Saturday, February 6, 2010

Friends

I  received an email the other day from my friends Jim and Sue back in Solomons, and it made me reflect a bit on friends, and how important they are in life. When I left Solomons I left behind alot of good friends - Jim and Sue, Chip, John, Jimmy the Greek, and Eric. I miss the get togethers and good times we would have back at Calvert County Marina, the Crab Pickings, the fishing trips, and the camaraderie of our little group there. When I arrived in Elizabeth City I reaquainted myself with some old friends - Josh, Seth, Rob, Ted, Patti, Allie and Jack - all the folks at the Pelican that were so close to me when I lived there.

I moved on to Manteo, where I spent time with my friend Ali and her kids, and then I sailed over to Edenton to see Gary and Alice, who were gracious enough to have given me this wonderful boat. Back to Manteo for a few days, and then down to Oriental, where I met Clay and Mary. Tagging along together with Clay and Mary from central North Carolina to Northern Florida, and then meeting up with Roger, Earldean, David and Peg in Fernandina Beach, and then meeting them again in St Augustine. In St Augustine I not only met an old friend Jon Scott, who I had not seen in many years, but I was also able to meet Ali's sister and her husband Tim, and, I met the owners of the boat Jon brought down, Sven and Gabi.

So here I am now in Daytona Beach, having spent the better part of a week socializing with Sven and Gabi, and they will be moving on shortly. I would love to follow them, Sven thinks I should, but funds are low and my 33 foot boat can't even come close to keeping up with their 60 foot boat. They are leaving today or tomorrow, their departure really is dependant on the height of the water at low tide under the bridges here,  and I really would like to catch the Superbowl, something that I don't think is quite as popular in Germany and New Zealand where they are from.
I met a fellow yesterday at dusk - he was pulling in to the anchorage I am in, and I had to hail him and warn him he was entering shoal water - and it turns out that Tim is from Canada, and was in the same Chesapeake Bay storm I was in so many weeks ago, and the big blow that followed me into Manteo the second time around caught him in Elizabeth City. This sailing community is certainly a small world, and we all share so many similar experiences.

One thing I keep reflecting on and coming back to is the friends that I have lost touch with, especially those that I was really close to, but for one reason or another have lost touch with or have drifted apart from. I suppose that the dynamics that make up a friendship are constantly changing and evolving, but it is sad when one loses a friend, especially one that was particularly close or special.

And so another day begins, Tim just weighed anchor and headed out, and Sven and Gabi are set to leave shortly, we will see if today is the day for them, or if the height of the tide will be against them.

To all of those I have met, sailed with and left, I miss you all, and I hope we will meet again.

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