Oh Captain, my Captain

By -

 Your dream of building a yacht and sailing around the world ended too soon.

I take comfort in that the boat building project was completed, the success was the launching in Richards Bay;  the sailing around the notorius South African coast;  the blissful months spent living on our boat in Simons Town and Cape Town;  and the epic adventure of crossing the Atlantic Ocean chasing stars.  Out in the deep blue;  the Captain, first mate, and beautiful Betwixt.

The cancer diagnosis in Salvador, Brazil, was cruel fate.   The treatment was hard.  You have never walked away from a difficult challenge.  We had hope that you would beat this, and we would continue our sail around the world, maybe with more equipment to make sailing easier.  It was a year long battle, and suddenly you were gone.

In the words of WH Auden -

He was my North, my South, my East and West, my working week, and my Sunday rest,  my noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;  I thought that love would last for ever:  I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;  Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;  Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.  For nothing now can ever come to any good.

I have to let Betwixt go.  It is a heartbreaking decision.  Losing you, and losing Betwixt, is unbearable. 











 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Living on a boat in Salvador

By -
Image
 Always wanted to experience big city living.  Life in South Africa was living in the burbs, followed by life on a plot (5 acre agricultural holding) in Johannesburg.  Here we are 8 months in the city of Salvador (where?!) on a 35ft boat on Pier A of Terminau Nautico in the Bay of All Saints.   On Pier A are sailing boats, Brazilian and foreign, staying for a few days, or a few weeks if repairs are needed.  This harbour is where all the action is.  The Brazil navy can be heard all day, whistling and PA addressing their boys in white.  The passenger ferry boats crossing daily to various islands in the Bay of All Saints.  The schooners which do touring cruises to the islands and down the coast, sharing their music as they come and go.  On Pier B are the motor boats, for fishing trips, or booze cruises, or both.  Just around the corner are the big hulking cruise ships, pouring out tourists, and lighting up the night. Salvador is a city...
Read more

Sailing with Family

By -
Image
 The cancer diagnosis is cruel fate.  In a foreign land with a foreign language.  It was a turmoil of decisions, plans made and changed;  daily.  Our sons arrived from Australia and the UK to be supportive.   We moved into an apartment;  this meant more creature comforts but less "home".  Home is our tiny cabin that rocks gently in the sea, surrounded by 360 deg view of blue water and sky, with brilliant sunrises and charming sunsets.  Brazil allows up to 6 month visitor visa.  In order to undergo the treatment plan of chemotherapy, surgery, and more chemotherapy;  we need to extend our visa.  This involves dealing with Brazilian and South African bureaucracy. One step at a time.  Four chemo sessions every two weeks, each chemo is a knock down.  John was determined to take the family sailing as Matthew and Bruce had both left South Africa before the boat was completed.  It all fell into place soon after Chri...
Read more

River Paraguacu Family Adventure

By -
Image
 Our family set off early in the Baia de Todos os Santos heading north to catch the tidal current going into the River Paragaucu.  The river snakes inland through a mixture of tropical vegetation, ochre coloured rocks and mangrove shores.  This is a different Brazil;  no tourism, a few small fishing boats, including  saveiros , the traditional Bahian wooden sailing boat.  The saveiros were sailing, we were motoring. At midday we reached Sao Francisco do Iguape.  The crew made light work of anchoring and pumping up our kayak to go ashore and visit the Convento de Santo Antonio, a beautiful old monastery, now in ruins originally constructed in the Baroque style with a Rococo frontispiece.  About 350 years old.  With two techie sons, it was natural that my drone which was packed away in cobwebs, would be taken out, and sent up to explore the convent grounds.   Then we headed another 5 miles upriver which had depths of as little as 2m....
Read more