Old 1985 photo documents when the ship’s dinghy was launched and manned by two grandsons. Britt is the red-headed ten-year-old with his cousin ‘dinghy captain’ Travis, age eight.
Dinghy was afloat before we launched and Margaret christened our new sailboat Makaleka. In another old photo, she pours champagne on the bow. She didn’t break the bottle on the bow. We didn’t want to damage our Pearson 36-foot sloop we had finally launched into Rhode Island water. Some may even think that would have been a waste of good champagne.
In the old christening photo Captain Jack, the 84-pound Golden Retriever, stands on the deck behind Margaret. This Skipper, son-in-law Elvin, the boys and Britt’s sister Kara, age eight, witnessed the event from the dock. Daughter Sheryl took the picture.
Fitting that Captain Jack shares the picture with Margaret because, thanks to the dog, we had already slept two nights on the yet-to-launch sailboat propped upright on land. We climbed up a workman’s ladder so we could sleep in the cabin.
Makaleka needed more work on land when Margaret and I arrived from North Carolina. We trailed a u-haul stuffed with lifejackets, anchors, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, a dinghy and a bunch of other gear you need to cruise from a Rhode Island river back to a Carolina river. Plus Captain Jack.
The three grandchildren and their two referees arrived from Boston where they boarded and inspected a larger craft Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution frigate. By the day of the Makaleka launching and christening, the three children had christened the dinghy, dropped an anchor into the marina harbor without a line attached, and learned to paddle around the harbor.
And we all slept two nights on Makaleka bunks because Captain Jack got us evicted from the only motel in town. Well, kicked out because “No dogs in our rooms.” Okay to tie the dog to a tree outside. We did. But Captain Jack moaned, maybe until midnight, about that separation. You would have brought him inside too, wouldn’t you?
As for the champagne, the four adults poured rest of the bottle into cups. Maybe we gave the grandchildren a sip. Really, all you need to know–Makaleka is Hawaiian for Margaret.
