These are stories about sailing with my father and friends in the past.
Dave didn’t believe in what’s now called micro-managing. Whether you were an experienced sailor or not, he treated everyone the same. If he needed something done, he’d give instructions to whoever was standing nearest. Some of the fair-weather types learned to sit out of sight…
When I was on the vessel, we went through some severe storms. It was exhilarating and frightening in equal measure. At times, it felt like a rollercoaster, thrilling in its intensity, almost fun in its wildness. At other times, after nights of little sleep, it…
For many years, my parents had two boats. One, Tiempo, was an Amel Mango, which we sailed at different times all over on both sides of the Atlantic. We went from the Outer Hebrides down the European coast and over to Grenada, where my parents…
A little while ago, I was talking to my sister Kim about the trip she took with her son and two granddaughters on her sailboat. She lives on the boat, so her grandkids had already visited her many times, running around the deck for an…
We were sitting on the boat at the dock one day when two sailboats came into the yacht club at the same time. The first had a captain and four crew members, all dressed in matching T-shirts, looking very sharp. A strong crosswind was blowing,…
This is one of Dave's lessons that is difficult to put into words. Some of it has to do with Dave’s casual way of making people feel at ease in his company, no matter where they came from or what walk of life they followed.
From the cold, grey stretch of northern Arctic water outside my porthole, my mind drifts to a very different place. Across from Prickly Bay, Grenada, there is Hog Island. It is an outcrop of rocks and bush with a scraggle of trees. On its south…
On the bridge there is a small coffee corner: a cupboard, a sink, the coffee machine and a stand-alone water dispenser perched beside them. It looks ordinary enough until you notice what is wedged tightly in the gap. A large roll of tape. Its sole…
To a child living on a sailing boat with siblings and parents, a dinghy is a magical thing. Even when it's tied up to the boat, it was my favourite place to escape to, with a good book, a pillow for cushioning, and a wide-brimmed…
In a regatta, speed depends on how well you keep the sails trimmed. When tacking, it’s critical to shift direction quickly and get the sails set without delay. Even during a quiet afternoon sail, Dave paid close attention. He made sure the sails were filled…
When I was provisioning for longer stretches at sea, I had a simple formula for two-tin and three-tin meals. Any pasta dish qualified as a two-tin meal: fresh vegetables added to tinned tomatoes and mushrooms. Chilli sin carne was a solid three-tin option, i.e. baked…
When I left my secure job at Siemens to take a year off and sail, many of my friends in Germany worried I was making a mistake. Some said so outright, others hinted at it in kinder ways. I knew it came from concern, not…
As children, Dave had his own personal varnishing crew every spring. He'd use a sanding machine to sand off the varnish from the large wooden surfaces on deck and in the cockpit. This was done relatively quickly. The heroes’ work was done by us, using…
There is no better test of character than sailing with strangers. Friendships form just as quickly as tensions flare, and life on board, with its constant demands and cramped quarters, forces people to show who they really are. The weather and watch duties dissolve pretences,…
Life at sea is measured differently here. On this ship, time is divided by engines, schedules, and formal systems. On a small boat, the watches shape the entire rhythm. No hierarchy to enforce the flow. Just the crew, the sea, and the slow passing of…
I spent quite a few hours today up on the bridge, mostly just looking out at the water. There was nothing to see, really. No land in sight. Just a wide, endless sea. And somewhere in that stillness, I realized I was missing Dave. Not…
When teamwork flows, there are moments of absolute bliss. That feeling of unison, when everyone is doing what needs to be done and the whole thing works, is something quite marvellous. Dave had three simple rules for teamwork. First, everyone must know what tasks they…
For all that I praise Dave for his skills as a captain, there was one area of his personality that drove me crazy. It is hard to describe, but he always assumed the boat was ready to sail whenever the winds were fair, regardless of…
One of the ways my father, Dave, used to keep us busy on rainy days on the boat was to hand us each a length of rope and an old book on knots. Going by the decrepit condition of the book, he must have had…
One of the great delights of being on board has already begun to reveal itself: getting to know the crew. I was told, again and again, how diverse the group would be, and it’s true. We come from different countries, languages, and life experiences, but…