The Sea

I grew up with the sea as a symbol of freedom

I thought it was a path to escape from the boundaries of my world

but at sea I saw that the prison was inside me

and the sea had the power to overwhelm even 

the most cherished of my beliefs

and set me free. 

I grew up on sea stories, especially the older ones about rounding Cape Horn in the winter gales of the southern ocean.  As an adult I had the

opportunity so sail to Antarctica on the bark Europa.  It was summer, but I did get a hint of the incredible endurance of the old timers.  Simply 

keeping my hands warm enough to be able to hold on and perform the necessary tasks was a challenge even in 35 degree weather.