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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Cheryl -- you "outed" me. I confess. Fossil fuel it is --
and I suppose that makes me an 'ol fossil of some sort. But let me
introduce you to The Ethelyn Rose. Those of you who know me will recognize the
name as being my wife's. Old tradition up here in Down East (which is what
the locals call the great State of Maine) -- name your boat for the one you
love. Some say the practice is a mark of affection. Others point out that given
the amount of time you spend with and on a boat, naming her for your wife (or
significant other) could be understood as some kind of a guilt offering. I
suppose it is a little of both. But the name fits -- she is very cute, albeit a
tad beamy. Both "shes."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>The Ethelyn Rose is basically a Lobster boat, a hull form
that has evolved from the on-going symbiosis of men and sea in The
Gulf of Maine. Not terribly fast but very sea-kindly, which is the way
people describe a boat that doesn't fight the waters but lives in them with
respect. High bows and deep draft, she keeps on keepin' on regardless of
the weather. In calm seas there is something like joyful playfulness in
her passage. And when the winds blow and the waves mount it is almost as if she
became part of the sea.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>She is a power boat with no small amount of power. A 250
horsepower turbo charged Cummins Diesel lies in her hull, but
rarely do you want or need to use all that power. The Ethelyn Rose
makes her way with an economy of effort. And if wind in your hair is your
desire, there is plenty to be had, and should you crave the sound of the
waters -- the song of their passage along the hull is constantly in your ears.
The Ethelyn Rose was built for the sea and has the capacity to stay out there
for a long time, thanks to the 300 gallons of fuel she carries. Of course, there
is a down side when you come to the fuel docks for a
"fill-up."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I can think of thousands of reasons why I should never
have fallen pray to the charms of this lady, and the cost of fuel is but the
least. Indolent excess, escapism, flight from reality -- to name a few. And of
course there is the "ol fossil fuel" business. But on board and under way, that
is not quite the way it feels. On a crystalline clear day when the sky is a
shocking blue, the sea a deeper reflection, and the islands of Penobscot Bay
stand out in bold relief, the whole world in all of its pain and suffering is
very much present -- but in a different context. It is a context of deep beauty
which reminds me that for all the madness and destruction, this is
still Planet Earth, our home, the lovely blue marble -- and the madness we
inflict upon ourselves is but a small thing in a sea of beauty. A passing moment
which will triumph and overwhelm us all only if we forget the beauty which is
our living space. For me it is all about perspective and not escape. I think of
my friends and colleagues around this world in The Middle East, London, Africa,
the Far East -- and call their names so that they might share this beauty and
the sense of its deep power. And if they cannot be present personally (and many
have over the years) then perhaps I can carry something of this beauty in my
presence with them, when and as we meet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>The skies and waters of Maine are not always crystalline
blue. There are times of deep fog when everything disappears in a mist of
whiteness so thick you cannot see the bow of the boat. A blanket of quiet
settles over a disappearing world interrupted only by the deep cry of the
fog horn. Even with radar and GPS there is a sense of disorientation,
placelessness -- emptiness. It can be very scary, but in a surprising way --
when nothing is there, everything is present. Pure open space, bounded only by
the limits of your imagination. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>So Cheryl -- Welcome to The Ethelyn Rose!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>The 'Ol Fossil</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial> </FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls Dr.<BR>Potomac, MD
20854<BR>USA<BR>301-365-2093<BR>207-763-3261 (summer)<BR>website <A
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com">www.openspaceworld.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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