'Sailing Alone Around the World'

Round Ponders listen up...On Christmas Eve, Jim one of many of my favorite customers at Andronico's where I work gave me a Christmas Present .. too my surprise, a Book called 'Sailing Alone Around The World' first published in 1900. 'one of the most readable books in the whole library of adventure' says Sports Illustrated. Fantastic read, a 36 foot sloop and Captain Joshua Slocum in his 50's, sets out in 1896 to just do it. That Christmas Evening I am reading .......

  'The wind freshened, and 'the Spray' rounded Deer Island light, going at the rate of 7 knots. Passing it she squared away direct for Gloucester, where she was to procure some fisherman's stores. Waves dancing joyously across Massachusetts Bay met the sloop coming out, to dash themselves instantly
into myriads of sparkling gems that hung about her breast at every surge. The day was perfect, the sunlight clear and strong. Every particle of water thrown into the air became a gem, and The Spray, making good her name as she dashed ahead, snatched necklace after necklace from the sea, and as often threw them away. We have all seen miniature rainbows about a ship's prow, but 'The Spray' flung out a bow of her own that day, such as I had never seen before. Her good angel had embarked on the voyage; I so read it in the sea.'

 It's been a long time since I have been in a sailboat, but the images of necklaces from the Sea. I can remember being mesmerized or at least marveled by the way a boat can toss up this endless chains of drops, necklaces indeed.

 'Being thus refitted I was once more ready for the sea, and on May 7 again made sail. The weather was mild  on the day of my departure from Gloucester. On the point ahead, as the Spray stood out of the cove, was a lively picture, for the front of a tall factory was a flutter of  handkerchiefs and caps. Pretty faces peered out of the windows from the top to the bottom of the building, all smiling bon voyage. Some hailed me to know where away and why alone. Why? .....'

 ...' I lay down, for the first time at sea alone, not to sleep but to doze and to dream.
    I had read somewhere of a fishing schooner hooking her anchor into a whale, and being towed a long way and at great speed. This is exactly what happened to the Spray --- in my dream! I could not shake it entirely when I awoke and found that it was the wind blowing and the heavy sea now running that had disturbed my short rest. A storm was brewing; indeed, it was already stormy. I reefed the sails, then hauled in my sea-anchor, and setting what canvas the sloop could carry, headed her way for Monhegan light, which she made before daylight on the on the morning of the 8th. The wind being free, I ran on into Round Pond harbor, which is a little port east from Pemaquid. Here I rested a day, while the wind rattled among the pine-trees on shore. But the following day was fine enough, and I put to sea ...'

   Well that was a mighty fine Christmas Eve to be reading this gift of a gift and to hit on Round Pond, where my Mom was spending that Christmas and my sisters and nieces, nephews all gathering. (Well Waldoboro actually but .. 'the Pond' is the spot) So Captain Slocum's last port of call or port of rest in the USA, on his magical journey was little old Round Pond.

   Find the book if you want an excellent read.