Nassau to Charleston

May 6, 2009

Ahoy from Charleston!

How is everyone? Hope you are all well.

In one breath we let go of the vision, though not the memory, of the clear blue and green seascape that filled our days and dreams in the Bahamas. In the next breath we take in the sweetness of spring blossoming and the sonorous bird song that greets us this balmy morning in Charleston.

We left Nassau Saturday morning and sailed up the Northwest Providence Channel, out into the Atlantic, entering the Gulf Stream just east of Palm Beach. We had a south, southwest wind the whole way up the coast and the seas were behind us. We had our best sail day on Monday while riding the Gulf Stream and we made good speed all the way. There were times when the rocking motion of Namaste became tiresome as we quartered the swells. We were somewhat concerned with the noise that revealed air in the hydraulic system for the steering. All in all the entire trip was smooth and we arrived here in Charleston tired and in good spirits.

The highlight of our trip from Nassau was a joyous performance by two bottlenose dolphins that joined us Tuesday morning. For easily 45 minutes they performed acrobatic feats in the waves around us. This couple swam in serpentine unison before the bow. They leapt, performed a half twist and slapped their fins, before diving back into the water. They swam out and rode the following waves, darting from one wave to next catching more lift. They leapt clear out of the water and showed us their beautiful pink bellies. Every so often they would swim on their sides and look up at us; it seemed they wanted to make sure we were still watching, although I believe this was an exercise in pure play. At one point two more dolphins joined them and together they continued this spontaneous burst of energy. We learned to tell them apart, the smaller one, the one with the darker skin, more speckles, and the one with the tag-like thing on its fin. We were held mesmerized and delighted by this dazzling display. And then they were gone, first one, and then after a last burst of activity the other dolphin disappeared back into the vast, blue ocean before us. What a treat! What a gift! We felt like we had briefly connected with these amazing, intelligent mammals of the sea. These are the events that make up the memories.

Living in the Exumas over the last several months without the distractions, habits and strictures of our lives in Charlottesville has given us both much time to travel inward. I am not sure that I can put into words yet the ways in which I see my perceptions, actions and beliefs changing as this journey is still in motion. I do know that I have learned that I am braver than I believed. I am becoming more flexible, more agile in my thinking, and my responses to events. I am practicing bringing my awareness and attention to the only moment with true meaning, the one that is now. As I reread this paragraph I am drawn to the words “still in motion”. I am learning to find the stillness that is at the center of all the motion and commotion I perceive and create around me. This continues to be my central endeavor on this journey. I often view my life as a work in progress and this year continues to bring unexpected and abundant gifts.

And now here we are in Charleston. Do I feel culture shock after 4 months on mostly uninhabited Islands in the Bahamas? Yes, to some extent this is true. But this is my culture and I am glad to be back in the fold of the familiar. I can’t help having this thought though: I want all this to stick, this wild, wide open, rocky, blue- green, resilient, sunny, warm, peaceful, fluid experience. I want to be sure that this experience has united with my being. I think I have been able to drink deeply enough of this experience to have made it part of my being. I hope so.

I did not take pictures of the amazing performance by the two dolphins. That experience is committed to memory. I am including pictures of a group of dolphins that joined us on Monday for a while. It is always a treat to see a group of dolphins change course and approach Namaste. The other pictures are taken as we were leaving Nassau and then underway up the coast.

Peace and Love