October 6, 2018
My apologies for a blog that is as badly off time as a sea-going timepiece in the 1700’s. My day has not gone as planned, but here I am at last to tell you that I finally got my ride on a sailboat. And it was not just a sailboat, but a replica of a boat from the early 1800’s, most instructive for the purposes of my research.
Did I enjoy the sail?
Well…
First, let me explain that I received the following text two weeks ago:
Just saw this… don’t know if you can tell, but they’ve got historic clothing on. Flag on the boat says Michigan Maritime Museum. Made me think of you. ☺️
The text was from my friend Angie, who you may remember was one of my bridesmaids. She’s from South Carolina so we don’t see each other much. However she was up to visit and I told her about my sailboat writing and how we just missed a sailboat ride in New York.
It turns out that the Friends Good Will is a 1800 replica sailboat that gives rides to the public throughout the summer. Barely believing the good news, I went with Angie for a ride before they closed at the end of September. We went on Monday, and sadly they were not giving rides. However they gave us a tour and answered questions. Later I went back with Marnell for a sunset ride.
Marnell enjoyed the sail. I enjoyed it for about twenty minutes until we were invited below deck. That was the point of no return for my constitution. Despite the precaution of Dramamine, I vomited ungracefully into a gray plastic bucket (which was not from 1810).
On a more pleasant note, Marnell took lots of great video and photos, so I can observe the experience again from the comfort of my stationary living room. The video below is a bit long (16 minutes) so go to 3:30 if you want to watch us set the sail. (This was in the first minutes when I still felt like a human being.)
They are closed for the season, but for those of you who are not in the one-third of humanity who suffer from seasickness, you might want to visit South Haven, Michigan in the spring. The crew is friendly and allows visitors to help with the process of setting sail.
I’m grateful for the experience. I am also deeply indebted to God for allowing me to write Captain Garrison’s story, rather than live in his world!
P.S. Also, Joy, I am grateful for the sailing magazine! I don’t have it yet but my dear mother-in-law told me you left it for me. I owe so much to helpful friends and readers of this blog.
