Cold And Wet And Perfect

So there I was...pounding through the large waves and torrential rain on Eventide with Kim several years ago heading for Watch Hill, RI.  You know you should probably reevaluate your decision to go when there is absolutely nobody else on the water.  I replayed this scene in my head when my good friend John reminded me of that day while talking on the phone yesterday.  He and his wife Jan had sailed their boat over the day before, in much better conditions, to attend a party on shore then spent the night anchored off Watch Hill.  Thinking that no sane person would come over to meet them as planned in these conditions they were surprised to find us on our way.  After anchoring we donned our foul weather gear and boarded their dingy for the very cold wet trip into town where a breakfast place awaited with just out of the oven popovers, hot drinks and other warm-you-to-the-core edibles.  After thawing out we hiked out to the lighthouse having as much fun as a little kid splashing in a puddle as the rain continued to fall.  Heading back out to the boat Kim made hot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for all of us.  Best I ever had.  We took a picture of John and Jan in their dingy as they were preparing to leave our boat that cold rainy day and they looked more than happy to be playing this game with us.  George Washington once wrote, "Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."  We call each other friends.  We've earned it.

Neighbors And Family

So there I was...walking through the backyard the other day working on one of the endless projects I had invented (Kim's words) when one of my neighbors called to me from her backyard.  As we stood talking at the fence another of my property-line neighbors joined us and our conversation about a variety of subjects went on for quite awhile.  Kim and I have had similar encounters with our other neighbors on each side of us. Neighbors down the street will often stop while driving by and chat if they see us out front.  In all the places I've lived the communal hospitality has never equaled what I've found here in Irondequoit.  As I was contemplating our good fortune in where we landed real-estate-wise it led me to think about my genetic neighbors, i.e. family.  Like most families, life has fed us many wonderful times and our fair share of trials and heartache.  We all have to walk that road but how we choose to react to those around us is what makes all the difference.  I have watched siblings tear their histories to shreds over trivial or monetary considerations loosing years of precious memories in the process.  One sided agendas ruling the day instead of humility and wanting the best for those we should love the most.  It is sad and it is commonplace.  I feel blessed to have a family and extended family that loves and cares for each other not just in word but in action.  Through some very difficult times we have stayed close and leaned on each other heavily with an attitude of giving more than we get.  During this Thanksgiving holiday, when we spend time with family more than usual, I hope we can fully appreciate each member and the unique characteristics God has given them.  Neighbors, too.

Change

So there I was...watching the 60 mph wind gusts bend the trees and put the leaves to flight last Friday from the front window of my home.  Walking to the kitchen to look at the backyard something seemed amiss.  A huge tree that sat at the intersection of the backyard corner of four houses, one of them being mine, had fallen into the neighbor's yard directly behind me narrowly missing his garage.  Not knowing for sure who owned the tree we decided whoever's yard it fell into was the owner.  Why I'm telling you this story is because I really loved having that tree there.  It created a great backdrop to our yard and Kim and I just got that corner all cleaned up to where it finally had a nice finished look.  Things in life are rarely perfect and if they are they're not usually for long.  When on the boat this doesn't effect me much as constant change is inevitable out there so I expect it.  On land I count on things being a bit more stable but life is not a stable venue.  We need to stay flexible and ready to bend to the winds of change.  While doing that, we need to grow our roots deep through God, family and friends so we can weather the storms and changes.  Finally, we need to lighten up and laugh more.  There are times for serious introspection and sorrow but after giving it due consideration let the smile return, realizing with change comes growth.  This life really is quite an adventure.

Boat Freedom

So there I was...motoring up to Bluff Island in the Thousand Island chain this past August in the dingy.  I had heard that there was this amazing boutique and curiosity shop in a quaint building on the small island and it did not disappoint.  I knew Kim would love this place so we took the dingy one morning from where Eventide was anchored in the cove of a neighboring island.  What made this business, called Boateak, extra special was that it could only be reached by boat.  When arriving you didn't look for a parking space but rather a place at their dock to tie up.  Same thing was true when Kim and I visited Heart Island, from an earlier blog, a day or two later.  Coming to the dock in our own vessel to tour this wonder was a big part of the experience.  This way of doing things started for me when I was just a young boy growing up on a lake in southern Massachusetts.  My family had a little aluminum boat with a 5 1/2 hp Evinrude motor on it and this was my floating freedom.  The general store on the other side of the lake could be reached by boat and my parents were always sending me there to buy milk or bread.  We had a place called The Nook with it's own dock for pizza pickup and a marina that I was always navigating to because it sold my favorite candy.  Visiting my friends meant jumping in the boat and motoring to their cottages in various locations around the lake.  It was like the feeling a teenager gets when they earn their driver's license and with it the realm of possibilities.  On the lake, this was happening for me at 10 years old.  It is no wonder I feel so free when I'm on the water.  It has been ingrained in me from an early age.  If I could have gone to work everyday by boat I may not have retired.

Be Aware

So there I was...laying in bed this morning listening to the wind increasing outside.  I wondered if it had changed direction in the night and if that had swung the boat around putting it dangerously close to the nearby rocks just south of me or the nearby anchored boat just to the north of me.  Either could cause major damage so I needed to force myself from under the covers to check the situation.  As I gathered my wits about me I realized that I was in my house, not my boat, and it really didn't matter which way the wind was blowing.  Relieved and disappointed all at the same time I got up to look out the window for no particular reason.  No rocks.  No boats.  Just squirrels running around the back yard.  Well, that was a waste of adrenaline.  Don't get me wrong, it's nice to feel safe but try as I may I don't remember all the safe times in my life.  On the other hand, the heart pumping, goose bumping, throat lumping, nerve jumping times are etched in my memory.  When living on the boat I anchored almost everywhere I stopped for the night so the winds, bad weather, tides, rocks and other boats were a constant concern.  Vigilance was a necessity.  It may not sound like something you'd wish for but it connected me to my surroundings creating  a sensitivity to the subtle nuances of my environment.  It made me aware.  When you're aware, you not only notice but also appreciate the little things in life that make every day special.  I hope I don't lose that sensitivity now that I'm off the water.  Today, whatever it brings, is too important to miss.

Best Part Of The Trip

So there I was...touching base with several of my friends and family back in Connecticut and Massachusetts making for a very busy few days before I returned to New York.  The one thing that almost everyone asked was what my favorite part of the trip was.  There were so many amazing places and events I got to experience that it was very hard to zero in on one.  Since I've been off the water I've given this more consideration and I think I've come up with an answer.  My favorite thing was waking up in the morning to the easy lapping of waves against the hull of the boat and looking out the windows to calm waters often as the sun was rising in the east.  Making a pot of coffee I would sit and read the Bible for a bit and put myself in God's hands for the day.  Then I would decide what I would like to do that day.  Sometimes I would read for hours.  Sometimes I would dingy into shore and hike to some destination.  Sometimes I would swim multiple times during the day.  Sometimes I would decide it was time to raise anchor and get under way to the next port.  The point is, after so many years of rigid schedules and obligations that I did my best to comply with, I was able to create my own schedule without having to satisfy anyone else's agenda.  There are times when a person can get away with that for a day or two but this summer offered me many weeks of this lifestyle.  I had never ever felt the freedom that was afforded me during this trip.  It had the effect of catching ones breath and hopefully has helped me to see life with more clarity.  Places and events make for great memories and stories but the things that effect your heart and soul are the best part of the trip.

Back Where I Started

So there I was...pulling into Hamburg Cove on the Connecticut River one of the most beautiful coves in the area with high hills all around that creates a feeling of serenity while producing calm waters most of the time.  I went to pirate a mooring(to use someones mooring while they're not using it).  Leaving the helm I quickly moved to the bow with my boat hook as the boat drifted forward in neutral but the mooring pick up ball floated under the boat and snagged itself on the propeller and shaft area.  I hadn't planned on taking a swim that day but when on the water things like this happen all the time and being prepared is what it's all about.  Five minutes later I was drying off and putting snorkle mask and underwater flashlight away with everything hooked up as it should be.  A day later my friends John and Jan brought a very tasty dinner out to the boat and we sat in the cockpit watching the night fall on this harbor as we had done together so many times before in previous years.  It was good to be back with old friends.  Early Monday morning I slipped the mooring and headed up the Connecticut River into a thick fog that didn't lift until I was almost to my destination in Portland, CT so I never saw anything along the way but there was an erie stillness about it all that made the trip eventful nontheless.  Arriving at the boatyard, Eventide was pulled from the water and now sits on dry land.  A sad day.  Got to visit with so many friends since I got in and it's made me realize how much I missed them all since Kim and I left Connecticut.  True friendships are not found, they're built with years of shared experiences, some easy and some hard.  If you build them well, they'll last for a lifetime.  I'm looking forward to seeing my best friend in a couple days.  See you then, Kim.