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Lexington - Reflections on My Journey by Alan Owens



I have purposely waited most of a week before composing the final entry in my journal describing my travels to and through French Polynesia in order that the most recent impressions and experiences might give way to more of a distillation of the whole of it. 

Running off to the south seas is a childhood fantasy that ranks up there with joining the circus, driving for the Ferrari team and being chief costume-fitter for the Rockettes.  It has always been near the top of my “bucket list”.  I am grateful to Bob, Sam and Karen, crew of the sailing vessel “Lexington” for allowing me share part of their “Adventures in Paradise”.

Having been a life-long travel junkie, I was not surprised by the first of my take-aways from this trip.   It is that in these islands the senses are rewarded by countless strange and beautiful plants and the waters teem with living things of every form and color.  The work of a creator of boundless imagination.

What came as a surprise to me was that my other big impression from this trip was of the remarkable collection of people who are making it.

I am in my late sixties and these people, for the most part, are my contemporaries.  I suppose I expected to see a bunch of 30-somethings taking time out from ocean racing or prettying up the Cote d’Azur, but no, these are my peers out here doing this.

At a time when most people their age are book-clubbing, container gardening or cruising for “early bird specials” in Branson or Myrtle Beach, these folks, by 2’s and 3’s are navigating over 25,000 miles of open ocean, piloting their crafts through reefs, foul weather and commercial marine traffic.  They stand watch 24 hours a day for extended periods.

When they make a landfall they hike, bike, kite-board and dive, often with their near-neighbors on the food chain.  They are their own cooks, first-responders, cruise directors and to a large degree, boat repair technicians.

These are people who have completed their careers, sometimes multiple careers, and have planned, prepared and trained for this enterprise.  They may be through engineering, nursing, selling, consulting or doctoring but they are far from through living and I salute them.




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