On board the old lady
On the Island, we carry a special place in our hearts for one old lady: The Abegweit. Not the second one; the original. Navigated the Strait before I was born, continued until I was old enough to accept that there were other ways to get here from the other side. And then, she went away. Sailed off into the sunset, to a new berth.
But, her name comes up, from time to time. The occasional photo, or a memory of an early morning boarding. The ice; for long months each year, the ice. That was her main role, of course. Last night, I happened across a documentary, filmed below decks, in the Windy City. And at last, I understood a little more about just how well constructed this ship was (is).
I’ll (probably) never have the opportunity to visit the engine room again. Nevertheless, I think I now understand a little bit more about lubrication systems and the importance of keeping good mechanical logs. The narrator, who was part of the crew that sailed the Abegweit, that final time back in the ’80s, is a better instructor than he perhaps knows. I didn’t want the show to end, despite starting well after moonrise.
Last evening, there was also an abortive attempt to “sleep under the stars” by someone else here. Started out well, with a phone to check the constellations and send me the occasional text. Ended with the coyote chorus. Turns out that what one can’t see is more important than what one can.
