Favorite quotations?

[Jdege]

Like many just getting into sailing, I'm doing a lot of reading. I'm just starting on Andrew Evans' "Singlehanded Sailing" - and I found a quote in the intro that I rather liked:

The purpose of this book is to impart these many, many lessons to interested readers in the form of tips, techniques, and tactics. In some cases I will go into a painful level of detail. My intention is that new singlehanders should not have to go through the trial and error phase that I did. If he or she can learn from my mistakes before they leave the dock, they can push their boat further and create their own, new mistakes.

Any else have any favorite quotations to share?

[nautical62]

While old they certainly have a lot of truth to them:

"Buying your boat will be the second happiest day of your life"

"A boat is a hole in the water into which one throws money"

"The definition of cruising: Doing boat maintenance in exotic locations around the world"


But hey, at least the wind is free, that's something.

[mrohr]

A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married!


H.L. Mencken.......(not a sailor,but maybe still applicable)

...............................luv you all..................mike......................... .............

[boatpoker]

Y'am what Y'am an' thats' all that Y'am - Popeye

[maxingout]

You must know the sea, and know that you know it, and know that it was meant to be sailed upon. Joshua Slocum.

[boatpoker]

The time has come the Walrus said
To speak of many things
Of shoes and ships and sealing wax
and why the sea is boiling hot
and whether pigs have wings

[boatpoker]

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

[CaptTom]

"A Ship in Harbor Is Safe, But that Is Not What Ships Are Built For"
- John A. Shedd

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain

"Nobody on their deathbed has ever said 'I wish I had spent more time at the office'."
- Rabbi Harold Kushner

These have been among my favorites ever since I made the decision to retire early. Tomorrow is my first Monday since retiring!

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

These have been among my favorites ever since I made the decision to retire early. Tomorrow is my first Monday since retiring!

I don't have plans, I have vague intentions. But among my intentions is to arrange my life so that I no longer have Mondays.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Who can't stop and think of Robin Williams in the "Dead Poet's Society" when hearing or reading this Whitman poem?