments. In retrospect, one of the most memorable was when we discovered ‘girls.’ As most of you know, Don was always popular with the ladies and this is where it all started.

I think I had already discovered girls during the school year, but out at Mattituck most of the girls we knew were either older or younger so our summers were still focused on sailing, steal the bacon, boating, fishing, clamming, crabbing and any other mischief we could cook up. I remember in August, 1966 some parents organized a kids’ dance at the MYC. I remember the time because Don had just turned 10 and I was “almost 12.”

Well, this little 13 year old hottie we had never seen before shows up at the dance and Don and I were off to the races. As rival suitors we monopolized that girl’s dance card all night. Though she may have hoped for some attention from the older boys, she sure played it up for ours. I remember she asked how old I was and I said “almost 12” (Don was still a 10 year old kid) and she whispered that 12 was not so young. I wonder what she was telling him! So Dootze and I traded off slow dance after slow dance and at one point he told me, “Ten! I’m up to ten!” And I replied, “Yeah, well, mine goes to ELEVEN!” (Okay, maybe that was Spinal Tap.)

Anyway, we were both being played and I remember I scammed on that girl for several years after, but by that time she was pursued by the older guys with money and cars. But for the next 40 years I don’t think any woman ever came between us again. Not even at 4 am in the Broken-Down Valise!

Easter Morning Massacre

Growing up in the Seeth family with 3 rowdy brothers was a very rough & tumble experience. My job as the oldest brother was to beat on my little brothers on a daily basis. This is the divine right and solemn duty of older brothers everywhere. And it was so easy to divide and conquer. Pummel Randy in the morning, tease and bully Don in the afternoon. It all came to a screeching halt on Easter morning, about the same time frame when this photo was shot. Doug and Jane were sound asleep in their bedroom. I was in the process of beating on Randy (no doubt to steal some of his candy), we were rolling around on the kitchen floor. All of a sudden Don came flying out of nowhere and jumped on my back. Much to my chagrin, Don and Randy had formed an "alliance" just like on Survivor. Next thing I knew Don and Randy were all over me, they pinned me to the ground gave me the licking I deserved. Doug and Jane slept thru the whole episode. That Easter morning forever changed the Seeth brothers balance of power. For the rest of Don's life mentioning Easter morning always brought a big happy smile (and Randy too).