It didn’t take long after meeting my husband to discover he’s not a big fan of pools. Turns out he never learned to swim as a kid and hasn’t really felt the compulsion to dive in since.
Turns out too, he’s a bit unteachable. Our two daughters, both qualified lifeguards/instructors during their teens, each tried and discovered the man sinks like a stone.
You would think then, that the immense span of great lakes and expansive northern rivers in our part of the country might be something for him to run from. Yet, from our first visit to the glorious French River, he found a love of cruising its waters.
Particularly in a power boat. The man’s a bit of an adrenaline junkie and I watch his shoulders settle, his face ease as he takes in the amazing landscape while enjoying the speed and freedom. It is the deep breath of relaxation this hard-working man needs.
The pleasures to be found moving through the water is something I discovered a long time ago. I remember breezing along for the first time in a sailboat and thinking that I would never care if I found my way to dry land again. There was nothing stressful about that day. It is a memory of a carefree afternoon.
And a feeling that one can sense in these collections of sailing illustrations:
