June 23 -- Day Sail with Hugh in Boston

Between March and June of 1967 Hugh and I served on the USS Hammerberg DE 1015. He relieved me as Anti Submarine Warfare officer of that warship. About 18 months ago Hugh found me via Facebook, there being no other persons, to my knowledge, with both my first and last names. Since then we have been threatening to get together. Heck, it has only been 46 years! And today that meeting finally took place on our peace ship, ILENE.  Hugh, also retired, is quite an active environmentalist here in the Boston area, and tours on a motorcycle creating YouTube postings on his travels, analogous to this blog, except video and voice narration rather than still pictures and written words. Hugh brought his son, Harry (the photographer) and Harry's son, Levi, age 10 and already an active sailor in the Community Sailing Program on Boston's  Charles River.

We sailed from about 11 to 5, out of the harbor and back. Regrettably, the tide was against us both ways and the forecast 12 to 14 knot wind did not materialize until about 2 pm and then it was stronger than that. Still, a good time was had by all with an achieved speed of nine knots through the water on a beam reach with too much sail up -- but it was fun. So we replaced the genoa with the jib and reefed the main and got things back under control again. For me it was a pleasure to have three generations of sailors from the same family  aboard, the two older ones with lots of experience and local knowledge of these waters and the islands -- about 32 of them! --  in the harbor, now part of a national park.  As Captain, my responsibility for the safe and proper navigation of our boat never ends. But today I relaxed and  delegated most of that responsibility to a knowledgeable and trustworthy crew. I especially enjoyed seeing Hugh and Harry patiently and persistently teaching Levi, an eager learner, the waters, the charts, the buoys, the shoals, and the ways and whys of the sea. It was a pleasure having them aboard. At the end we got back a bit early so motored over to see Old Ironsides with the Bunker Hill Monument,as background to the left.

Ilene did not join us for the day sail, but enjoyed a day in the City, on her own, and took a walk in the Boston Public Garden
and shopped on Newbury Street before joining Hugh's wife, Arlene, who took her to a supermarket after which they joined Hugh and me for an excellent dinner at Taranta, a terrific Peruvian-Italian restaurant in Boston's North End, including a piece of white fish from the Amazon that grows to 600 pounds.

Hugh and I promised not to let another 46 years go by without hooking up again, possibly in New York, for Columbus Day with Levi.