Hear the mystery of the sailor who fell to shore at Laconia library

LACONIA — The weather in the Lakes Region might be cold, but a program at the Laconia Public Library at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, will take participants to the warm waters and sunny skies of the Caribbean and other exotic places around the world.

Author Charles J. Doane, an accomplished bluewater sailor, will speak about his book “The Boy Who Fell to Shore: The Extraordinary Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Thomas Thor Tangvald.” The story is full of mystery, tragedy and family issues, set in the Caribbean.

“The Boy Who Fell to Shore” is a true story Doane accidentally came across. The author was hooked after learning of Tangvald’s life and mysterious disappearance, which has never been solved. 

Doane now lives in Portsmouth with his family, but he could relate to bluewater sailing worldwide because he had sailed some of those places. He understands the lure of the sea and the need to travel and be free from the constraints of everyday life on land.

Born in the Midwest, Doane spent childhood summers with his family on an island in Maine.

“I handled boats and taught myself to sail,” he said. Sailing or having some sort of boat was a necessity to get to land from the island, and the taste of sailing it gave the young Doane has stayed with him. 

Doane shares his experience and knowledge of sailing through writing. “I am a sailing journalist and write for boating magazines. I attended law school and practiced law for a while, but my real love is for sailing.”

Doane spoke of his previous sailing adventures, such as crewing on a schooner and being shipwrecked in Spain, to name a few experiences he had in his years on the water.

“Sailing is a spiritual thing; when I am sailing, I feel connected to everything else. It is also a big learning curve,” he added.

Like the subject of his book, Doane lived a sailor’s free and easy life when he was younger and says, “I had a small boat, and I didn’t need much money. The weather dictated my life. I sailed the U.S. to Europe and West Africa.”

In the mid-1990s, Doane read “At Any Cost” by Peter Tangvald. Through that book, he learned of Peter’s son, Thomas. Doane later saw a magazine story titled “All at Sea” by Thomas Tangvald.

“I wrote about Thomas on my blog,” said Doane, “and one year later, he disappeared at sea.”

Doane was curious to know more and visited Thomas’ foster parents. He found a connection with Claire, Thomas’ foster mother. With her husband, Edward, Claire fostered the teenage Thomas after his father Peter, an accomplished but controversial sailor and author, and his younger sister died in the waters near the island of Bonaire. Thomas was the sole survivor and witness to the sailboat accident, and it haunted him his entire life.

Claire saved all her correspondence and photos of her years with Thomas, which was invaluable material for Doane.

Thomas spent his childhood on sailboats in the Caribbean, schooling himself and living with a free-spirited father and a succession of stepmothers. One stepmother died after falling overboard and another was shot and killed at the hands of pirates. Yes, pirates still exist around the world, according to Doane.

After his father and sister perished in the boating accident, Thomas lived on land for a time and tried to fit in by going to school, making friends and doing the day-to-day things of everyday life.

But being at sea was normal for Thomas, and he eventually returned to that lifestyle. Without giving away the entire story, in 2014 Thomas left his wife and young children to go to Brazil to put down roots and then send for his family.

Willing to take the risk because of his skill as a sailor, Thomas took off in a small sailboat, which was not in top-notch condition. He was never heard from again. Some friends believe he is still alive; he would be 47 today. Perhaps he's the leader of a distant community that does not want to live in modern society, while others believe he likely died at sea. Doane surmised that's likely what happened, after hitting a squall.

Either way, no one knows for sure what happened. Doane said he admires some things about Thomas, such as his independence, ocean sailing skills, high intelligence and the fact he educated himself. 

Doane thinks people are fascinated with the story of Thomas, who seemed to fall to shore, return to the nomadic sailing life and ultimately vanish because it is an Amelia Earhart-type mystery. Doane has even heard from readers who, after finishing the book, say they have spotted or met Thomas somewhere.

Doane believes there are many lessons in the story of Thomas Tangvald, such as when you should and should not go to sea, and how to handle tragedy.

Currently, Doane is working on another book about a man who fought for Irish independence at the turn of the 20th century. Doane has a definite knack for finding little-known people who lived exciting and unusual lives and turning their stories into page-turning books.

Doane’s talk at the Laconia Public Library is free and all are welcome. To learn more, call the library at 603-524-4775.