August 2014 back in Neiafu Tonga
I know I’m supposed to be the one who writes about things that are happening right now, but I’m going to flash back a couple of weeks. Sorry.
A really pretty 24 foot boat sailed into Neiafu harbor and looking like a giant on the small boat was none other than Webb Chiles.
Webb is on his sixth circumnavigation, this time in a Moore 24. He’d just come down from Apia Samoa in pretty rough conditions (if you want a great read, check out his log of that passage here). What an inspiring human!
We were lucky enough to get to know Webb enough to count him as a friend, and enriched by the meeting in a number of ways. A conversation over dinner took 14 hours off our passage to Fiji. I’ll elaborate; he’s been averaging better than six knots in little Gannet, we’ve been averaging a little over five knots in big old Legacy. My shame, and the effort to minimize it by using more sail and less wussiness, got us to Fiji in just shy of three days. I think the additional speed made the passage a little more comfortable too. (Sometimes you just need a friend to tell you when you’re being a wuss.)
Webb’s written a number of books. I’d read a couple a long time ago when cruising for me was just a far-off dream. (Here’s a link to his page on Amazon. That’s right – he has his own Amazon page!) I hit the Kindle store to get a couple of his books to read or re-read and found a work of fiction by Webb called Shadows.
Wow! I don’t want to say more about it for fear of influencing your experience with the book (which I am now officially assigning to you as required homework – there will be a test!).
I was expecting a book by a sailor who writes. I found a work of literature by a writer who sails. Ideas and words from this book are still bouncing around inside my skull.
There are also a three short stories in this Kindle edition, one of which is called Sailing to Africa. Wow again! Webb told us that this is one of his favorite creations. I can understand why.
When you’re done with the above assigned reading, for extra credit, check out his website called In The Present Sea. Webb’s journal, published there, is now on my daily reading list (when we’re lucky enough to have internet access). Here’s a link to his journal.
OK, Enough said. You know that I am now a card-carrying member of the Webb Chiles fan club. Thanks Webb for the books, friendship and inspiration. -Rich
