Sunday, July 24, 2016

Jimmy Buffet gets it

"I wrote a note said be back in a minute,
bought a boat and I sailed off in it, don't think anybody is going to miss me anyway.
Mind on a permanent vacation, the ocean is my only medication, wishing my condition wont ever go away."

Let me elaborate on my previous blog post where I described sailing as an addiction. My mother "carol" recently commented on how hard it seems out here at sea. And indeed, traveling in a small slow sailboat across the biggest ocean on the planet is not for everyone. BUT, for those of you out there reading this blog (ed lynt...) and others, can attest to the absolute thrill of it all. Why else would the sea call to so many generations of writers and poets and adventurers? I myself do find it taxing, both physically and emotionally, but the rewards far out weigh the hardships. At sea your world is shrunken into basic survival. The rigors of the deck watch routine keep a pace at sea that makes sense out of an otherwise chaotic situation. The constant sea state change and wind shifts make the "work" of sailing interesting and passes the hours. You literally sit for hours and hours and watch the sea birds and waves. Passing the time talking to your crew mates about philosophy, conspiracy theories and your favorite Seinfeld episode.. The clouds offer their own set of entertainment. And I cant go on enough about the night sky. If all of you who are suspect of this obsession, I can promise you, that one starry night sky as the boat rocks back and forth sailing into the darkness, with no sound except the wind and the wake of the boat would make you a convert.
And then there is the simple pact that sailors have between each other. We are a boat full of strangers who just met to make this trip, but lifelong friendships have been made. The comraderie that exists between sailors is a bond that can only be understood standing in a yacht club bar after a long passage has been made and the fleet all safely at port. Shadowside hopes to be at the bar soon enough. Our landfall is expected to be early tuesday morning.

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11 comments:

  1. You put that so beautifully...and, yet, maybe if I could be dropped on board for one of those magnificent nights...but alas, I guess we aren't all cut out for life at sea on a sailboat. However, I am glad that you 4 are! What a trip! - Burke

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  2. You guys are finishing strong. Enjoy your last hours on the Pacific.

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  3. I can't believe you're almost there! Holy cow. Sorry we have been out of touch. Three of us came down with a nasty virus called hand-foot-mouth disease (I feel like cattle), Andy is so-far spared but I'm betting he won't escape unscathed. Add to that my first week on the job and the CPUC delivered a crazy-ass huge proposed decision that we had to react to, and I'm completely exhausted. I'm at OAK heading to San Diego tonight to meet us with the other utilities and negotiate positions, it's going to be a long week. I'll be on San Diego cheering you on when you arrive!! You've always been safe, so I never doubted that you'd do everything in your control to stay safe, and I'm happy to hear your sailing has been uneventful. So weird that you're all the way out there, I can't wait to hear if you ever saw anything alive. Besides your crew mates. I love you and miss you. Send me a note when you hit land. xoxo.

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  4. There are cowboy poets and sailor poets -that's where the lore comes from , mark and I send our aloha from BYC on your achievement of life's lessons shared and learned !

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  5. There are cowboy poets and sailor poets -that's where the lore comes from , mark and I send our aloha from BYC on your achievement of life's lessons shared and learned !

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  6. Steinbeck could not have written a better description of the allure of sailing
    Don Van

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  7. Amazing to think I was dining with Kathy just two weeks before you departed and now the same amount of time has passed and you're nearly to Hawaii! Oh, how I would so much rather be in Hawaii than my office right now. Sun and warm weather has returned to the East Bay. It was REALLY hot this week-end! On Friday I went out to ACSC to see what exactly this addiction is about. And what I saw were tons of little things that looked to me like bath tubs with sails floating out in the Bay. And kids just having a blast as they worked their way slowly, slowly, slowly to try to get out past the USS Hornet. So if you think it takes a long time to get to Hawaii, imagine being in a bath tub trying to get from shore past the Hornet. Too long for this mom to stick around and see if they made it (kids claimed they did, no referees to verify).
    Otherwise the Pokemon Go craze continues in the world...people have fallen off cliffs and gotten stuck in trees chasing these cartoonish figures I cannot pronounce....and soon as you're drinking your mai tais you'll see zombies and go "oh, that's what that blog commenter was talking about." Enjoy your last day at sea, best of luck with your sea legs and have fun in Hawaii. Sincerely, Jennifer S.

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  8. From the other 'Carol' - Last Day! Take Great photos. Pegs just realized what is going on. Maxwells are a little late to the game. Been answering crazy text messages from her all morning!

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  9. It is easy for the less-unaffected to see addiction, where Passion is at play. The adventure of a lifetime requires that passion, and the understanding that just because something is difficult or dangerous doesn't mean it is any less worthwhile. Your exciting voyage resonates with many who are in love with the sea, and travel with you "in spirit". Sail on!

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  10. Wow, 15 hours or so to go. Amazing job. Enjoy your last evening of endless stars. Look forward to talking with you Kathy.

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  11. Home stretch. Need a crew member for next adventure? Enjoyed your blog. Peaceful. Poetic. Stars. Ethereal.

    Wayne

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