Sailing Above Lobsters
Clifford McKay
Clifford McKay
Cruise for
the summer on a 32' sloop. Navigate in
fog, thick persistent fog. Dodge the
lobster trap floats. Sail alongside
Windjammers. View Maine from a new
perspective, from water level. Visit old
friends who said, "You must come see us in Maine." Meet new friends who welcome you, dripping
wet, and treat you royally. Race on a
Friendship Sloop, the classic work boat of Maine. Cruise for three days with the Ocean Cruising
Club and chat about distant ports. Attend
the Island Institute lectures and learn how complicated it is to distinguish
those "from here" and those "from away." Discover the quiet, determined,
straightforward, Maine character. Anchor
in isolated coves with only starlight above as the fragrance of balsam fills
the air. Feast for the summer on
lobster, wild Maine blueberries and blueberry ice cream. It will be hard to leave.
|
Sailing Above LobstersISBN 978-0-945980-85-8
200 pages Softcover 
Cliff & Bezy---photo by Kraig Johnson
Clifford A. McKay's lifelong apprenticeship in sailing began when he was eleven years old, and he was the first boy to sail the now world famous Optimist Pram in Clearwater, Florida. He sailed a wide variety of boats in the ensuing years. After serving thirty seven years as a Presbyterian Minister, he retired and purchased a thirty-two foot sloop named "Ceilidh," sold his house, furniture and car, and set sail for new adventures afloat. For the next eleven years, he and his wife, Bezy, sailed their Pearson 323 from the Bahamas to Maine, meeting fascinating people, reliving Colonial History, and reveling in the challenges of small boat cruising. He wrote and shared his adventures by e-mail with a wide range of friends and family. He is blessed to be the father of three children and married to a wife who shares his love of sailing. They live in Fort Myers, Florida
Both Clifford and Bezy are commodores in the Seven Seas Cruising Association. He is also a member of the Ocean Cruising Club. His articles on sailing have been published in Southwinds Magazine (Jan, 2010 - May 2012) , and his supplement on the Origin Of The Optimist Pram is included in "History of the Optimist Dinghy 1947 - 2007" by Robert Wilkes. Cliff has a BA from Emory University, a MDiv from Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, VA, and a MA and PhD from Vanderbilt University. He published a theological work for his PhD. I sailed in early Southern Ocean Racing Circuit competition, Midget Ocean Racing competition, the Junior Snipe Nationals and crewed on a racing yacht, returning it from Maui to Seattle. |
