Posted by stratman202 (stratman202@…>)
Sadly, I have not had my Freedom for very long, only long enough
to realise that she is an excellent boat. The only reson for parting
with her is because despite her many qualities, my Freedom 21 is not
quite the boat I wish to take off the Horn. Also, benifits of the
sale will be put towards the impending voyage.
I am not building a boat, but rather rebuilding one. The boat I
plan on taking around the world is an Alberg 30 that sadly sustained
damage in the path of Hurrican Katrina. I’m toying with the idea of
turning my voyage into a sort of relief charity for hurricane
victims. There is some work to be done to the hull as she was
partially submerged, but I don’t find this in the least bit
discouraging, afterall, Joshua Slocum’s Spray was revived from the
rotten decay of a wooden fishing hulk.
My voyage will take me singlehanded around the Five Great Capes,
including the infamous Cape Horn, and, God willing, safely home
again to New Orleans. As much of the trip will be spent in the
Roaring Forties, I will probably be sailing East to West, leaving
the Horn for last.
I do not have a website yet, but I will be publishing one soon,
and I shall post the URL as soon as I do. Its the least I could do
for all of the help recieved from the Freedom 21 Group. My garditude
to you all.
I have not read the book you mention, but I will endeavour to do
so, and I must admit the passage posted by Mr. Weaver certainly does
capture sailing in its essence. Let me leave all of you fellow
sailors; a passage which I find to be the very reason for my
hoisting sail, I quote my hero, Joshua Slocum:
“Passing it, she (Spray) squared away direct for Gloucester to
procure there some fishermen’s stores. Waves dancing joyously across
Massachusetts Bay met her coming out of the harbour to dash them
into myriads of sparkling gems that hung about her at every surge.
The day was perfect, the sunlight clear and strong. Every particle
of water thrown into the air became a gem, and the Spray, bounding
ahead, snatched necklace after necklace from the sea, and as often
threw them away. We have all seen miniature rainbows about a ship’s
prow, but the Spray flung out a bow of her own that day, such as I
had never seen before. Her good angel had embarked on the voyage; I
so read it in the sea.”
Although sailing is difficult and at times trying, I would find
it tempting to defy a mighty hurricane, all for moments like those.
I used to try and explain this to my lubber friends or those content
with their speedboats and mega yachts, but now I’ve given up, I
simply wave as they go by, and smile. I wouldnt trade my sails for
all the diesels in the world. You may call me fool hardy or a
hopeless romantic, I simply say, I’m a sailor.
Fair winds to you all,
Brennan Carney