Boat U.S. - January 2008 - (Page 64) behind theboat I did not come from a family of boaters, but have been blessed to have several wonderful friends who shared their passion for boating. In doing so, they created a lifelong boater out of me. My first boating experience was sailing as a child away at camp on Lake Sebago in Maine. I learned the vagaries of the wind on a gaff-rigged sailboat — and experienced for the first time, the amazing healing power of the water. They say timing is everything, and I was lucky to find myself at the age of 24 in the Caribbean on a Windjammer Barefoot Cruise with Laurie MacLeod as my captain. Retired after 25 years in the British Royal Navy, Captain Laurie and I shared a birthday, which was probably why our friendship began, but it lasted for over 30 years until we scattered his ashes off Biscayne Bay, FL, last year. We shared a love of the amazing blue waters of the British Virgin Islands, the Leewards, the Windwards — and the bond that grows between friends who share voyages on the open water, totally at the mercy of the wind and waves. And then there was “Uncle Bill” — a former World War II fighter pilot retired from the Air Force — who owned a 37-foot O’Day and loved to take an allgirl crew with him for a day sail or weekend out of Solomons, MD. No one was actually related but everyone called him Uncle. Up the Potomac River or over to the Eastern Shore, he made sure that my girlfriends and I developed the proper appreciation for sailing the Chesapeake Bay. Years later, I married a power boater. He’s converted me to the thrills of going up on plane and trolling for hours for rockfish and blues. Some of our best times are taking friends out for their first ride. We’ll be doing more of that in the New Year — hope you can too. There’s nothing like sharing that first-time feeling all over again with a deserving friend. It could be the easiest New Year’s resolution you’ll ever keep. — By Nancy Michelman Nancy Michelman is the president of BoatU.S. Reach her at president@BoatUS.com. whereour flagsfly Send us a photo of your boat, preferably flying the BoatU.S. flag, and we’ll publish it here, or online at BoatUS.com. Please include the name, make, size and home port, as well as your member number. COOKIN — 27’ Catalina Clemens, MI Chris & Karen Cook — Mt. KNOT GUILTY — 39 ’ Larry E. Young — Ch Sea Ray attanooga, TN LADY ELAINE — 23 ’ Sportcraft Greg & Elaine Ceres ko — Sandy Pond, NY pe Dory MR. JON — 27’ Ca co, FL Charlie Wright — Mic ’ Catalina BABY GRAND — 26 lomons, MD Jeffrey Grand — So PERCOCETIC PAND EMONIUM — 20’ Gra dy White Kevin Kozak — Toled o, OH C’EST SI BON — 21 ’ Starcraft Ken & Helen Welsh — St. Louis, MO DON — 38’ Catalina COMPLETE ABAN San Francisco, CA George Suppes III — 64 BoatU.S. Magazine January 2008 http://www.BoatUS.com
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