Parting Well Made
July 23, 2013
Shakespeare once offered a line in a play; methinks about Caesar, wherein a famous line or two was published. Later, Gene Hackman recited the same, or almost the same, line in the movie UNCOMMON VALOR that seems to have relevance to cruising boat crews, especially when each knows they may never see each other again. It is easy to meet and for a brief time get to know others doing this. Some are easily met and then easily left since we know we will see them again. Then, there are the crews that it is highly unlikely our courses will cross again. Such is the feeling about the sailing yacht Ruffian, the Brits that we met in Sandy Hook several weeks ago. They sailed the Atlantic and will do it again. In the interim, they are doing Maine and will touch in Canada, just to say they did it. It has taken us 42 months to come this far, a mere 4,200 miles. They have over 10,000 miles under their keel and still going. They came to our waters full of inquiry and questions. They are sailing purists who avoid the harbors and the life on land. In a way, they are not unlike the early Englishmen that sailed here to see what is up.
We met them on a rainy morning in a place without welcome. We sailed different parts of the Long Island Sound and yet yesterday, we met again. They are young, and full of energy. We have had a few chances to talk and enjoy their company. Tomorrow, we both will sail roughly to Boothbay area but they will settle in a different place for the night. They will sail quickly to the Canadian border thence take their time heading the other way. We will not go that far but might see them one last time tomorrow. They will sail into the Caribbean area this winter and we will stop in Florida. So, it is a fairly good bet that indeed, this is the last time we will have had the pleasure of their company.
"Oh, that a man may know the end of this day's business ere it come. But it sufficeth that the day will end. And if we meet again, we will smile. And if not then this parting was well made." More or less William Shakespere