In memoriam

A pencil sketch of a young girl in a dress peaking around a tree with tall grass or plants in the background.
A silver trumpet lying on a rock by a calm body of water with sailboats moored and a sunset in the background.
A family of five celebrating on a yacht, raising glasses in a toast, with sailboats and a harbor in the background on a sunny day.

When we were first shopping for boats the family had many fun discussions about what to name our new boat. It’s true, pleasure boats tend to have really fun names and we had a fun time dreaming what name our boat called. Its true, walk around a marina sometime and have a good laugh. Bert’s favorite boat name is “Overdraft.”

When we first stepped upon Steel Away we knew our hearts were forever hers. She was unique, like us. She was one a kind. She had history. She had been lovingly resorted by an act of love of her owners. The discussion of names became mute, we knew what she must be called. Such a ship, we would rename. So on a beautiful day in August 2017, surrounded by friends and family we christened her, Ciara Madeline.

Ciara Madeline is Captain’s late daughter who tragically passed away at the age of 7. Well before I knew Richard and I never got to meet her. She holds a place in his heart that was apparent the day I met him. The loss has shaped his life in ways that hard to describe except you can see it in the way he lives his life and inspires me everyday to do the same.

We sail every day and every night with the protection of our past. The wisdom we have learned through our pains, through our joys, laughs and tears. We have learned you truly, truly can not know when your last day will be your last. To live each day with love, kindness, curiosity and humor. To practice gratitude and presence of mind.

In that practice I have taken to playing Taps (and Last Post when in Canadian waters) every night at 9pm when aboard. I have lived many lives. One of my first was the life of an almost professional trumpet player. Yeah, I actually went to school for music performance. For so many reasons trumpet fell away soon after college. It was Captain that encouraged me to play, even if for just these few notes. What I have learned is these few notes are everything. Dreams of Carnegie Hall are drowned by the endless echoes of empty anchorages. The way voices die away after the first 3 notes and the trumpet commands us to stop and reflect not just aboard, but anyone who can hear. We remember those who fought and died for our county. Memories of those loved ones we have lost. I have touched many lives, even for a moment. I hope it continues to remind people to not just remember, but to honor, and defend what we have. To live each day to what it represents.