The Vow

I graciously waited for their embrace to end…  I waited, and waited, but they wouldn’t stop hugging and crying in each other’s arms. 

I couldn’t wait to see the reaction in Bill’s face, the moment I was waiting for this entire trip, but they just stood there rocking  gently back and forth as they held one another.

Time passed… then I thought: how can I possibly change the mind of an 83 year old man with a picture… Was this “moment” for Bill, or was it really for my sake…  While pondering these things I realized yet something else: Captain Raymond sacrificed exactly the same way I did to go help this man, but he had no picture to prove any point at all.   Did that make my sacrifice greater than his…

Finally, I surrendered to what I knew to be the truth; I do know my place, and indeed, I was placed here to serve this man, not because of the color of my parents skin, but because I have Emanuel’s blood flowing through my veins, and He is the servant of all… So I said nothing and began to walk away.

Bill finally kissed Rose, wiped away his and her tears, then came to me.   His chin quivered as his eyes flooded once again.

“You…” He said with a profound pause, “You are my blood brother forever!…”

I smiled and said: “I AM…”

“Not to change gears on y’all, but we really need to get focused on gett’n these he’a vessels ready rabbi.”   Reminded Captain as Bill and his Rose drove away.

We worked under the hot sun for several days making last minute repairs, and loading up the boats for the journey that was nearing quickly by every moment.

“We have seen your web page, and also Rabbi Peters web site, and we feel strongly that we are being led to join you in your mission to Haiti.”   Came a young man’s voice over Captains phone.   Sure enough, several days later, a beautiful young couple showed up and stayed several days on La Victoire, one of captain’s boats.

Loving them was easy.  They were on fire for the things of G-d and ready to embrace whatever adventure He set before them.   They had tried to purchase one of Captain’s vessels, but were unable to come up with the necessary funds.  We all began looking to find them a vessel they could afford so they could come with us on this journey.

“Captain!” Came a voice over the Captain’s phone, a voice I had not heard before,  “…I have special ops intel on a civilian vessel suitable for those kids! Have them meet me in Marathon City Marina at o nine hundred sharp this Monday. Gotta go, this line might be tapped… Out!”

The intrigued look on my face must have said it all…   “Oh Rabbi…” explained the Captain, “That’s Rambo Ray.   I’ll have to tell you about him some other time.” 

To be continued

An 83 year old couple was sailing on they’re way to Belize to enjoy the rest of their golden years.   In the middle of the journey Rose, Bill’s high school sweetheart of 65 years, came down with an mysterious heart illness.   Devastated, frightened, and with his dream shattered, Bill was left sailing his sailboat with one other crew member, hoping to find a place where he could dock and sell his boat.   The crew member abandoned Bill at a refueling stop, and he was left alone and stuck.

Rose called Captain Raymond desperate and in tears.  

“Rabbi, we ain’t got time for this’hea foolishness!   We need these vessels ready to go, and I mean yesterday!!!   Is what’is!
Is this’hea mess our responsibility? NO!… Is this Bill feller go’n make it?” Captain swiped his hands together and threw them up in the air, “…don’t know.  What do you do?…”

“Well…” I answered in my poor attempt to sound like a southerner, “I reckon wee’s gonna go and rescue Bill’s behind…”

“Alright, let’s  grab a bag and get goi’n!” He answered without hesitation. “If all goes well, we should have him home in one or two days.”

Incidentally, Rose and Bill were strangers to us, but seeing their terrible predicament moved our hearts and we couldn’t look the other way.

A 24 hour weather window opened, and we drove to meet Bill and sail him home.  As soon as we arrived, that 24 hour window closed, and we were stuck with Bill for five days going nowhere.  

It is difficult to spend so much time in close quarters with some one, without getting to hear their view on what’s wrong with the world.   Bill was a loaded gun carrying confederate, wearing a confederate cavalry hat.   He were a loan star pin on his lapel and flew a very proud confederate flag off the stern of his boat.

We waited and waited, then finally there was a weather break and we pushed away from the dock.

“The problem is…” Explained Bill, “…they let trouble makers into office, then all these damn inferiors get all riled up and forget their place.   They forget they were put here to serve… But the worst of it all is, when these blacks and whites interbreed. what on earth do you call what comes out?… Damn molatto half breeds!”

Captain glanced at me…  I chuckled “Boy don’t I know it!  You better keep your eye on these damn molattos…” I responded with a cheer, as I raised my glass for a toast then downed what was left of my wine.  On that very moment, I vowed in my heart to find an opportune time to reveal who I was.

“So, where are you from?” Asked Bill, taking a break from explaining the world’s problems.

“Well… where I’m from is not that important.   What is important is that I know my place, and I was placed in this world to serve.   So… here I am, at your service.” I smiled as I continued navigating his boat.

“No, seriously…” Bill asked with intrigue.

“Seriously!…” I assured him with a smile. 

Bill waited for an answer.  

“Ok, if you must know…” I proceeded.   Captain’s face looked serious all of a sudden.

“I am a ‘Lisbeon’… I was born in Lisbon… That makes me a lisbeon, right?…”

We all busted out laughing…   “Haaaa, HA, HA, HA… Who would imagine…” Laughed the Captain as he attempted to speak while he rolled laughing.  “A hard core confederate having his vessel  commandeered by a lesbian, Haaaa, Haaaa, HA, HA, HA…”

We all laughed till our belies were sore and our eyes were wet with tears…

Our journey finally came to an end as we brought Bill’s boat to the place where he would be able to sell it, and I did get to hear much more about Bill’s opinion of the races of the world.   And yes, I would be able to describe his opinion in great and colorful detail, if for no other reason then simply uncover someone’s ignorance.   But there is one thing I am not properly able to describe; and that is the moment when Rose limped as best as she could with her arms outstretched to Bill.   He ran and held her in his arms…

At that very moment I remembered the vow I made to my self.  This had to be the moment where I was to reveal my identity and show Bill a picture of my Mom and Dad…

To be continued

Some time later, another heavy metal door opened, and a guard came through escorting the Captain’s daughter. The guard handed her to the Captain and walked back through the door shutting it with a forceful bang behind him.

It was touching to see a side of Captain not often seen, as he briefly held his daughter in his arms. Quickly after, we got in the car and drove off.

As I prepared myself for the long journey back I pondered, how could a simple piece of paper carry so much weight…

“That paper?!…” I asked.

“Oh… this he’a paper is a letter from our county Judge who knows the work I’ve done in Haiti. It is an order to have my daughter released to me and placed in my custody until her court date.”

This was profound to me; 30 years of binding wounds, comforting the broken hearted, feeding the hungry, shining the Light in places of darkness… 30 long years of setting the captive free, granted Captain Raymond the favor of a Judge, releasing his daughter into his care with one single piece of paper.

Suddenly the long ride back from Texas to Steinhatchee Florida was not so long at all. Every mile that past by, I was reminded that our reward is not found at the end of some journey. The reward is the journey. And the step across the finish line, if that step should ever come, will be a step like any other step: amazing and even inspiring to those who are spectators, but common to those who have been running.

We arrived at Steinhatchee and I was delighted to get back to finalizing some last minute preparation to continue our journey. Three, maybe four more days tops, and we would be under sail heading toward blue waters…

“…Captain PLEASE!!! he’s 83 years old, his crew abandoned him, and he is all alone out there… Please, please, please help us.” Came a weeping voice over Captain’s rooster phone.

“Gaaaaalee Rabbi!!! Maaa gash!!! We don’t have time for this! We need to be fixi’n to sail on outa’hea, and I mean like now!…”

To be continued

I readjusted myself on the seat looking for a comfortable position while Captain drove leaning over to adjust the bluegrass station on the radio.    Miles and miles of road passed by.   Somehow,  instead of heading to Haiti on our sailboat, I was in a rent-a-car  heading to Texas…

“It happened at a prayer meeting just last week…”  shared the Captain, with all the time in the world to tell the story in  full detail.   “…someone felt led to pray over me and anoint me with oil on behalf of my daughter.   She has been missing for about three years…”  

Apparently, his daughter’s children had been placed in the custody of Captain  and his wife, some three years back, due to the father’s violent behavior.   In a passionate desperation that may best be understood by moms, Captain’s daughter “kidnapped” her own children and disappeared, not to be seen or heard from again.   Now suddenly, days after a small Holiness Baptist congregation began praying over and anointing Captain Raymond in her stead, she reappeared in Mexico.

“Dad, I don’t care what happens to me,  please help me.   I’m very sick… I want to come home!”  The Captain shared her  words with tears in his eyes.

As it were, the moment she appeared at the US border, she was immediatly taken into custody.   When they realized she was very sick, they placed her in solitary confinement, concerned that her illness may be contagious.   There she was, alone waiting for a date to be extradited to a Florida jail and again wait for a court date to stand trial.  Other than coming to encourage her, I was not sure what else we were there for.

We finally arrived.   There was a tall fence with razor wire wrapped above it.   We drove slowly past a tall tower where armed guards watched us pull in to an uninviting parking lot.    Inside, we walked past many people who were waiting hopelessly for a small moment of time to speak with a loved one on the inside.   At the end of an endless waiting room sat a guard with a blank unfriendly stare behind a thick bullet proof glass wall.   Captain handed him a sheet of paper through a slot.  The guard frowned with a perplexed look.   He then got up and showed it to several other guards, who appeared just as perplexed… 

“I’ve never seen anything like this…”  Said one of the guards as he scratched his head staring at the sheet of paper.   This guard appeared higher in rank to the others.   

“What is this?…” He asked while holding up the paper in his hand.

“If you will read it over, it will be self explanatory…” Assured the Captain with a soft, yet confident tone.

“I know what it says!…” Replied the frustrated guard,  “…Where did you get this?!…”

“Sir, if you will just look at that there bottom… it is signed…” Pointed out the Captain.

Shaking his head the guard walked off with the paper, disappearing behind a large scratched metal door.  

We waited for several long hours, and none of the other guards responded when the Captain asked for an update, other then instructing him to sit and wait.  

Finally, the battery on my phone died, right in the middle of a very important soccer game, where I was beating Brazil by two goals with ten minutes left to play…  Frustrated, bored, and hot, I excused myself and went outside for a walk.   Frustrated, board, hot, and full of mosquito bites, I returned to the waiting room some time later.

The big scratched metal door eventually reopened and the high raking guard returned with the piece of paper.  “Yah, It’s legitimate…” He mumbled to the other guards…

To be continued

We walked inside and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Before me was the largest and most elaborate metal work shop I had ever seen. Shelves stocked to the ceiling with all types of metals, metal lathes, torches, rig welders, high-pressure metal presses, and other heavy tools I have no idea what to even call. One of these tools had the ability to punch squares or round holes through any thickness of metal with one touch of a button.

“You know why I got this machine?” Asked the man as he demonstrated by punching a hole through a thick piece of metal. “Because drilling holes through metal is a boring job… Ha ha ha ha…” He laughed without the slightest concern that he had forgotten to put on his teeth for the day.

This was Doug Black, a true old school master of metal work. Doug brought out a dusty old album and proceeded to show me many pictures of his creations. Back in his day, Doug specialized in designing spiral stair cases. He was also a pioneer in mountain climbing rescue , and was instrumental in the design of climbing hardware now widely used.

I was amazed. Not only did he do incredible work but he even invented and designed tools to facilitate and install his beautiful artwork. Although it was clear that Doug was battling with dementia or perhaps Alzheimer’s, in his element, Doug’s mind was beautiful and sharp, and his memory was perfect.

From that day on, we became friends. Then we became friends again the next day, and the following as well… I laughed at the “screw and paper clip” joke each time he told it, as if it was the first time I heard it.

Eventually, all the elaborate metalwork I needed done was complete, but far more important then that, I made a wonderful new friend.

It makes me wonder: Can anyone ever be fairly judged?…

When Passover came, we invited Doug and his wife, along with several other friends to come celebrate with us on Aleph Tav.

Doug could not remember what the celebration was, but every day after, he would say: “Hey, that thing we did the other night on that guys boat… wow… that was the greatest thing I have ever done. I will never forget it…”

As the days passed, we neared our departure date with great anticipation and excitement.

“Rabbi!!! It’s My daughter!!!” Called Captain on the phone; his voice sounded concerned and excited, “My daughter has been found!!! Praise Adanaya! We have to go to Texas right away…”

To be continued

It was the voice of Captain Raymond guiding us through the canal and welcoming us to Steinhatchee.

Steinhatchee…

What can be said of Steinhatchee:  Quiet, peaceful, simple, friendly, and besides the overpopulation of gnats, it was quite The perfect place for us to rest from a very long winter journey, And finish the projects we did not have time to before leaving Rhode Island.   One of the major projects we had to tackle was finishing Setting up Aleph Tav to become a catch, instead of a sloop rig.  Simply put, we had to change the rigging on the boat from a one mast vessel to a two  masted vessel, As it was originally designed.   This would require the assistance of a pretty elaborate metal machine shop.  But where would I find such thing in Steinhatchee…

As I walked up the ramp from the dock we were anchored to, there was an old man leaning against the rail.   He had a well worn captains hat, his eyes were somewhat droopy, and his belt buckle was pulled well  above his waistline.

“Hey, do you know the difference between a screw and a paperclip?” he asked under his bushy mustache.

“Excuse me?…”  I responded having been taken somewhat by surprise.

“I don’t know either, I have never been paper clipped before… Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha…”  He laughed as if he had heard the joke for the first time.

“Ha… I get it, that’s funny…”  I acknowledged with a smile then Continued walking.

“Don’t you want to know how I am feeling?…”  He asked as I Walked past him.

“Well, how are you feeling?” I asked as I turned around.

“I am feeling about as good as a centipede with athletes feet… ha ha Ha ha ha… By the way, would you like to see the projects I’m working on?”

I smiled and excused myself. “If you don’t mind, I need to use the restroom.”

I took my time in the restroom hoping the old man would find somewhere else to go, but to my surprise, half an hour later he was still there waiting for me.

“Hey, there’s someone living in that boat right now, they may still be sleeping…  Are you a friend or a relative of them?”  The old man asked as I made my way down the ramp.

“No… I’m the person living on the boat!” I responded somewhat confused.

“Oh… Well… Do you know the difference between a screw and a paperclip?…”

I stared at him for a bit then answered: “I’ve never been paper clipped before?…”

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha…” His eyes wrinkled as he laughed.  

Enjoying the privacy of our tinted windows, I looked outside to see what the man would do next;  he just would not leave.

He hung around the boat tugging on our dock lines and tapping our bumpers with his cane.

It was clear to me I was not going to be able to tackle some of the outside metalwork projects, So I entertained myself with a few things that needed to be done on the inside.  Eventually,  the man did leave but I’m not exactly sure when.

After having gotten a wonderful nights rest, we woke up to the humming motor of a fishing boat heading out the Steinhatchee river.   I jumped off the boat onto the dock excited about all the projects I would get to do this day.   

“Hey…  What’s the difference between a screw and a paperclip?”  

“Oh no…” I thought, there he was again.   “What is the difference between a screw and a paperclip?”  I asked as if this had not happened before…

“I don’t know, I have never been paper clipped before… Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha…  Hey, would you like to come see the project I’m working on?”

Once again, I excused my self and headed to the restroom for yet another prolonged stay, for no apparent reason as the old man was patiently waiting for me… 

This went on for weeks and I was very frustrated as I was unable to tackle the important metal projects I needed to complete.

One day I was so tired, I sat at a dilapidated picnic table near the dock.   A small tree barely shaded the area, but it was the only tree near by so I sat under it’s speckled shade, enduring the old man’s repeated corny jokes.

“Hey, would you like to come see the project I’m working on?” Asked the old man.

To hot and to tired to care, I said “…sure”

The man grunted as he leaned on his cane to get up.   We walked slowly across the street where he lived in a little square brick house with a tin roof.   Inside, next to some rain jackets there was an old board with various keys hanging on rusty nails.  He grabbed one of the keys and lead me on a small path behind his house.  In front of us was a very large square building.   The man put the key in the lock, turned the knob, and lead me inside…

To be continued

Sometimes ignorance is truly bliss.    Andre did come out of the murky waters Probably holding a huge knot of rope that he successfully cut out of the prop.  We slept perfectly well that evening, And it wasn’t until the next day, when he began to see alligators on the shores of Okeechobee lake that Andre began to freak out…  It took us several days to calm Andre down, And I have often wondered what those alligators thought when they saw Andre jumping in the water…   Perhaps they thought “this is way too good to be true, it’s got to be a trap”… Or perhaps: “I am not messing with anything crazy enough to jump into the water at night with a bunch of alligators…”   Or perhaps the alligators were just sleeping, But one thing I know,  we finally reached the other side of The Okeechobee where we entered the gulf of Mexico.   The waters were a turquoise blue and we were greeted by Dolphins Who played in our wake for many  miles.  

“Hey, are you the Lisa that’s married to Peter?”, came a question on Lisa’s Facebook.    It was  an old friend of ours from when we had met at summer camp.   We  hadn’t heard from Juan for over 30 years.   He just so happened to live in Tampa Florida which was our next scheduled stop.

“The trees have beautiful colors and I hear the wind as it blow through the leaves. Birds sing and I can hear every song, the smells, the sounds… life is so real and so beautiful such a wonderful gift from God”…   Juan described life after having gone through major heart surgery.   We didn’t spend any more time than a pleasant dinner date allows but I was reminded of something I’ve always known but often forget:  Life has countless treasures hidden in plain view,   But unless you stop for a moment, the treasures are impossible to find.

We made our way up the Gulf coast of Florida and eventually reached the first goal of our journey.

“Y’all be sure to bring her wide round that first marker; waters round here are pretty shallow.   Welcome to Steinhatchee, Rabbi…”, Came a sweet familiar voice over the radio.

To be continued

Slowly… Very slowly… The leaning Aleph Tav approached the Mayaka bridge.   With one hand on the helm and the other on the gear lever, I watched and listened, ready to throw the engine in reverse, while every one stood like statues gazing up.

At the point where we would have made contact, instead of a bang, or a scrape, there was perfect silence.  We slipped perfectly under the bridge with about an inch or so to spare.   For a breathtaking 40 seconds, every cable, rope, and pulley held Aleph Tav at an angle till she cleared the other side of the bridge.   The shouts of joy would have been heard far away, if there would have been some one there to hear them.

I made my way to the main mast with my heart still pounding and ucleated the crane line. The hours it took for us to lean this large vessel over, were swallowed up in one second as the mast sprang straight up. In that moment, some 8 to 10 days of extra travel simply vanished.

Amazing how much a person can gain by leaning down toward something that could have been abandoned long ago…

We radioed the Port Mayaka lock to request passage into the Okeechobee lake, about 15 minutes before they closed for the evening.

“… You are welcome to stay in the safety of the canal till we open tomorrow morning.”  Offered the friendly lock operator over the radio.

“Thank you, but we would rather be on the other side of the lock.” I responded.

The lock gates slowly opened, allowing us to enter the Okeechobee lake.   I don’t exactly know why we had to spend the evening on the other side of the lock, but the joy of seeing that wide open water was difficult to describe, and nothing, and I mean nothing, could rob me of that joy…

“Captain, your welcome to tie off to one of those dolphins if your going to spend the night.”   said the lock operator over the radio.

A dolphin is a group of posts wrapped with a large cable.  There are usually several dolphins in a row serving as bumpers to guide large vessels into a narrow waterway.   I had never heard of such thing; tying off to a dolphin.   Why would anyone do that?…

“… Come again???”   I asked over the radio.

“The dolphins.  You may tie your vessel to any one of the dolphins out there.”    Responded the lock operator.

“You want me to tie my vessel to a dolphin?…”  I asked, making sure I was hearing correctly.

“Yes Captain, things are pretty laid back here, as long as your planing to head out in the morning.”

“Okay… Thanks!?…” I responded, and with that, I headed to one of the dolphins.

Suddenly we all leaned forwards as Aleph Tav came to a stop and sprang backwards …

Did I say “nothing” could rob my joy?…

Well, that is true, but I had no problem tossing it right out the hatch in a split second, the moment I realized what had just happened.   A five inch thick dock rope left behind by some old barge, snagged our propeller beneath the murky waters.   What was to be a sweet, restful, and very rewarding evening was now completely ruined.

“Why!!! Why!!! WHY!!!” I ranted, “What kind of an idiot tells some one to tie a boat to a stupid dolphin?????!!!” I continued in my torment.

“CAN SOME ONE PLEEEEEASE TELL ME WHY!!!! WHY!!! WHY????”  I demanded as if some one would have an answer to the question…

“Idiot!!! Idiot!!! I-DI-OOOOOOT!!!!!!” I continued without reprieve.

“Lock operator” I radioed, “…be advised there is a line hanging off one of the dolphins that may be a water hazard.  Once we are free, we will dispose of it for you. Have a great evening.”

‘Oh if I could only figure out how to feel as pleasant as I sounded over the radio…’ I thought.

Seeing my distress, Andre felt lead to rescue the situation.   Starring into the murky water with his bathing suit and a long sleeve shirt he explained: “It’s not the cold water, it’s what’s in it… I swear; if a monster gets me, I’m gonna kill it!!!”

“Andre!” I encouraged, “are you kidding me?…  Monsters?… Be serious and stop being a wimp!   I would do it, but I can’t stand getting wet…”

“Dad!!!” He complained touching the soupy water with his big toe, “I won’t even see it coming!!!”

“Andre, this is ridiculous, we are in a lake… A LAKE!!! for goodness sake, get in the water and cut that stupid rope!”

“I’ll save you Andre…” Comforted mom while holding a spot light into the water.

After much coaxing, Andre vanished under the water, then sprang up the step ladder screaming: “I SWEAR, if something touches me I’m gonna freak!!!”

“Andre!…” I continued to encourage, and I use the word “encourage” loosely.  “This is so dumb!!! First an idiot lock operator tells me to tie the boat to a stupid dolphin, then my son thinks there’s a monster in the water… COME ON!!!!!”

At that Andre vanished again…

Some time later, we got a call from Captain Raymond who was exited to hear about our accomplishment of getting Aleph Tav under the Mayaka bridge.    As soon as I told him that our prop had gotten stuck on a thick dock line once we entered lake Okeechobee, he interrupted;  “Rabbi, that there lake is infested with gators and water moccasins.  Y’all are gona have to free that there line with out goi’n in the water…”

To be continued

With hatches wide open, and screens installed,  it was clear we had finally escaped the grip of the coldest winter in years.   What a sweet blessing it was to enjoy watching majestic trees with Spanish moss hanging from their branches, palm trees leaning over the lazy flowing waterway, and all sorts of wild life.   The water rolled smoothly beneath us and now, the only challenge we had was time;  the time it would take to travel from northern Florida on the Atlantic side, to northern Florida on the gulf.

We spent a couple of days visiting my parents who live right in our path in palm coast, then continued on down and spent some time with captain Keith and his wife.

“…we had received an amazing donation; two large barges full of small prefab homes for Haitian families who have been living in tarp shacks since the earthquake.   We also had tons of food and many other supplies.   As we were traveling past Cuba, we had difficulty with our engines and drifted with in 3 miles of the coast; Cuban waters.

Immediately, the Cuban authorities boarded us and towed us to land.  Sitting there at gunpoint, we heard them argue among themselves as we watched every last item in the barges piled up in trucks disappear.

We were accused of some kind of illegal international trading and then we were put in prison for weeks.    After 40 days, we were finally released. Having lost everything, we were simply happy to be free, so we could start over again.”

This was one of the many stories captain Keith and his wife shared with us. They have sailed humanitarian aid to Haiti for over 40 years.

Here we were, amazed and still stunned by some of the things we had experienced since we embarked on this mission, then we came across these seasoned veterans who had experienced “storms” and suffered losses far greater then what we could ever imagine. Yet they smiled as if it was all just another day in the park, and treated us as if we were the ones worthy of honor…

One of the more profound things we have come to realize in this journey is how truly small and insignificant we are.  This is something we all have known, and even spoken in conversation, but out here, it isn’t a knowing, or something you talk about; it is an ever present reality, and it is beautiful, for from this place of insignificance, there is no one to disappoint… no one to impress… there is simply an awareness that we are in the palm of a hand far greater then the furthest ends of the universe.   From that place we can do anything, and take credit for nothing…

On we sailed southward.   I had done much research on a little known water passage across the state of Florida called the Okeechobee  waterway.  This passage would save us 8 to 10 days of traveling around the entire lower coast of Florida.   Again, as it had been with other passage ways, the information on this crossing was speckled with question marks.   Water depths ranging from 5ft to 12ft, unkept sandbar areas, locks that may be closed for repairers, etc… In all, the most challenging obstacle looming deep at the center of the Okeechobee waterway was the Mayaka bridge.    Mayaka is an old and rare railroad lift bridge in the middle of the waterway just before entering the Okeechobee lake.   Fully lifted, it has a height of 50(+/-) feet.   50ft we understood, but what was this (+/-) measurement? Decisions, decisions…

With a 50ft tall mast, we decided to enter the Okeechobee waterway…

To be continued