We jumped into the dinghy and once on shore, we started up our fire in one of the fire rings and were Wild Things. We beat our chests a bit, and were transfixed by fire.
Deep sleep, next day, circumnavigate the island. Two and a half hour walk, about 4 miles, lots of stopping and laying in the sun. Warm, deep heat. Boys are amazing beasts. Not a word of "complaint", not even from Owen. It is what we do. Who we are. We skipped, threw rocks, sang songs, told jokes, watched bald eagles, were mesmerized by the water and altogether absorbed in being ourselves, and together.
Back at Aeolus for lunch, then, they dinghied over to shore by themselves and played with their potato guns for a long time. I watched them climbing all over the rocks and around the trees. They were having a ball while I cleaned the boat. Seeing Elliott row the 100 yards there and back is so incredible. That I can trust them, and give them that freedom, makes me so happy. That they get such abundant opportunity for unstructured nature time means more to me, and them, than I can ever say.
To top it all off, we sailed all the way home in 10-15 knots of wind, doing 4.5 to 5.5 knots of boat speed. Elliott took the wheel for one tack and did every bit as well as I could with holding that delicate line between too close or too far off with the sails.
What in the wide, wide, world could possibly be better than this?
4 comments:
"Boys are amazing beasts. Not a word of "complaint", not even from Owen. It is what we do. Who we are."
I am thoroughly reading all the technical details of your boat projects, entry by entry, and enjoy your writing a lot. I'm learning from this blog and thinking how to apply what I've learned to my own boat work (for example, thanks to this blog, I will be drilling extra large holes and filling them with epoxy first before I re-bed my stanchions). As a child, I was never taught these skills boys typically learn, so I'm learning them all on my own as an adult. Because I have such respect for what you are doing, I feel I shouldn't let slide this minor flaw in your viewpoint that has crept into a few of your entries:
Perhaps if young girls were encouraged by parental figures to be adventurous and to not complain whenever confronted with physically challenging work, they would also behave as you and your boys do. And perhaps if you notice a little girl in your boys' classes or friendship circle who shows any interest in boating, it would be fruitful to invite her along on this exact type of "wild getaway" trip. Not only does this set a valuable example for her, but your boys will learn a great deal from the gesture.
I suppose this is a little outdated, since it's a 2010 entry, but on some level, I'm sure it's never too late... assuming your viewpoint hasn't changed already.
Hi Sarah,
I don't receive many comments so am slow to respond. First, I'm glad to hear you find this site helpful. That is certainly one of the purposes. Feel free to ask if you have any specific questions.
As to your point about girls, I am baffled! How could you ever confuse my enthusiasm for my own two sons and being wild things with any notion whatsoever along the lines you suggest? I'll avoid a lingering refutation, but suffice to say I enjoyed nearly twenty years in professional outdoor education and am as gender blind about wilderness fun as could be!
I would take you one step further and say although I do not have daughters, it is on those fathers and MOTHERS who do to not raise their girls to simply be hood ornaments to life. Pretty objects to be admired and of no particular use. Seen too much of that in my life.
Keep sailing and best of luck with your projects.
Hi Brian, sorry I read too much into it. I must've been having a bad week because working as a cashier we get a lot of sexist treatment, and I remember writing that while I was standing at the register. Anyway, good points. Thanks for your reply and I look forward to reading more!
Post a Comment