Sailing Winnebago

 Sailing Winnebago

     “How’s life?” asks the landsman.

     “Up and down, up and down,” answers the sailor.

                                            Tristan Jones

                                          Sailor and author

                                                              1929 - 1995

Calm in the cove

Past the point, waves glisten in the lowering sun

Helmsman holds the prow into the gusty wind

Hands the tiller to his mate

Hauls up the mainsail

Unfurls the jib

Tiny boat enters the blow

Bow climbs the waves

Pounds into the troughs

Helmsman bears off to starboard

The jib catches the wind with a crack

Bow plows forward close to the wind

Helmsman tacks back and forth across the wind’s eye

“Rock and roll” a better description of sailing than of music

Comes about and sails silently downwind to his mooring in the cove

A big smile on his face

A watery walk with the wind