Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Hilton Head Island: evening

I am sitting again by our bedroom window looking out at Skull Creek and the sun lowering over Pickney Island.  A small glass of Plymouth gin is on the teak table before me.  ‘Seven Days Waiting’ by Ludovico Einaudi on my AirPod Pros so I won’t disturb Carol who is nearby sneezing.

We were away for three days, visiting Carol’s family and an old friend of mine.  All good people, but I am so glad to be back in the marsh, in my own space and beauty.

I am at peace.  How rare.  How welcome.

I am on schedule.  Two and a half years before I go beyond the edge again if time and chance do not destroy or weaken me too much before then.

I have written that the secret to my success, such as it has been, is that I do so little.  So I am planning years in advance.  Yet, immodestly, doing so little, I have accomplished a lot, at sea, with words, and with lust and love.

It is good.  I am old and I am still doing what I ought to do and enjoying beauty and Carol’s love.  I started to say ‘along the way’, but that is wrong.  The beauty and Carol’s love are ends in themselves.

If you know much of my life—and it is there in words and videos—you know I have known great joy and great despair.  The despair has often almost killed me.  The joy prevails.

So I lift my almost empty glass, which I will refill, to life and to you if you have been here a while.  I don’t often check numbers of readers, and I will do what I believe I ought to do even if no one else ever knows, but as I have written and understand, every work of art is an attempt at communication, and I am glad that at least of few of you are there for me to communicate to.




10 comments:

Clark said...

Many thanks for sharing the adventure.

David Hoiland said...

Webb
Keep up the good work! I enjoy reading every post.
David

Anonymous said...

"Carol who is nearby sneezing"?

Webb said...

She was then. She isn’t now.

Rich Pereira said...

Thanks for sharing and inspiring joy!

Hugh said...

We are here, Webb, because we enjoy your adventurers, writing, and observations, so carry on!

Jean Choquette said...

Loved that last post iWebb it gave me hope and courage to carry on

Webb said...

I thank all of you who have taken the time to comment. I read them all and appreciate the two way communication

Michael said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Inspiring to one accepting (or not) that the nibbles of older age can becomes bites of loss. Much still to gain, and your example is important to me.
Setting and meeting goals by planning and craft, rather than luck and heft, seems a good idea now. Boat goes back in tomorrow, and I'll be meeting the challenges of sailing an old school cutter ketch again (tiller steered!).
Bring it on!

Webb said...

Tillers are good. All my boats have been tiller steered. When I bought HAWKE, as she was then named, she had a wheel. I tried to live with it, but couldn't and after sailing her from New York to Florida took it off and gave it and components away and reinstalled the tiller.

Sail on.