Robert Carter (1915-2006) - Fellow
Robert S. CARTER Bob Carter, a noted cruising sailor and traveler, died at his home peacefully on September 17, 2006. He was nearly a month past his 91st birthday. Until his early retirement, Bob worked in New York and Chicago as a marine insurance underwriter with The Atlantic Mutual. General of America Insurance (now Safeco) brought him to Seattle in 1951 to set up and head its then new marine insurance division. For many years Bob and his wife, Cynthia, cruised in their 44 ft ketch, the CYNTHIA R, primarily in the Mediterranean and Europe. Their extensive explorations on the southern coast of Turkey led to their discovery of the ruins a substantial ancient seaport, by then partly submerged. Based on this and other archeological finds, Bob became deeply involved both with the American Institute of Archeology and the history department at the University of Washington. After Bob and Cynthia made their return crossing of the Atlantic in 1980, they sailed for many summers on the coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Bob circumnavigated the North Atlantic, including Cape Verde and the Salvage Islands, in 1991. In 1992 he sailed from Venezuela to Florida and then shipped the boat to Seattle. Bob served as president of the Seattle area Harvard Club and chaired the visiting committee of the history department of the University of Washington. He held offices in the Cruising Club of America and belonged to the Explorers Club and the Ocean Cruising Club. He participated actively in both the Seattle and Corinthian yacht clubs for half a century. Bob described his sailing adventures in his book, SAIL FAR AWAY (1978). In the summer of 2005 he completed and published an English translation of a World War I diary, TAGEBUCH IM KRIEGE, by the German physician and poet, Hans Carossa. He published many articles and essays in a variety of magazines and journals throughout his adult life. He is survived by Cynthia Root Carter, his wife of 68 years, their two children, Lief Carter of Manitou Springs, CO, and Delight Carter Willing of Bainbridge Island, by their grandchildren, Stephen of Brooklyn, NY, Robert of Austin TX, and Laura of Athens, GA, and by their great-granddaughter, Plummy Jean Carter, also of Brooklyn. A private memorial celebration is being planned for later in the year.
