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ABOUT THIS PAINTING
My Mom tells me that when we were babies she would put
us in hammocks (I think used for clothes on sailboats)
on our family boat and off to sea we would go. Mind you,
it was likely just for the weekend but to a baby it
probably seemed like a month-long adventure. I know I
loved it. Right, Mom? There are also family stories of
living in Florida during hurricane season and when
everyone else was packing their cars and hitting the
roads, we were heading down the dock (no running
allowed) where we could board our boat, head to sea, and
be really safe.
Moving on to when I was eight, my family moved to Cannes
(on the French Riviera) and the best way to get there
seemed to be a trans-Atlantic trip aboard the Leonardo da
Vinci cruise liner. During our return trip the weather
turned and we were tossed about in 35ft-high seas with the
wind kicking up to 65 knots. During that storm, the
British freighter Ambassador was sinking and had radioed
the coastguard that the crew was going to abandon ship but
that they did not have any lifeboats available (on the
leeward side). The Leonardo da Vinci was one of six ships
in the vicinity of the sinking ship and changed course to
assist. Because of the high seas, she was unable to get
close enough to the Ambassador; although she continued
with her attempts until the Norwegian vessel Fruen
arrived. After futile rescue attempts, The Ambassador sank
in turbulent waters a thousand miles off the coast of New
York. Thankfully, the crew was rescued.
My memories are not filled with the scary stuff; they are
filled with the blessings of the water and excitement of
it. I lost track of how many boats my family has owned
over the years but I’ve never lost track of my love for
the waves lapping up against the hulls!
Walking this beach along the Oregon coast, I found
solitude and comfort among the giant protective rocks that
jet out along the sandy beaches. Between the rocks and the
sound of the water swooshing onto the beach there is peace
and plenty of room to ponder matters of the heart.
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