Chiles and Others Honored by CCA
Last week in New York, three sailors were recognized by the Cruising Club of America for their offshore bona fides. Webb Chiles, Rich Wilson and Jessica Watson were each given an accolade by the nearly 100-year-old CCA. The 76-year-old Chiles, who is attempting his sixth circumnavigation in several stages aboard a Moore 24, was awarded with the Blue Water Medal. Wilson, the only American to complete two Vendée Globes, was given the Special Recognition Award. Watson, who at 16 made a solo, unassisted, nonstop Southern- Hemisphere around-the-world-trip, was honored as a Young Voyager (Watson is now 25)
We wanted to bring you Chiles’ acceptance speech, which we lifted from his blog, www.self-portraitinthepresentseajournal.blogspot.com:
"I have been writing for sixty years. Sailing for fifty years. And published for more than forty. Of all my words, I am confident ten will outlive me. I hope more will . . . A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind, I am certain. [My words] have been used on T-shirts, greeting cards, photographs, paintings, countless websites that collect quotes of sailing and the sea, even an ad for women’s shoes. I don’t understand that one.
"Perhaps in coming years every now and then someone will happen across those words and wonder who Webb Chiles was and find more of my words.
"I am pleased to be here this evening. I am pleased, and a little surprised, to be anywhere this evening. Age 76 and the year 2018 are numbers from science fiction. Though frayed by time, I believe that I am still good, that I am not yet used up, that I can still do more.
"That I have grown old is unexpected. My father and both my grandfathers died before age forty. Yet I who took the greatest risks have now more than doubled their lives. That might have been due to chance, though I do not consider myself lucky. But it also might have been because I planned and I prepared to the extent of my resources. I never did anything at the last minute. And though I took risks, I never took an uncalculated risk."
"Of my circumnavigations I believe that my first, most of my second, and my current sixth, were cutting edge. In each I sought a new experience. I did not want to be like an old rock star forever singing the songs of his youth. I wanted to sing a new song, and I think that Gannet and I have.
"I have owned three great boats. Two of them small: Chidiock Tichborne, an undecked 18-ft Drascombe Lugger yawl; Gannet, an ultralight Moore 24; and Resurgam, a Sparkman and Stephens designed She 36.
"I have great affection for small boats, who if well designed and built can do so much more than most believe possible.
"Eternity is long. Our lives as brief as a butterfly’s cough. I believe that they are redeemed by moments of joy. I have known countless such moments sailing small boats across oceans.
"I thank you for this medal and I wish you sailing joy."
Any thoughts on these outstanding sailors?