Since this is the 4th of July, I thought I would relate a story involving some flag waving.
October of 2001, not even a month after 9/11, was a very subdued Columbus Day Cruising Regatta compared to previous years. :(
(Or succeeding years!) :P
The idea was to keep doing what we were normally doing, to prove somehow, that the terrorists had not won.
Keeping doing what I typically was doing on a CDCR weekend, usually involved some Planter's Punch! 8)
Sometimes, a LOT of Planter's Punch! ;D
cdcdr2001_pp.jpg
It really takes the sting out of abject defeat!! :'(
Hey! I was in my sailboat Urchin, I was wearing my Official Trailer Sailor Bulletin Board cap and all was right with the World.
cdcr2001_1.jpg
Nearly 25 years later, I still wear that same type of Casio watch and those same wrap-around sunglasses; even still have the TSBB hat, although it doesn't look NEARLY so good now, as in that pic.
Heading for a spot to anchor, we had a nice enough sunset over south Biscayne Bay, but it was very quiet, not at all the usual boisterous partying that typifies a CDCR weekend.
cdcdr2001_sunset.jpg
It was a time of uncertainty; no one quite knew for sure (yet) who had hit us, although 4 days later, Operation Enduring Freedom would start up.
I awoke Sunday morning, October 7th, mildly depressed.
And then I got angry. >:(
This is NOT who we are!! >:(
I figured: "Hey! Don't want the terrorists to miss me!" :o
On some whim or another, I had the flag from my Dad's funeral (provided by the VA) nearly 25 years earlier, on board.
Since I had some time before we had to leave Elliott Key and sail to the race start, I decided I would hang the flag from the main sail halyard, mostly just to see what it looked like.
It looked Glorious! ;D
I gingerly lowered myself into the water and carefully back-stroked away from the hull, so as not to risk wetting my digital camera and got this shot.
cdcr2001_flag.jpg
What I was totally unprepared for, was the sudden (and loud!) cheering, coming from all over the Bay, from every direction! :o
I was suddenly infused with the warm feeling, that America was going to be OK. :)
Maybe not today, but soon.
And for the first time since 9/11, I smiled.
Happy Birthday, America.
Charles Brennan
Hallelujah! What a touching tribute to those things in our life that matter. Great story Charles and great pic.
I had a flag half that size, and a vertical aluminum pipe at the stern of my Mac 22. Sailing south on the Potomac River my normal first stop overnight was Quantico Marines marina.
When I sailed in the first time, they gave me extra service, while commenting favorably on my flag.
I spent many more nights there in the following decade, and never had to log in again, they remembered my flag.
All but one night, I remained tied up at the gas dock, it had 2 sides and I came in at sunset, and departed after breakfast. They said they rarely sold gas more than once a day.
A big flag stands out on a small boat, and makes a lasting impression. :)