Saturday, April 27, 2013

Capt Preedy and his Catamaran in Port Dickson

                                                                                                 Attribution: Jm210279
Image: A Catamaran (here)

Note: 1 Chev introduced the concept of Kamishibai in his CARPE DIEM today.
It’s about a traveling story-teller of old Japan who made his rounds going from
village to village with stories many in the form of a haibun. A haibun is a prose 
together with a set of haiku.

Note: 2 The catamaran we were on was similar as in the picture (complete with
sails) We were given a 20 mins instruction on safety before putting out to sea.
It was very necessary as it was fast and it was open. I had then just been awarded
a Bronze Medallion (here) a life savings medal which made me a qualified
life-saver of the Royal British Life Savings Society, so it was ok for me.

I now wish to recount what a thrilling experience I had through a haibun.

The Prose
This happened many years ago when I was
just a 16-year-old schoolboy. Our school the
Federation Military College was by the sea in
Port Dickson. Capt Preedy who was on the
faculty was a sea-faring naval officer who
owned a catamaran. It was stored in a shed
by the sea-side across the road from us

One Sunday, I was fortunate enough to have
volunteered together with 1 other to help out
at the shed. After completing our chores of
some cleaning and clearing Capt Preedy
decided to take the catamaran out to sea.
Surprises of surprises, the 2 of us were
invited on board. It was such a thrill!

It was as fast as a speedboat depending on
the wind then. It was riskier as it was open.
We could be thrown out into the water so
a life jacket was mandatory.

We were taken for a spin not far from shore for
quite some time (I don’t quite remember how
long now). It was no more a mild sea breeze but
the winds across our faces. Salty sea-water would
splash all over us. It helped cool us off from the
beating hot sun though. I had been on a boat,
a sampan, and a raft (later a kayak at the Outward
Bound School, Lumut)  Take my word, nothing
beats a catamaran! 

The Haiku
Such excitement! A
catamaran ride never
forgotten. Such bliss!

The wind brushing the
cheeks. Wisps of hair in
the face and the eyes

Salt water splashing
every time it hits the waves
It was so thrilling!

Chev's CARPE DIEM with prompt - kamishibai 
Karin's hosting at d'Verse  -  to recall a trip 

18 comments:

  1. oh man...i know that was a blast...what a trip...we used to sail each summer...loved going out...zipping over the water...wind in the hair...very nice hank

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  2. Wonderful enthusiasm - particularly enjoyed first haiku. The story had that freshness of goodness. The paragraph style changed which made me think might bepoetry - nice topic!

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  3. Awesome thrill Hank ... I am not such a hero on waves, but this haibun brought me the feeling of being on the waves. Thank you for sharing.

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  4. Sounds like such a thrill, one I never tried at my hill. But maybe one day, I'll give it a go in a nearby bay

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  5. Very charming! Sounds like great fun. k.

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  6. Hank, it must have been a very special experience if you remember it for all those years! Maybe you need to give this kind of experience another whirl?

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  7. Those kind of memories are worth treasuring.
    Did you do anything like it lateron?
    Haibun is a tempting form. I miss prose when I right poetry.

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  8. What fun to remember Hank ~ I can feel your excitement as you recall the adventure ~

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  9. Kamishibai
    is something
    i must try

    Sailing is the ultimate.Your poem makes me want to go for a sail.

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  10. Sounds great...l love how you finish with the haiku it gives a real sense of the adventure!

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  11. I really enjoyed this as it reminded me of the time I went on a catamaran on Chesapeake Bay, it was so thrilling. You have captured the feeling. Thanks Hank for letting me feel that again.

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  12. oh wow...that sounds awesome...the speed...the wind...water...ah would love to try this one day..

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  13. sounds so exciting - I've never done it. And how well haibun fit to the trip theme.

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  14. I loved sailing when I was younger; you make me want to take it up again. I never had the joy of a catamaran though - that looks like real fun, although the trapeze must take a bit of getting used to.

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  15. Aw 'nothing beats a catamaran' ~ wonderful journey

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  16. I've never sailed on/in a catamaran, but I've had the worst sunburn ever while on a friend's yacht - I didn't realize at the time how the sun reflects so powerfully on the water: I was struck from above and below.

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