MATRON VOYAGE_______novice sailor / mature boat

"Permission to come aboard Sir." "Permission granted." "Well Captain, shall we prepare to get underway?" "Tom, could you be the captain today, and me the first mate?" "Okay, but just for today." "Let's start her up." I placed the key in the switch, turned it clockwise and the engine rumbled to life. Under his instruction, I undid the lines, held the bow as the boat backed away from the berth, then jumped aboard at the end of the finger pier. It was five thirty in the morning as Amazing Grace made her way into the evaporating fog of a new day. Tom handed off the tiller to me. "Just hold her steady." Nimbly he untied the mainsail and hoisted it aloft. It just ruffled there until he returned to the tiller and pushed it hard away from him. The boat moved opposite and the sail billowed outward. "We'll motor sail out of the bay." We moved steadily towards the mouth of Kaneohe. Suddenly before us was this mountain of deep blueness. The boat's bow ascended steeply skyward, then crashed down. Seawater rushed over the deck. A rush of terror filled my entire body. "Hang on!" We ran up agains another wall of ocean, and yet another. I had lost my concentration of Tom's maneuvering, but somehow he deliveredus to sailing comfortably. The shoreline was a sight in the distance. "That was incredible Tom." "Nothing to it Matey. She is a fine vessel. Kill the engine and take the tiller, I'll raise the jib." With both sails aloft and filled with wind the boat rolled towards the rail. I could feel the power as a held the tiller. The sun was now shining upon us as we sailed mightily along. "Just hold course." Tom moved to a relaxed position as we passed a small rocky island best with egrets on the port side and Kaneohe Marine base to the starboard. We took leisurely turns at steering. A group of frolicking spinnaker dolphins swam close to the surface alongside and then in dashes took random turns at aerial acrobatics up and over the bow."Wow, how cool is that?" "Yes sir, they are amazing creatures. Always quite a few in these waters." We shared sandwiches and beers for lunch as we passed first Kailua, then Lanikai. A couple of fishing boats passed, the crew members giving the Hawaiian Shaka hand greeting. As we continued more easterly the ocean surface changed. Tom defined the condition as "following seas". The ocean waves were fetching in the same direction as our vessel's heading. Tom took control. "We'll have some tacking to do now." The speed of our forward movement slowed dramatically. We doggedly approached Diamond Head with night upon us. Tom had actually gone the extra mile helping me move this boat. Midnight was the time that we finally tied off at the state loading dock in Ke'ehi Lagoon. Tom's wife was there to drive him back home. "Thank you, man." "No problem, that's what friends are for. Remember to see the Harbor Master in the morning. His office is over there." He pointed to the building. "oh yeah, tell him you know me." "Okay, thanks again. Good night." "See yah." I grabbed a late beer and stared at the stars overhead for awhile. I then went down below and fell asleep to a watery slooching melody.