OpSail 2000 – On the Good Sloop Clearwater
I.
Out of the foggy mist, as if from
another world and time,
They came. Lead by a military armada
so clear and imposing –
The past met the present.
The elegant, beautiful and historic
Met the uniformly modern and conforming.
II.
Out of that mist, clearer and clearer
into view, they came –
In a parade of sail.
The music changed from a lockstep
march
Of “whirring” engines,
pounding drums and guns,
To the fine tuned flowing sound of
the wind
Kissing the clothen sails guiding
the wooden forms
Gliding across the waves,
Occasionally broken by the salute
of cannon fire.
III.
Admiral meeting Captain Bly.
Cadets greeting The Pirates of Penzance.
The J.F.K. saluting the H.M.S. Pinafore.
How wonderful, How surrealistic, How
Awesome.
by
Carl Schwartz
Some Background:
Carl and I had the privilege of volunteering
on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater during Opsail 2000. We had helped coordinate the Ships to Save the Waters fundraising
concert and conference (along with many other NYC Friends of Clearwater & Clearwater members and people from other organizations).
The night before OpSail 2000, we “slept” on the floor of Clearwater’s galley, with promises to vacate before
the cook began breakfast prep. Carl had very painful tendonitis in his right arm, so neither of us actually slept. We rose
to see a beautiful foggy Hudson River dock. The sail began in misty silence, with boats navigating by bell, whistle, radio,
and radar. No one dared speak because we instinctive felt that so many large boats in such a tight corridor was dangerous.
The thrill of it all kept Carl and I wide awake, in spite of our exhaustion. As the fog lifted, we could see more and more
of the other boats. A feeling of joy permeated the occasion, and quiet talking and louder laughter gradually raised from us
all. Eventually, the inevitable song broke out. Looking back, we often spoke of the enchanting sail, rarely about the lack
of sleep or its cause. We had a truly wondrous time. The whole week was magical!
This link shows the Clearwater off a Brooklyn pier.
http://www.time.com/time/daily/special/photo/opsail/2.html
