Thursday, May 22, 2008

Boating withdrawal


I'm finally getting my sailboat back today. I've been really missing her and the time spent going out. She'll be coming back with new paint on the hull and bottom and a few other minor things done. I started realizing the "withdrawal" symptoms when I was down at the marina on Sunday and walked past her empty slip.

Compass Rose is a getaway place for me. And I didn't realize how much I enjoy having that time to read, write in my journal, explore places only reachable by boat, and just relax. I don't think that there is a better feeling than being rocked to sleep on the water. Well, maybe a few other feelings are just as good, but you get my drift.

Seeing the photo of Ted Kennedy and his wife sailing on their boat after being discharged from the hospital says a lot to me about how being on the water is healing. Even when the body is hurt, the soul finds comfort in nature.

I've been in a meeting all this week about fish stocks. It's a data workshop so basically we sit around and go over data sets, try to determine what data to use in models and whether those data are defendable for the assessment. These intense meetings remind me that it's nice to have a life outside of science. And the boat is tied to that life.

Hoping that you are enjoying your Thursday.

11 comments:

  1. How wonderful to have a place of refuge that is so healing. Thank you for sharing about Ted Kennedy and his wife sailing. I did not know that and it makes me feel that they are handling the shock of his diagnosis very well. I am from Massachusetts and have followed his career over the years, warts and all. It is sad that one family should have so many tragedies.

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  2. I know what you mean about the sailboat on the water being a refuge. I used to love sleeping in my dad's Columbia when I was a kid. There indeed is something about the gentle rocking and hearing the water against the hull. I've also been doing something similar to you this week in looking at tons of forest stand data with a forester colleague to try and figure out what to do to enhance RCW habitat. A sail would be nice over this holiday weekend. Have a good one.

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  3. I believe that being on the water, by the water, in the water is very healing. Enjoy your time on the Compass Rose.

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  4. you enjoy your boat when she's back. and you've got a nice long weekend to do it too??? enjoy!

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  5. Enjoy your weekend Syd!
    How wonderful that you have found such a soothing place for your spirit.

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  6. I gotta admit the few times Ive been on a boat I have enjoyed it, I once paid about £25 for a ride on a powerful speedbought at Bridlington and that was fantastic, the power was unbelievable.
    I have always had PCs running Bill Gates Windows and before that DOS, do you remember that one.
    I thought Id try Linux for a change on one of my older PCs I use to experiment on, it seems ok so far, everyone said it was complicated.
    A Mac, well I have never tried one of them, I hear they are whats used by high level designers and photo software.
    I would be able to design even better insults for my mate oswald

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  7. You got it all Syd-dark,soulful eyes & a sweet,sensitive nature.
    Enjoy!

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  8. ..even a boat whisperer has to be away from his boat once in awhile...lol

    who is that in the picture?

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