A SEA OF MEMORIES - Part 2

[DaCruzNut]

"A SEA OF MEMORIES"

PART 2 - ROOTS

(Copyright 2002-Jeffrey R. Stern)

Although I didn’t realize it at the time, the seeds of my love of ships, the sea and cruising were planted in my early childhood.

I lived in a community, at the tip of Coney Island, called Sea Gate, which jutted out into Gravesend Bay and Upper New York Harbor. My room was on the upper floor of a house that was directly across the street from the Norton’s Point Lighthouse, and the beacon that guides ships in and out of New York Harbor. To this day, the lighthouse remains active. My bedroom window faced to lighthouse, and the open sea just beyond it. I was about eight years old, when we lived there, and was filled with the wonder that only a boy that age could feel. I would sit at my window, at night, and watch the lights of the ships, tankers, and other craft, move in and out of the harbor. It was many years before I found out that not everyone’s bedroom glowed red…then, white…then, red…then…well, you get the idea.

Norton's Point Lighthouse

Sea Gate, Brooklyn, NY

Author's childhood home

can be seen at far left.

What I did know was that I never tired of sitting at my window and watching the classic liners come into, and, then, leave the harbor. And, what an amazing list of ships it was; the United States and America; the Queen(s) Elizabeth and Mary; Cristoforo Colombo; Isle de France, and later the France; the Independence and Constitution; and, oh, so many more.

When we watched the floating palaces leave for Europe, from the beach, there was no problem. However, when they returned, they threw a wake to the port (right) side of the ship that would take about ten, or fifteen, minutes to make its way to shore; just enough time for the lifeguards to clear everyone out of the water and direct them to the rear of the beach. Then the wave would hit, and work its way up the beach. Then three, or four, more. It wasn’t the wave that was a large problem, but the undertow it created. Quite a feat for something a mile, or so, away…. Power, to match the beauty.

Then, there were the Sunday drives, to visit relatives in the Bronx, or New Jersey, when my dad would drive up the West Side Highway, and past the New York Piers. Driving above the streets of Manhattan, on the elevated grandstand, with a clear view of the classic liners, close up. So close, that they each filled your entire field of view, as you passed. Giant buildings; part of the New York skyline; but, these floated and moved….

After having spent the better part of my life on the beach, I reached a point where the beach, itself, held no special allure for me. For many years, now, I have seen no reason to go to the beach, put on suntan oil, have sand blow all over you, and wind up looking, and feeling, like a baked breaded veal cutlet.

On the other hand, I have to live close enough to the ocean so that I can see it any time I want to. Never, under any circumstances, more than a half-hour drive away….

This held true, many years later, when we moved to Miami. Only now I had, not only ocean, but palm trees, and all the things that make this a tropical paradise.

I worked on Miami Beach and had to take the McArthur Causeway to work every day. For those of you who don’t know, and that’s close to everybody, the McArthur Causeway is the roadway that parallels the Port of Miami and connects downtown to Star Island, Palm Island, Hibiscus Island and, ultimately, South Beach. It is obvious that, as clearly as you can see the causeway from the ships, you can watch the ships from the causeway.

Ships, and the sea, have always been a part of my life. Like so many things, they were so close that I didn’t, really, see them.

Times and circumstances changed. Cruising had, suddenly, reached the point where it was probable to think that, someday, It would be me, on the deck of a ship, sitting on a lounge chair and drinking a frozen thingee. Of course, I didn’t know they were called “frozen thingees, at the time.

(Y’know, ‘spell-check’ can be a real pain in the butt; It never heard of a “thingee….â€Â)

I would drive to-and-from work, passing a line-up of one ship after another… My heart would beat just a little bit faster, as I thought, “Someday, Jacki and I will be looking down at the causeway, from the deck of one of those ships, and be waving to the poor guy driving to, or from, work.â€Â

And so, the stage was set. I was about to break down and take the plunge, not figuratively (hopefully).

For years, my travel agent had tried to talk me into taking a cruise. Living in Miami, I thought that was a stupid idea. After all, if I wanted to spend my whole vacation lying by a pool, feeling trapped and confined, I could stay home, lie next to my pool and not leave the house.

Fate, however, had other plans for me. A “super special deal,†from Carnival, for a September sailing, in 1989, and I had no choice. With the travel agent in one ear, and Jacki in the other, I found myself booked on the Holiday, for a seven-day cruise to the Western Caribbean.

Great! A week, trapped on a tiny ship, in the middle of the Caribbean. Nothing to do, but listen to some island “locals†beat on old steel oil cans…. And, dress up, every night, for dinner, and then go to some stuffy lounge and see some crappy show, with off-key singers and clumsy dancers. Worst of all, I had to pay or this!

And, so, it began….

[Shari2]

Jeff...what an interesting childhood you had! Thanks for sharing..I'll be waiting for more of the story!

[GottaCruz]

It must have been so exciting to live there. I really enjoyed reading this. I'm looking forward to reading more. :cool:

[DaCruzNut]

Part 3 of A Sea of Memories has now been posted….

[DaCruzNut]

A SEA OF MEMORIES – PART 4: ‘FIRST THERE’S THE FOOD,â€Â

HAS NOW BEEN POSTED…..

[DaCruzNut]

“A SEA OF MEMORIESâ€Â

PART 5 – SHOOTING THE DICE

.

HAS NOW BEEN POSTED…….