Getting Started

At this stage of life, I think of good coincidences as gifts from God.  When events fall into a better-than-expected sequence, then there is a bit of good news to celebrate.  Sometimes the good news is preceded by not-so-good.  Here’s the story:

As a maker of many lists – even lists of lists sometimes – I found myself hesitant to start into the list-making to open up Azure Wind this year.  We had already paid a little extra to the marina to have the engine rooms cleaned and the inside wiped down.  In any case, the plane ride from New Mexico to St. Thomas was used to catch up on some sleep and a bit of reading.  And…conversation with Marney.  We visited friends for two nights in St. Thomas which was truly a gift.  Then on Saturday morning, we took a ferry and a bus and arrived at the marina around Noon.

We were greeted warmly by some cruising friends who happened to be on the dock, and by an apologetic dock manager (that story in a moment).  It didn’t take long to move two suitcases, one briefcase and one travel bag aboard.  A mental list had developed by then and the first item on it was to turn on the refrigerator/freezer.  The list unfolded, we were pretty tired by the end of the day and hadn’t unpacked our suitcases.  Dinner that evening was an apple – shared.

It dawned on me that making a list sometimes doesn’t help (new insight for old Dave).  When you go into one corner of the boat to address something on the list, you can be distracted by something else you notice, not on the list.  And you think to yourself, Oh my, let me take care of that, it won’t take long (yeah, sure), and then I’ll get back to the rest of the list.  Only the new thing takes longer than you expected, and you return to your list and now the priorities are messed up…because the sun is setting and there are still some things that must be completed before dark.  And well…

You get the idea.  Decently and in order – a couple of the hallmarks of organized religious types, including this Presbyterian.  But there are some days when chaos reigns, distraction abounds, and it makes just as much sense to let it flow the way it’s going to happen. 

I still have to make lists for the sake of an aging memory, but hopefully this old boat is encouraging me to be a little less “anal” about it.  J

Now, back to the apologetic marina manager.  Justin is a wonderful young man, knows his stuff, is willing to do the lowliest job when needed, and listens for ways to help.  We think the marina is better for being in his very capable hands.  He said, “We’ve tried very hard to get everything ready for you.”  He commented about the need to start writing more things down and make a list for each boat (funny!).   Then he added, “But we noticed just the other day that you have a serious problem with one of your shrouds.”

EXPLANATION:  The mast on a sailboat, in most cases, is held in position by a group of cables.  One set goes from each side of the boat to the top of the mast.  Another set goes to the middle of the mast.  One cable (stay) leads from the bow to the top of the mast and supports the front sail.  And then there are smaller cables – shrouds – that form diamond-shaped lines.  One set starts at the bottom of the mast, fans out on a cross bar called a spreader, and ends at the top of the mast.  A small diamond sits inside the larger one, also attached to the spreader.

Black Lines are Stays; Shrouds attached to the spreader;
Other lines holding up the sail bag

Well, the large diamond shroud on the port side had developed a serious problem.  Several of the individual wires in that cable had broken apart.  While the mast was not in danger of coming down, you cannot sail with an about-to-break shroud.  And comments on the dock ranged from “you’ll have to replace ALL the cables (9 lines)” to “at least both diamonds (4 lines).”  And to make things worse, the rigger wasn’t available for several days to inspect and give a bid, and then it would be one to two more days before the work could be completed.

Our shroud problem was very evident and the integrity of that one cable was just about gone.

Waiting on the dock is not fun – not much breeze, hot and sticky, and… the mosquitoes were out in full force.  I woke up one morning to discover about 15 bites in a four-inch square area of my leg.  Figured one of the little buggers was a glutton, or had invited his friends over for a party.  But…

Waiting and worrying about this shroud problem was what we had to do.  Sunday morning we went to church and said hello to several old friends and met the new pastor.  Sunday afternoon we organized and unpacked and tested some of the other systems.  On Monday, some good news started to come our way:  the rigger had a cancellation and by late morning he was on his way to inspect our damage.  Mr. Richardson, “L” or Ellis, has been doing this work for 46 years.  From the deck his experienced eyes focused on the beginning of a bulge on another shroud.  Then he strapped himself into his bosun’s chair and went up the mast.  When he came down, he told us that we would only need to replace the two cables that form the large diamond.  And we should have someone clean the tops of the stays.  They are in good enough condition for now. 

Then came the explanation:  no thing lasts, he said.  This is just normal wear and tear.  Rust is like cancer, it begins on the inside and grows until you see some external sign.  We don’t last either.  And then he started preaching a little.  It doesn’t help to worry about the other cables, you have to trust that God will provide in the moment.  And the connections began to happen.  We told him we attended the Methodist Church up the hill from the marina.  That’s where I preach, he replied.  I’m one of the lay preachers.  You do?  You attend there? Why haven’t I seen you?  Oh, I think you’d notice since we’re the only two white folks on Sundays.  (Last season it was the luck of the draw that we worshipped there on Sundays when he was preaching elsewhere.)  Well, we’re Presbyterian preachers.  I know about Presbyterians a little.  Later I discovered that he was part of the ministry at the island’s one prison.  And I told him I was ordained to be a jail chaplain in Pittsburgh over 40 years ago. 

Well, “L” gave us a bid and said he’d be back later that afternoon with two cables and one line he also needed to replace.  He returned later Monday afternoon and finished the job before Noon on Tuesday.  And only two lines needed replacing – for now!  In less than 72 hours from arriving on Saturday, we were on the water and are now in a favorite anchorage – still doing the cleaning and opening up… without the mosquitoes!

Risk making… connections… coincidences.  “L” is preaching this Sunday at the Methodist Church.  We noticed that name in the bulletin last week but didn’t recognize the name.  We do now, and plan to be back in time to sit in his “Amen” corner this weekend!

"L"