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Albert J. Avellar, 90
Launched the 1st whale watch on the East Coast
Albert J. Avellar, 90, of Eastham, formerly of Provincetown, died peacefully Monday, Nov. 3, at his home in Eastham.
Mr. Avellar was born in February of 1918 in Provincetown where he was raised and educated. In his high school years he played many sports, basketball being one of his favorites. Throughout his youth, like many others raised in Provincetown, he was a part of the fishing community. Capt. Avellar got his start in the charter business with the catboat Blue Gull before WWII.
He entered the Coast Guard as a chief petty officer during WWII and one of his many duties was to captain an unarmed sailing vessel, patrolling the East Coast searching for U-boats. After his wartime duty he returned to Provincetown where he started sailing excursions.
One of the vessels he was well known for was the schooner Hindu which is still in use today and a large part of Provincetown’s history. He continued as a captain and owner of passenger vessels throughout his career. One of his first motorized vessels was the Dolphin I, which was built for him at Pamet Boatyard in Truro carried passengers on fishing trips into Cape Cod Bay.
Capt. Avellar was also known for his appearance in Lipton tea advertisements saying, “I’d sooner Lipton,” which brought recognition to sailors drinking the tea.
In 1975 his vessel the Dolphin III was built and he started the first whale watch on the East Coast, initially taking Provincetown school students out to see and learn about whales. As time went on he built a whale watching fleet in Provincetown, making it a whale watching capital on the East Coast.
Capt. Avellar loved children and he enjoyed sharing his experiences — the love and importance of the sea, sailing and fishing and the wonders of marine life. He touched numerous lives and leaves behind many lifelong friends.
Home or away, he loved to share time with family, from trips to Disney World, Busch Gardens, walking the shores of Clearwater Beach or just traveling to the Green Mountains. He especially enjoyed Christmas gatherings with the entire family.
He also loved to watch sports; football, basketball and baseball were some of his favorites. He enjoyed cheering on the local teams during their season games.
He also had a love for horses. He owned two thoroughbreds after his retirement, and throughout his life enjoyed the excitement of horse racing. While living on the west coast of Florida, in Tarpon Springs, he often watched the local horse races with friends and family.
He leaves behind his wife, Karin; brother Joseph and sister Matilda; daughter Catherine and step-children John, Sydney, George and Steven, all of Eastham; plus six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. His son, Aaron Avellar, predeceased him.
Upon his request his family will hold a private memorial service. His family asks that those who would like to can take a moment to recount his love for life at the shore or another quiet place. Donations may be made to: St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105 or Shriner’s for Children, Shriner’s International Headquarters, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.
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Marianne Ward, 46
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Nov 6th, 2008