Sailing with the Moon

Almost everyone needs something to keep them out of trouble. When searching for that certain something that can range from a hobby to a labor of love, we all find obstacles that get in the way - until we learn how to deal with the hitches and hurdles that are the roadblocks to adventure. For the Marco Beach Boys and Girls, that certain something arrived in the form of an old wooden sailboat that was alone, abandoned, and in need of a great deal of nurturing.

One day while working with our fleet of small sailboats, we learned: “There is an old sailboat down at the marina. She is a 40-foot ketch with two masts, plenty of sails, and enough character to build more adventures than anyone can imagine. There is a good chance we can pick her up for a really good price.”

With everyone excited and watching, Jim, our boss and mentor, produced a large tape measure and asked one of the boys to hold one end. We measured forty feet out in the sand, ten feet across the middle, and then drew out lines on Marco Beach that would be the dimensions of our latest adventure producing machine.

We all at once stepped aboard our little sailing ship drawn in the sand and began to look around. Each of us imagining what it would be like to sail something much bigger than a Sunfish or a Hobie Cat. For the rest of the day our drawn sailboat dimensions remained on the beach with each of us stepping aboard from time to time to do what boaters’ imaginations do before they buy a boat.

With the sun setting and a full moon climbing up on Marco Bay, we trooped along the docks until we came upon the boat. What we could not imagine on the boat we drew in the sand was the masts and the rigging rising into the twilight. Perhaps it was the time of day with glow of sunset and a big moon on the rise, but at that moment, with the two masts towering over us, no one really saw the neglect, the hidden dry rot, the mildew in the cabin, and the hours upon hours of work needed to make the adventure come true.

The following day, we made the arrangements and paid to have the boat pulled out of the water for an inspection. When we spoke to the travel lift operator and the man assigned to lift our boat, he shook his head with obvious doubt. “I think you boys might have wasted your money,” he said with steadfast body language and determined hands on hips. “The only thing holding that old boat together is habit. I’ll bet she falls apart as soon as I try to lift her. Then what a mess I’ll have.”

We were all instantly crestfallen, but when our old girl was ready and in position, and the operator of the lifting machine was standing in his station, Jim offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry she will be fine,” he said, “Saltwater pickles the wood - as long as the shipworms haven’t gotten to her.”

Our adventure truly began when the old ketch rose out of the water dripping saltwater and seaweed. At the end of the day, she was as solid below the waterline as when she was new in City Island New York 30 years before.

What the Marco Beach Boys were not expecting was the year of work that lay ahead to ensure our old girl was safe and seaworthy. All during the year from December to December, we worked on our labor of love after working on the beach. We lowered the masts and raised them again to perfection. We sanded, we painted, we replaced dry rotted wood, and cleaned mildew and then we painted places we didn’t even know needed painting. We learned how to strip varnish and how to make our new varnish shine like moonlight in a mirror. We even learned - with the help of experts - how to install a used diesel engine we bought and hauled over from the east coast.

When the Christmas season was ready to roll again, The Marco Beach Boys and Girls fired up our newly installed diesel motor, raised all four of our sails, and started out for a maiden voyage. 

We sailed out with the tide for the classic Marco sunset, and then came about and set a heading for home. Just before we were coming back into the Marco River, everyone felt the lurch when our precious - and yearlong - labor of love ran aground. At once, we tried backing off the offending sandbar with our newly installed diesel engine. We tried pulling our sails tighter to heel over and escape. We cursed, we stopped the deck, and tried to ignore the squadrons of mosquitos that were attacking from the nearby mangroves.

Before we started pointing fingers and getting angry with the Beach Boy who was driving, an old mullet fisherman alone in a bird dog skiff pulled up beside us. “Well boys and girls,” the old man began with a grin, “What seems to be the problem?”

“We’re stuck on this sand bar,” announced the Beach Boy that was driving.

“Yep, I can see that,” was the old angler’s reply.

“Do you think you can give us a tow,” pleaded the Beach Boy who was piloting our adventure.

“Nope,” the old man shook his head, “that ole girl, she must weigh near nine tons. I can’t help with this little skiff - your boats too heavy - but I can tell you how to keep from running aground again.”

Suddenly, the Beach Boys were all ears, and everyone waited for the answer.

The weathered old islander winked and tilted his head toward the nearby ankle-deep water and a flock of Ibis pecking the sand. “All you have to do - to keep her afloat - is to stay away from where the birds are walking!”

After watching our disappointed expressions, the old mariner laughed and laughed again.

Our next response was a double question.” Do you have a tide chart? Do you know when the tide is coming back in?”

Once again, the old mullet man laughed his seafaring chuckle. “You never need a tide chart when you can see the moon. Look there!” he said and a weathered finger pointed at the rising full moon.” When the moon is rising, the tide is coming in. You folks will be off this bar in no time. When the moon is high overhead its high tide; when the moon is setting, the tide is falling, and when the moon sets in the west its low tide again.”

With all of us quiet and spellbound by the mariner’s advice we suddenly felt the deck beneath us move. The movement began as another lurch but then we were floating and sailing again toward the rising December moon.

Tom Williams is a Marco Islander and the author of two books: “Lost and Found and Surrounded by Thunder - the Story of Darrell Loan and the Rocket Men.” Both books are available on Kindle and Nook just in time for Christmas!