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Author
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Topic: Seamanship = Always Learning
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Shortstay
Member
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posted November 12, 2005 10:44 AM
   
In the interest of stimulating debate & the exchange of ideas through the depths of the offseason, I've thought it might be fun to share some of the ideas from BoatUS's "Quote of the Day" that seem appropriate for our e-fleet. Here's today's: quote:
A good seaman, when he boards another vessel, has his eyes everywhere but on the comfort -- or lack of it -- below, or on the gadgets and fancy gear. He is watching the rigging, the deck fittings, the way the gear is stowed, the way the wires are spliced, and the way lines are coiled. Whatever he does, he is always learning.
- Tristan Jones 1983, from Yarns
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Kevin
Shortstay III, #901 [This message has been edited by Shortstay (edited November 12, 2005).] IP: 198.115.167.3 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted November 12, 2005 10:49 AM
Tristan Jones was quite a colorful figure. From a devoted fan's website:Tristan Jones was a mariner, adventurer and author of 13 marine adventure books, a text on single handed sailing, numerous articles and short stories and two novels. As one of the most prolific and best-loved authors of sailing stories, Tristan sparked a zeal for adventure in us that most of us will only dream. IP: 198.115.167.3 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted November 12, 2005 10:55 AM
I think the meat of this quote defines one of the primary goals for rendezvous events. While the social aspect is clearly paramount -- in our case, putting faces & personalities on the screen names -- pooling our resources & learning from each other's good/bad ideas is equally valuable. We look forward to attending next season for both of these ends.IP: 198.115.167.3 |
Eric
Member
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posted November 13, 2005 07:36 PM
Kevin, the first quote is right on! I do much the same thing upon stepping foot on an unfamiliar sailboat. Not suggesting I'm a great seaman, but it's how we all learn  Great quote.
Eric [This message has been edited by Eric (edited November 13, 2005).] IP: 206.172.171.143 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted November 14, 2005 04:43 PM
This Tristan Jones was quite a character! I hadn't heard of him prior to the BoatUS quote. Do any of you know more about him?More from that website cited above: quote:
Tristan tells us he was born at sea on May 8, 1924, off the island of Tristan da Cunha aboard his father’s tramp steamer. A self-described Welshman, in his books he tells a now known fabricated story of how he left school at age 14 to work on sailing barges and spent almost all of his 71 years at sea - in the Royal Navy, as a delivery skipper, and as a daring adventurer in search of new seagoing challenges... Recently the truth of Tristan Jones "lives" has been published in a detailed biography by Anthony Dalton. Here we learn that most of his life was a fabrication with many stories being total fiction. Some of us who love his stories would have liked to believe every word. However, the fact remains that many of Tristan's true exploits would have made marvelous reading without any embellishments... The 'truth' in the end is that Tristan Jones tells a story with words that roll and crash with the waves. You actually feel the triumph, pain, and full range of emotion as though you were there or sometimes as if he was speaking just to you over a pint in a local pub. A unique ability to touch your soul and through words alone, see with his eyes... If you have not read his extraordinary adventure stories, do yourself a favor and pick up one of his books, any one of his books. An extraordinary adventure is only a page turn away... Amazingly, few of today's sailors even know about Tristan Jones. This is both sad and truly unfortunate as he fought hard to preserve the love of sail for all of us. But his ember still burns bright and with our help it can be brought again to flame. Spread the word! Tristan died June 21, 1995.
IP: 198.115.167.229 |
Ken
Member
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posted November 14, 2005 04:56 PM
Here's my current sailing sig.file
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain
IP: 141.117.228.250 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted November 14, 2005 06:52 PM
I noticed that one, Ken, and loved it so much that I re-printed & framed it. What a great inspiration, a credo for life!However, I'm afraid to report to you that the site at which I looked to be sure I had the quote correct suggested that while this quote is attributed to Clemens, it has never been authenticated. I love it nonetheless! ------------------
Kevin
Shortstay III, #901 IP: 170.222.247.130 |
Darcy
Member
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posted November 15, 2005 09:46 AM
Hey Ken:
Check out my quote on the recent thread "May hae taken the last sail of the season". Not only have we both sailed the same boat but we must be reading the same books.I've copied it into my journal of inspiring quotes. D'Arcy IP: 67.70.90.163 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted November 15, 2005 01:09 PM
Darned if you aren't right, D'Arcy! I assumed I had first read it from Ken, but was indeed you![This message has been edited by Shortstay (edited November 15, 2005).] IP: 198.115.167.29 |
Ken
Member
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posted November 17, 2005 02:59 PM
Be the current against us, what matters it? Be it in our favour, we are carried hence, to what place or for what purpose? Our plan of the voyage is so insignificant that it matters little, maybe, whither we go, for the "grace of a day" is the same! Is it not a recognition of this which makes the old sailor happy, though in the storm; and hopeful even on a plank in mid-ocean? Surely it is this! for the spiritual beauty of the sea, absorbing man's soul, permits of no infidels on its boundless expanse.- Joshua Slocum, Voyage of the Liberdade
IP: 141.117.228.250 |
Ken
Member
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posted November 17, 2005 03:02 PM
On a Plank in Mid-Ocean???That's pretty heavy stuff...but I suppose one would remain very hopeful indeed. IP: 141.117.228.250 |
elmet3
Member
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posted November 17, 2005 06:20 PM
I do like that Slocum. IP: 67.107.33.106 |
Darcy
Member
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posted November 18, 2005 08:11 AM
Slocum should be mandatory reading. His book is amazing.
D'Arcy, ShortwaveIP: 67.70.90.163 | |
