Opposing Forces.

       Night Sailing!

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•  Opposing Forces.

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  Tonight out at sea, every ripple on the water glowed from the phosphorus -  a magical green color as the boat motored through the waves. It was beautiful and majestic and it has been a year or so since I remember seeing it. Last time I remember it, I was sailing through dense fog at night and could see nothing except the magical looking green light streaking through the water as dolphins made their way like torpedo's to their destinations.

The wind had died about an hour ago and I now motored through the waves back to the harbor. I was going to get back in the Marina and then turn off the engine and wait for the wind to come back out. But as I came down the harbor entrance toward my dock, the wind gave no trace of coming back. So I kept on going till I got near Chase Burton Park and then killed the engine as I saw the wind making patterns over the dark water.

I was thrilled to turn off the engine and to watch the wind fill the sail again and be off. There's nothing quite like sailing with the wind. Its quiet and beautiful but must be watched and nurtured to make sure the boat stays on course with just the right amount of wind powering it. Otherwise without careful maintanance the boat will end up going in circles. Eventually I got it all balanced perfectly and could take a few minutes out and go sit on the bow and watch the boat and I glide through the dark mysterious wind blown water on our way around the marina.

     After an hour and a half, I took the boat up to G - Basin and turned on the engine again as sailing up this stretch of water meant battling the wind head on the whole way. Last week I had run out of gas and had been forced to sail up this against a strong tide and opposing winds that were not strong enough to even beat the tide. So though it had appeared like I was moving forward - I had actually been moving backward with the strong current! As I was grinding my teeth in slow agony to try and beat the tide and get home I thought about it in a philosophical way. Here I was making every effort to get ahead and every inch that I actually won was HARD earned. Life is like that. Sometimes it gives you joy and beauty and everything you want on a platter but other times you have to struggle for every inch you get and in the face of imminent failure. But you must press on. In the case of the ocean - the sea will get you if you give up. I'm so blessed writing this now as it encourages me in a financial situation I'm in right now that feels very much the same.

Interesting thing is that after persisting through the the head winds, I eventually got to a place where the land caused the wind to come from a different direction and gave more power to the boat. And in time the wind became stronger too and then getting back was not as hard. So this also can be understood that after a certain mount of persistence, life will often change and SUPPORT you instead.

Thankfully tonight the engine purred like a cat and all these heartaches from last week were just memories. Tonight the engine caused the bow to push through the opposing forces and soon I turned the tiller hard and the boat rounded up into the slip. Ah - now to put the sails away and then heat up some hot chocolate! I couldn't wait!

~Albie
http://www.albiesonlineincome.blogspot.com

PS: Thanks for your comments! :-)