In Perfect Rythm (20" x 16" dry pastel) sold
And I said to the Sea, so see, I do love thee.
And she said back to me, Yes, Sand, I see.
And, I love thee.
Love,
The Sea.
-sandy
My Mom tells me that when we were babies she would put us in hammocks (I think used for clothes on sailboats) on our family boat and off to sea we would go. Mind you, it was likely just for the weekend but to a baby it probably seemed like a month-long adventure. I know I loved it. Right, Mom? There are also family stories of living in Florida during hurricane season and when everyone else was packing their cars and hitting the roads, we were heading down the dock (no running allowed) where we could board our boat, head to sea, and be really safe.
Moving on to when I was eight, my family moved to Cannes (on the French Riviera) and the best way to get there seemed to be a trans-Atlantic trip aboard the Leonardo da Vinci cruise liner. During our return trip the weather turned and we were tossed about in 35ft-high seas with the wind kicking up to 65 knots. During that storm, the British freighter Ambassador was sinking and had radioed the coastguard that the crew was going to abandon ship but that they did not have any lifeboats available (on the leeward side). The Leonardo da Vinci was one of six ships in the vicinity of the sinking ship and changed course to assist. Because of the high seas, she was unable to get close enough to the Ambassador; although she continued with her attempts until the Norwegian vessel Fruen arrived. After futile rescue attempts, The Ambassador sank in turbulent waters a thousand miles off the coast of New York. Thankfully, the crew was rescued.
My memories are not filled with the scary stuff; they are filled with the blessings of the water and excitement of it. I lost track of how many boats my family has owned over the years but I’ve never lost track of my love for the waves lapping up against the hulls!
