SPARS & SPARRING

These stories often come to me out of the darkest darkness, late at night, on watch, when the sound of the unseen sea can be either unpredictably raucous or quietly hypnotic, when the motion of the vessel can either rock you gently to sleep or jolt you awake, adrenaline flowing. I couldn’t possibly hit all the right keys under the latter conditions, so the ideas are jotted down to be expanded upon later, as the sun rises and hot, sweet coffee fills my veins. Living on the water makes the words, the lessons, the experiences, inexplicably flow from fingers to keyboard.

I live aboard Steadfast, a 56’ Classic Wooden Sailing Yacht. You don’t have to be a Sailor to follow along on our passages or to appreciate the passages I’ll write about them; I’m not sure I’m a true Sailor, yet. After four years, I learn something every day; my respect grows and my passion multiplies; the more I learn, the more I see. If you are a Sailor, you know the power of nature and you’ll truly understand my awe. The more I know the more I want to know; the waters we travel upon are both powerful and mysterious.

Mother Nature is unpredictable and in charge of my life. Absolutely. She confronts, comforts and confounds with sometimes wonderful, sometimes untenable, circumstances. Every day, without fail, we watch, listen, learn, protect, adjust, imagine and plan for  the next challenge. Some days we sail in gentle breezes atop calm waters and soak up her essential sunshine, peering through the depths at starfish and dolphins. Other days those waters are opaque, threatening and dangerous, showing no one what secrets lie beneath the surface.

We, (Steadfast, the Captain, and I), are constantly Sparring with Mother Nature. Every storm, every passage, every anchorage, every lobster that evades us, every fish that feeds us, every barnacle that adheres itself to our hull with more strength than any other bond on earth. We practice surviving and thriving under her conditions by following her rules, which take a lifetime to learn. We use opposing forces, and struggle to remain in control. We defend our decisions or turn back, knowing we have lost that particular round. We most certainly do not always prevail against Mother Nature’s jousting. Even on peaceful days, we are forever wary of her next move, and even sunshine burns if you get too much.

Webster says to spar(n) is “to practice, to oppose, to strike, to struggle.” Wikipedia defines sparring(v) as “making the motions of attack and defense.” Interestingly, all of the masts and booms on sailing vessels are called spars; the double entendre is enticing. We are Sparring With Mother Nature, and spars are essential components of Steadfast; they hold up her sails and rigging, maintaining safety and propulsion as desired.

SPARS are the strongest and most essential part of any sailing rig. SPARRING is what we do to ensure we can face Mother Nature's challenges. Here, Steve repairs the anemometer on the top of the Mizzen Mast.

I will do my very best to explain, convey and share with you the somewhat mysterious and misunderstood intricacies of living aboard a boat. If you already do that, I would love your participation, contribution and support. Ideas for stories or topics of interest? Please send them along! Living aboard a ninety-year-old wooden vessel adds its own set of challenges; our home and ourselves are constantly exposed to, and need to be protected from, some of the most difficult and damaging elements on earth; water, salt, sunshine, squalls and wind.

One of the first pieces I ever wrote, entitled simply ‘Dark Dark’, tells of the intimidating, nearly indescribable feeling that overcomes you when you are sailing forward but cannot determine the difference between night sky and black water; you cannot see what may or may not be out there, you cannot see the horizon line. I am excited to share that one with you soon, along with all the other lessons I’m learning, and the respect I’m building for the waters of this planet and everything that lives within them and depends upon them. I would be honored if you would join me as Steadfast and I, with the essential guidance of my husband Steve, continue Sparring with Mother Nature.

Once you subscribe, future editions will be sent directly to your email a few times each month with random regularity. Some of my inspiration is quick and compulsive, and some of these ideas build and build until they pound inside my head and I simply have to put them into print. People have requested that I share my work, and this no-ad format is the culmination of that decision.

Welcome aboard Steadfast!

To quote Casablanca, my favorite movie ever,

“This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”