Dinghy Sailing Across Europe - Yes, Across: How Travel is a Spiritual Practice

It was absolutely POURING down rain yesterday. It was the kind of day to stay inside by the stove and drink coffee - but as it turns out, I was out and about. Yet that didn't keep me from thinking about summer plans, mind you they were more of the day dream type than any formal preparations. So, it was some surprise to hear on the CBC that the Maritime Providences are soon to open their reservation books for the 2016 summer camp sites. Maybe I'm not so far off.

What really has me thinking about things for a future some day are three events, or maybe I should say an experience of some friends of ours and three books. Last July two couples we know flew to France with their bikes and set about a self-guided bike tour of France. They had a marvelous time! When they got back, I recall pondering if there was a way to ship/fly/take/get an open boat (a sail and oar boat) to a foreign country with you, much like our friends did with their bikes. Then one could explore the coast or try for the canals and rivers, etc.

Now for the books.
The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow by A J "Sandy" Mackinnon relates how Mackinnon found himself sailing from Wales to the Black Sea in his mirror dinghy, Jack de Crow. I started reading this delightful book over Christmas Break and am now almost done with it. (It's a fast enjoyable read, I've just been interrupted by other equally pleasant things).
With his self-depreciating  sense of humor, Mackinnon relates sailing and rowing on the canals of Europe. This doesn't sound unfathomable, and I've known about the canals for some time. I've just never thought about doing this sort of thing in a dinghy before, not that I think I would plan to go in a Mirror, mind.
But what really struck me - and is really the subtopic of this posting - is that he continues to encounter hospitality all along the way.
In essence, people bend over backwards to help him. And mind you, he's traveling through Serbia and Croatia in 1998! The people are rather annoyed (to put it mildly) that Great Britain and the United States have put an embargo upon them. This embargo has meant that they have gone from feeling proud and prosperous as a people, to being poor and feeling dejected and angry. Yet, even here, people help this traveler sailing and rowing a small boat flying a Union Jack.

This reminds me of the second book: Travels with Willey: Adventure Cyclist, byWillie Weir. This was one of the books our bicycling friends happened to have on their coffee table. It looked interesting and I picked it up. A delightful collection of stories/adventures Weir has had upon the road. (See I do read something that don't have to do with the sea and sailing!)
One of the points Weir makes is that people all over the world are friendly, hospitable and eager to get to know others - especially those traveling through. He makes a point of showing how traveling by bike opens doors, where traveling by car, for instance, does not. Having made an physical effort to get somewhere, you are more openly received.

Both of these books are reminders that when we are open to traveling in a way that allows us to be dependent upon others - especially those we encounter - not only does travel remain a spiritual practice (a walking/rowing/sailing/peddling prayer) - but in a sense a political statement as well. For instance, Mackinnon sees first hand how the Croatians and Serbians feel about one another, hears the long history of the people, sees the differences between those in power and the majority who are not in power. Weir relates similar experiences traveling through the countries of Central America. A traveler who interacts with the local population, I believe, cannot but come away with a greater understanding of who others are and how they live. In our world, I cannot think of a more needed practice.

The third book (The Dinghy Cruising Companion by Roger Barnes) might be summed up as a "how to guide" for the open boat / sail and oar crowd. I really should write a separate posting on this and a couple other books in the future. For now I'll just mention that Barnes points out that you don't have to have a large boat to get out and enjoy the water. In fact, I could hear him arguing that a smaller trailer-able boat might just get you into places those with keels cannot go.  He also shows how it doesn't need to be uncomfortable either.

Let me close by encouraging us all to prepare to make explorations out into the wider world - God's First Book. While we do so, may we always be open to the working of the Spirit, seeing with the eyes of our souls.

Blessed be,

Joel