These are all photographs of where I went for peace and quiet. I would always go out for long sails to ease my nerves funny thing is I am very fearful of the ocean. I wonder if the reason why I was able to be at peace out on the boat had to do with me being in control and prepared. My fear was present but manageable.
Everything about being on the water empowers me, I can rig my own boat be my own captain. I make the decisions and pull the strings. From a young age, I was taught to read the water light patches dark patches and still ways. I have learned how the wind blows and where not to go. There is a danger of being alone on a 4 feet wide twenty feet long boat with no motor, held in my feet straps on the freezing wavy waters of New England. I have been caught in a storm, been hit in the head by a boom, tackled a capsize and come into a close encounter with a great white. My ship will still glide against the chaos of the sea. I may not control the element but I can control my knowledge about them and in turn, it will keep me safe and moving in any direction I chose. I try to translate the teachings of the ocean into my daily life. This is not such an easy task unlike the ocean the patterns aren’t always easy to read and things can arise from nothing. I have to account for other people and that is not always easy. There is no formula to calculate my reactions and the time at witch I react. I am more vulnerable, fragile and sometimes feel at a loss of power. Life may not be like the open ocean but I must remember I am still in control.