The view from the water is an amazing sight. I’ve never been to outer space, but I would liken sights from the sea to those of Earth from outer space. In the words of Roger B Chaffee, U.S. Astronaut reardging seeing Earth from afar: “The world itself looks cleaner and so much more beautiful. Maybe we can make it that way—the way God intended it to be—by giving everybody that new perspective from out in space.”
I enjoyed a dinner cruise to nearby Fox Island yesterday and although the vessel that powered us out to Fox Island is not at all like a sail boat, I was still blissfully aware of how much more beautiful the city, dare I say the world seemed as we motored away from it. Funny that, isn’t it? Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder. As we cut through the water passing an otter, a breaching humpback whale and a puffin, I was easily reminded of the joys of sailing and the places and spaces the water can introduce you to, an introduction like none other. That’s the beauty of the blue beyond, you can sail into it and be lost in it, surrounded by sky and water and feel almost like you’re in some other galaxy. No land, no vessels, no wild life…and just when it seems like the blue is a never-ending expanse with nothing more to offer, you happen upon a lonely seagull or are greeted by a wandering whale or the sky opens up and the sun shines and it feels like it’s shining just for you. On the ocean there are these wonderful opportunities to experience life anew, to pick up something that can be so easily lost in the day-to-day movement and merriment of our landbound lives. I enjoy the comforts, adventures and challenges of living on land, but am grateful for the opportunity that a whole new galaxy is just a sail boat away.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this blog is giving you the perspective from outer space, but it is our hope that as you journey with us and entertain our perspective of the things we’ve seen and experienced that perhaps you all experience a bit of the beauty of the world, as Roger Chaffee suggests: “as God intended it to be”.
Voyage update:

Empiricus is now well into the NorthWest Passage. Having entered Canadian waters early last week the crew remains in good spirits, enjoying the view from the top of the globe. Crew member Will Watson writes of the majesty of the ocean: “The other day we saw approximately 300 whales, 50 Bow head whales and 250 Belugas.  I never thought a sight like that was possible.”

 Empiricus and crew have sailed strong and hard, encountering adverse winds that required anchorage at Herschel Island for a few days. Now, rested and with favorable winds, they continue on to Tuktoyaktuk where you will likely have an update from the captain that will surely include fun photos and exciting details of the journey thus far.
As always, thank you for sharing in our adventure!