Shemali Blue: Thailand to the Isle of Man
Around this time of year, in 1997, I had the good fortune to meet a very young British sailor named Eleanor. When she boldy tapped on the hull and called "hello", I was coated in diesel and very hot. She, on the other hand, stood gracefully sweeping her hair back over the shoulder of her neat dress. With an unabashed pride, she announced that she was from "Shemali Blue", and pointed out her Grandmother, mom and dear father who had just tied up a few slips away. Later that evening, I ventured down the dock to say hello to the rest of her family and before I knew it we were toasting our new friendship and diving into talk of Madagascar. They'd started their voyage from Dar Salaam, Tanzania and had come east across the Indian Ocean to Thailand. We would be on similar schedules as we headed west for Maldives, Chagos, Seychelles, Mad and South Africa. A week or so later, it was Eleanor's mom, Carda, who cast off my lines before sunrise as I started my singlehanding trip to Malaysia. They were my "family" for regular check ins during those challenging days and beyond. We shared songs, birthdays and plenty of fun. Happy Holidays Peter, and thanks for checking in. More later.
Posted on Thursday, December 8, 2005 at 19:57
by
Kaci Cronkhite
in Steel & Aluminum Boats, Cruiser Reconnections
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Kaci Cronkhite
in Steel & Aluminum Boats, Cruiser Reconnections
|
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