Destiny

In honor of our friend Brian Cleverly, I will post a few lines from a poem a long departed friend, Billy Jordan, wrote in 1938, the year of my birth. "Destiny" I want to die with my boots on While my sails are all unfurled To stand at the prow and face the sun With my back to a troubled world And face the wind when it's blowing To look far out oe'r the sea And to Captain to the end Of my ship - - I call "Destiny" William H. Jordan . . .1938 I have lost several friends lately and recently a close friend has been diagnosed with uncurable cancer. This, plus my disabilities have caused me to give my Cal 25 back to Janet and now the decision I must make to sell Satori our Cal Cruising 46 that we will have had 30 years on March 17, 2012 weigh heavily. I have always led an active life, worked in a dangerous profession, sailed, raced, rode bicycles long distances, fished, dived, etc. and survived. Now that I have been seriously and irreversibly damaged by some incompetent health care alpha hotels and can no longer pursue my interests... What? Reminds me of parts of a Jimmy Buffet song, "I want to go surfing in a hurricane..." Our best wishes to the friends and family of Captain Brian Cleverly of his ship, "Destiny" Tom Vandiver, Bayou Chico

On 11/8/2011 5:41 AM, Tom Vandiver wrote: > > "Destiny" > I want to die with my boots on > While my sails are all unfurled > To stand at the prow and face the sun > With my back to a troubled world > And face the wind when it's blowing > To look far out oe'r the sea > And to Captain to the end > Of my ship - - I call "Destiny" > William H. Jordan . . .1938 > I have always led an active life, worked in a dangerous profession, > sailed, raced, rode bicycles long distances, fished, dived, etc. and > survived. Now that I have been seriously and irreversibly damaged by > some incompetent health care alpha hotels and can no longer pursue my > interests... What? Nice poem, Tom, because it captures what most of us sailors think. We tend to be an independent bunch. As to your maladies, we lack the ability to change the past, so we have to deal with the future. From your earlier posts, I understand that your disabilities involve balance issues that make it hard for you to be actively engaged on deck. One option might be to find younger potential or lesser-skilled sailors who would enjoy sailing a big boat (yours counts as big to a Cal 20 owner). The deal: they handle the boat; you get to sit in the cockpit and provide instruction in boat handling, seamanship, the sailor's skills. Yeah, it's harrowing to let others maneuver the vessel and do dumb things, but your presence and advise would tend to diminish the dumb things. It's the classic trade: youth & energy strikes a deal with age & wisdom. Maybe you can look around and find a pool of agile younger folks who would enjoy that exchange. I'm not much younger but I'd leap at the opportunity if I were in your neighborhood. Chris Campbell >

Well said, Tom! A tragedy for sure, but, like most on this list, I would prefer going while facing adventure and an undertaking than while bedridden with malady. I think Chris's idea of undertaking the instruction of younger sailors while enjoying their sailing would be a fine alternative to selling your boat. I am certain that Pensacola Yacht Club could send you some juniors and perhaps their seniors as well to spend some days on the water with you. Best of luck to you and thank you for the poem in honor of Brian. I am certain that I will benefit from the lessons he passed on to others on this list. Don Dutton, 1986 Cal 33-2, "Quantum Evolution" From: "Tom Vandiver" <bs… [at] yahoo.com> To: "Cal List" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 8, 2011 2:41:37 AM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Destiny In honor of our friend Brian Cleverly, I will post a few lines from a poem a long departed friend, Billy Jordan, wrote in 1938, the year of my birth. "Destiny" I want to die with my boots on While my sails are all unfurled To stand at the prow and face the sun With my back to a troubled world And face the wind when it's blowing To look far out oe'r the sea And to Captain to the end Of my ship - - I call "Destiny" William H. Jordan . . .1938 I have lost several friends lately and recently a close friend has been diagnosed with uncurable cancer. This, plus my disabilities have caused me to give my Cal 25 back to Janet and now the decision I must make to sell Satori our Cal Cruising 46 that we will have had 30 years on March 17, 2012 weigh heavily.