Last Landfall

Last Landfall

November 13, 2016 – Approaching Diamond Head-10nm ahead

Day 18

Starr is one hour from Honolulu after an eighteen-day passage from Seattle.

For me and Lee this will complete our last voyage together. For me it has been a trip of intimate memories: of other passages, of night watches, of the night sky and “our” constellation, Casseopia, and of just the two of us sailing Wings together, watch on and watch off – partners, intimate. Now we are coming to our last landfall together.

For Lee, sailing to Hawaii was something she always wanted to do, and despite our mostly Atlantic ocean miles together, something we had never quite gotten around to doing. She was always just a little piqued that her Dad had not taken her in the Vic-Maui race with him because she was a “girl.” And in 2001, when we turned left instead of right in Mexico, she reminded me that there was still the Pacific. Shortly before she died fifteen years later, we were sitting in our Seattle house looking at Wings tied up out in front, and she said, “Brownie, why don’t we just sail to Hawaii? We could just do it now, you know.” It was perhaps a little late, but this passage was a perfect last passage for Lee.

Lee was always excited at the prospect of a landfall, a welcome transition from the intimacy and solitude of passage to new things to explore, new foods to taste, new people to meet. Despite being her last, arriving in Hawaii will be her best landfall ever. She loved it here. We had our honeymoon here. We have many good friends here. We came here several times on the spur of the moment just to hang out in the sun. We did our first 100 foot plus scuba dive here. And this time she will be doubly delighted here, as it is here that she will have her last family party, sharing this place she loved with her five boys, their wives, and her thirteen grandchildren – a noisy and boisterous affair, vibrant with life – exactly the sort of fun she most loved.

So, while a little sad at the finality of last landfall, I am watching the log with an eye on the ETA, getting out my shore clothes, and looking forward to seeing our family all together in Lee’s favorite place.

There are not words that can capture the importance of this final passage to me nor that are sufficient to convey my gratitude to Don and Sharry for making this possible for Lee and me.