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“In the beginning was the word and the word came from Street…. Since 1964 all other guide authors have followed in Street’s and Iolaire’s wake, avoiding the rocks and shoals Street and Iolaire discovered” —Patience Wales, former Editor Sail magazine.
At the Annapolis sailboat show last week I asked Don Street for his opinion about my proposed sailing route, so that’s what I got and I appreciated it. Whatever one thinks of Don’s manner and prolific writing, he is a sailing icon, a genuine cruising pioneer. He sailed with heart, spirit and authenticity, and without all the gadgets and doodads that encourage even the most borderline boaters to venture offshore these days. His (former) engineless yawl, IOLAIRE, is reputedly as sound today as she was 100 years ago thanks to Street’s careful handling, constant upkeep and occasional overhauls. May we all be invited to do book signings and give sailing seminars when we’re 80.
A colorful Don Street autobiography is online at http://www.street-iolaire.com/bio.htm .
Tor
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Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
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Turns out there was another sailing Icon at the show, although of a completely different kind. A couple of my friends ran into Dennis Conner. He's looking to buy a boat (maybe the only one at the show who was).
On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 7:14 AM, Silver Heels < ([email][/email])> wrote:
Quote:“In the beginning was the word and the word came from Street…. Since 1964 all other guide authors have followed in Street's and Iolaire's wake, avoiding the rocks and shoals Street and Iolaire discovered” —Patience Wales, former Editor Sail magazine.
At the Annapolis sailboat show last week I asked Don Street for his opinion about my proposed sailing route, so that's what I got and I appreciated it. Whatever one thinks of Don's manner and prolific writing, he is a sailing icon, a genuine cruising pioneer. He sailed with heart, spirit and authenticity, and without all the gadgets and doodads that encourage even the most borderline boaters to venture offshore these days. His (former) engineless yawl, IOLAIRE, is reputedly as sound today as she was 100 years ago thanks to Street's careful handling, constant upkeep and occasional overhauls. May we all be invited to do book signings and give sailing seminars when we're 80.
A colorful Don Street autobiography is online at http://www.street-iolaire.com/bio.htm .Tor
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Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
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Sailing icon? I’m sure this wasn’t the same Don Street who was hanging around the CA House outside London in 2004. Every approach by another sailor was greeted with a refusal to talk unless he was first provided with a beer (…and he was serious), boat an unseaworthy mess, and very much not a pleasant guy to be around.
Two icons – who are actually sailing long distances, to this day – that I recently met are Eric Forsyth and Jimmy Cornell. Eric’s well past retirement age (by a decade or two) and sailed to both the Arctic and Antatrctic during the past 3 years, yet is down-to-earth and full of great stories about his own misadventures. Perusing his website is well worth some time (http://www.yachtfiona.com) whether for entertainment (read about his 50% success rate in picking crew), education (self-effacing FIONA refurbishing a few years back) or simply to gain an appreciation for some serious sailing and dealing with acceptance in adversity.
The pleasure of talking with Jimmy was to hear him answer this question: ‘If heading into the Pacific, what are the places that simply MUST be visited – the truly special ones out of that vast collection of good destinations?’ It wasn’t just noting the answers (which included Easter Is. and Suwarrow) but listening to (even ‘feeling’) the joy that each of these stops generated. And hey, any guy who has an audience with the Pope as a direct result of his sailing obviously has had a few adventures that extend beyond his own personal pleasures. (His latest is A Passion for the Sea).
I found both these guys to be completely approachable, amazingly humble, and eager to share information that was well worth getting.
Jack
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Hi Jack,
I don't know Jimmy Cornell, but I had the extraordinary pleasure to have dinner with Eric Forsyth last year. He is a good friend of one of my friends. As you say, he is utterly approachable. I had no idea who he was until I went to his site!
As you say, full of stories and always willing to offer good advice. He is the living proof that good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment! I'd sail with him any day (if I didn't have my own boat to sail). During dinner he really encouraged me to stay my course for a long-term cruise!
When I say Don Street at Newport, he looked as uncomfortable as a person could be. Deer in the headlights kind of thing. I also met Tanya Ebi when she returned at the Atlantic City Boat Show and I recognized the look. When you've done that kind of thing all your life, being in a crowd of strangers has to be an awful experience. Hell, I haven't done all that and I think crowds of strangers is a horrible experience!
Bob
PS – did the beer for a story thing work? I mean, I might want to try it.
On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 8:33 AM, Jack Tyler < ([email][/email])> wrote:
Sailing icon? I'm sure this wasn't the same Don Street who was hanging around the CA House outside London in 2004. Every approach by another sailor was greeted with a refusal to talk unless he was first provided with a beer (…and he was serious), boat an unseaworthy mess, and very much not a pleasant guy to be around.
Two icons – who are actually sailing long distances, to this day – that I recently met are Eric Forsyth and Jimmy Cornell. Eric's well past retirement age (by a decade or two) and sailed to both the Arctic and Antatrctic during the past 3 years, yet is down-to-earth and full of great stories about his own misadventures. Perusing his website is well worth some time (http://www.yachtfiona.com) whether for entertainment (read about his 50% success rate in picking crew), education (self-effacing FIONA refurbishing a few years back) or simply to gain an appreciation for some serious sailing and dealing with acceptance in adversity.
The pleasure of talking with Jimmy was to hear him answer this question: 'If heading into the Pacific, what are the places that simply MUST be visited – the truly special ones out of that vast collection of good destinations?' It wasn't just noting the answers (which included Easter Is. and Suwarrow) but listening to (even 'feeling') the joy that each of these stops generated. And hey, any guy who has an audience with the Pope as a direct result of his sailing obviously has had a few adventures that extend beyond his own personal pleasures. (His latest is A Passion for the Sea).
I found both these guys to be completely approachable, amazingly humble, and eager to share information that was well worth getting.
Jack
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Bob Fine
s/v Pelican
Pearson 424 Hull #8Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum
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I was not dissing the guy. I hope I am even around at 80, let alone have the experiences he’s I had. I enjoy reading his books and his writing style. I know a lot of people at the show who listened to his seminar were disappointed because of his off topic ramblings and most of the time he was difficult to understand.
alan— On Sat, 10/17/09, Silver Heels <> wrote:
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Street’s an old timer now, and always was idiosyncratic. Still, he did pave the way, cruising and crossing oceans before most other people and in an admirably traditional, seamanlike manner. I new Tristan Jones, too. Now there’s a guy that could piss off anyone he didn’t care for in a New York minute, and he made up outrageous stories and passed them off as fact. But that doesn’t change the fact that he did some incredible things on and with sailboats. Not all of our cruising forefathers were pleasant or politically correct at all times.
As for Don demanding a beer for a chat, I can understand why he’d sometimes feel fed up with people wanting a piece of him. Anyway, my own experiences meeting him on several occasions over the years have all been positive. He has always been friendly and helpful to me. Maybe he just didn’t like that guy at the CA in London.
Tor
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Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
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I can't wait to be a crusty old cruiser! I think I have the non-politically correct part down. I just have to get a few (or few hundred) thousand sea miles under my belt!
As it is, I'm a junior curmudgeon.
On a serious side, though, I suspect you're correct Tor – the press of people can get very tiring and the desire to get away can be great. It's why I didn't approach him at the show – he looked so pained by the crowds that I couldn't bring myself to do much more that say, “Hi!”
Bob
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Bob Fine
s/v Pelican
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Offshore sailors are sometimes more comfortable with themselves or in one-on-one situations than they are with crowds. This is equally true of those who achieve a bit of celebrity through their writing. Certainly there are exceptions – no doubt Eric Forsyth and Jimmy Cornell are as personable as Jack said they are – but it is not necessarily the rule.
As you say, Bob, it remains to be seen what we’ll be like when we grow up.
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I CC’d Don Street with the email I sent to this group. He just wrote back (below). Thought I’d share it.
Tor
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Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
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