Ricardo Lima Barros

Captain Ricardo Lima Barros was born in Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde Islands on October 23, 1914. He began his seafaring career aboard the training vessel Nosassa Senhora Areias which was commanded by a Portuguese captain. He used his training in the African country of Senegal where he ran tugboats in Dakar in 1952.

In 1954, he made his first passage as commander of the Schooner Ernestina. The ship departed Porto Grande in the city of Mindelo on Sao Vicente Island in Cape Verde on July 6, 1954 and arrived in Providence, RI at the Colonial Line Dock on August 13, 1954. This was a 38-day voyage with 16 crew and three passengers aboard. Upon arriving to the US, he married his wife, Dominga "Minnie" Barros.

Captain Barros returned to Cape Verde in command of the Schooner Ernestina on a second voyage leaving Providence, RI November 9, 1954 and arrived in Mindelo, Cape Verde December 14, 1954. This voyage was 34 days in length with 16 crew and four passengers aboard.

In 1955, he emigrated from Cape Verde to the United States by plane. Once here, he and Minnie settled in Taunton, Massachusetts, where he worked at New England Brass. Together they had five children.

In 1959, Ricardo's brother, Jeronimo, joined him in the US and together they received seaman's papers from the US Coast Guard and began working for Exxon. Ricardo's career with Exxon lasted from 1962 through 1973.

Ricardo's final trip home to Cape Verde was in 1977. He returned to the islands to visit his mother. Unfortunately, he suffered a heart attack during the trip and died on March 6, 1977 at the age of 62.