"At dry dock" by jelw

Though the helm should be shared there can never be more than one Captain aboard.
My father, my captain, the man that taught us what love of travel truly is.
Howard Lenzer raconteur, renaissance man and world traveler most certainly is missed.
I wish I could do justice to him here but that can never happen. So I shall from time to time share a story of his here or on these pages.

True Story #993
A Journey of a Thousand Leagues Starts with a Thumb

The owner of the restaurant says to me
"How did he get here?"
He hitched I answer.
"and he didn't tell you he was coming?"
No
"hitched all the way from New Hope, Pa?"
Yup
"On labor Day?"
Yup
"By himself?"
Yes
"WHY?"
...so I take a deep breath and look at my 72 year old Dad. He sits in his wheelchair in the parking lot, his face lifted scouting the winds. Smelling the salt air that does not exist in Pennsylvania. As I collect my thoughts my father sticks out his thumb at the first passing car...
his journey has just begun I reply.

Many years of sailing on the sloop Shantih. She is a wooden Rhodes design sloop. 42 foot of beautiful lines and grace!
Sailing her was the passion my father passed on to me.

One of the lovely things about sailing is that it can be either a solitary or social activity. No one person should ever have to do all the work. Share the helm and the winch and you'll be ready for anything.

Here is my Popi Antonio taking his turn at the helm.

When the captain has pulled into safe harbor it is time to go ashore.
To a shoal for playtime or town for provisions, all aboard who are going ashore.

For those "who want to go boat sailing" go to the out-islands of the Bahamas.

"Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue to exist, a wonderful living side by side can grow up, if they succeed in loving the distance between them."

Rainer Maria Rilke