In memory of his father, Santa Cruz-native Jeff Canepa began offering free Monterray Bay cruises to former servicemembers on Veterans Day. Canepa's father fought in World War II along 16.1 million other Americans, and when he returned home from service he commissioned a local boat maker to craft the family yacht known as "The Ocean Pearl," as reported by the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Canepa purchased the vessel from the family trust after his father's death in 2012. He told the news source that old friends of his father's would approach him about rides.
"They said, 'You know, Jeff, your dad used to take us out on his boat every Veteran's Day,'" Canepa told the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Canepa got the idea to start a program called Vets on the Bay. He plans to take veterans out on "The Ocean Pearl" every Nov. 11 for a two-hour complimentary bay tour. He hopes his idea will honor his father's service in addition to providing a good deed for other local veterans.
The veterans that participated in the first outing said it was great to see people taking unique approaches to showing their gratitude for servicemembers.