I first met Gary many years ago on McCorrie Beach, the beach just a minutes from my house.  Gary was paddling a red sea kayak and I was just coming in from a paddle.  We struck up a conversation about boats, paddling and training.  Gary was very enthusiastic about just starting to kayak.  I encouraged him to take lesson from the local kayak shop which he did.  I later gave him a couple of impromptu lessons when I would see him at the beach.  He stopped by my house on several occasions just to talk about boats.  I would also see him at the Brick Alley Pub, a landmark restaurant in Newport where he was the chief Chef for over 15 years.   As the years past, I would see Gary fishing from his kayak.  As the below article points out, Gary “loved to fish”.   

I will miss seeing Gary ever summer at the beach.  It is tragic how he died.  I just shake my head knowing that early one morning while fishing from the shore off Sachuest Point, a wave caught him and  he was swepted in the ocean, very sad.   

 http://portsmouth.patch.com/articles/deceased-portsmouth-fisherman-remembered-as-loving-father-chef

Gary Mathias