Tuesday, September 2, 2008

September 18, 1953


Dr. Holcomb’s Journal #1

"The end of our month long preparations came on September 18, 1953. We were all excited and anxious to get up and be gone. I awakened at about 5:00 AM. We cleaned up the dock as best we could and we shoved off from the Oakland Yacht Club at 5:35 AM under motor."

So it begins.

I resolve to transcribe my grandfather's journal as I embark on my own journey from the sands of Ayala Cove into the unknown.

Last Saturday, I added yet another day of learning to my life experience. I chartered the C&C 110 from OCSC and went sailing with friends of all sizes and shapes and ages. The focus of the day was to share my love of the water and sailing with some young friends, not much older than I was when I first enjoyed Ayala Cove from the deck of a sailing ship.

Their mother surprised me with a hat.

"Bright Red to match your sailing gear" she quipped as I reached down from my stance on board Xpression, "X" as she's known on the paperwork.

Anne handed the ball cap up to me, and my slack jawed expression.

She had no way of knowing that I had (up until August 30th, 2008 anyway) managed to avoid the title of 'Captain' or . . . 'Skipper'.

How could I refuse? How could I explain?

One of 'Skipper's' favorite expressions was:

"Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt"

Not far removed from it was:

"Children should be seen and not heard"

Simply put, I've never even attempted to step into the shoes of the man that introduced me to the love of wind and water.

To be labeled 'Captain' is uncomfortably close.

Anne looked up to me and the joy on her face was as bright as the sun.

"See what I put on it?"

The embroidered artwork depicted a sloop with spinnaker set, and the legend:

Captain John

and so it begins . . .


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