Monday, June 11, 2007

Arriving in Savannah


We had a smooth sail into Port Savannah with flat seas. The dolphins were surfacing and surfing the bow wake on the ride from the sea buoy into the Savannah River. It was a beautiful morning. After packing up and loading the container with the yellow submarine and all of its accessories onto a flat bed truck at the port authority, the ship moved to River Street. This is the heart of the tourist district in old Savannah. Lots of restaurants and bars. Open containers are allowed here, very much like New Orleans where you can just stroll with a beer or glass of wine.

The port calls are a free for all with the crew and scientists. Every one bails off the ship and heads to the nearest bar. I hung out on board ship with my friend D. who had the 4 to midnight watch. We talked about the rifts between the officers and the crew. We talked about the amount of drinking that happens in port. We talked about a lot of things over those several hours. It was good to have his ear again while we attempted to solve a lot of problems.

I know that this has been a more spiritually challenging trip for me. For one thing, there wasn't as much for me to do. Second, there was a lot of negativism among the crew on this trip. It's the type of negativism that makes cynical embittered old men. I sincerely hope that D makes a decision that will prevent him from becoming that way.

I was pleased that I kept my mouth shut during these discussions. I didn't have a dog in the fight so it was best for me to just listen and be a sounding board. I'm learning that it's best not to meddle in the affairs of others. If someone has a boundary that they let you know about, it's best to respect them and not try to take care or solve any of their problems.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Syd,

    Stopping by to say hello.

    How wonderful to choose conversation, connecting with someone versus hanging out in a bar. Seems like you got lots out of this little but big experience.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, I used to get caught up in all that...glad to be just a listener today too. Gosh I would love to see those dolphins.

    ReplyDelete
  3. On a recent trip to Pompano Beach with some friends, we went Parasailing, and we were lucky enough to see a pair of dolphins frockling about from about 60 feet above. It was exciting to see. The boat captain told us we were lucky to see them, as dolphin sightings had become rare there due to the high boat traffic and the proximity to Ft. Lauderdale Beach. It was really cool.

    Its hard to be a good listener, I envy you and your srtegnth.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am really working on keeping my mouth shut. It is so much better that way.
    Thanks for another great post.
    Peace and Love,
    Scout

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think. I like reading what you have to say.