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THE RETURN OF THE Galilee

by Judi McLeod
June 23, 1999

Early June found me in beautiful Muskoka where I accompanied a friend who was repairing the grand old boat of a mutual acquaintance. Humid days were spent on the dock while he worked long hours restoring The Galilee to her original dignity and splendour.

The sounds of water lapping against the hull, of playful winds making the wooden docks creak called my thoughts to faraway oceans and exotic ports of call.

The number and variety of other boats surrounding the Galilee, a 32-foot cabin cruiser, are testimony to the undeniable lure of the water.

Boats with names like the Pangia, Blythe Spirit and As Good As It Gets were waltzing to the tune of capricious winds.

Our friend who owns The Galilee is an erudite man of the cloth. "Jesus loved the water," he says about the choice of his boat’s name.

There are certainly a lot of characters among those who anchor at Indian Head Harbour. "Top of the morning to you," said the 80-something-year-old captain as he stepped sprightly onto the dock on his way to a shopping escapade in nearby Bracebridge.

The captain of the Galilee explained that there is no other way to compare the freedom one feels when barbecuing a steak in the moonlight for his family, somewhere out in the middle of Lake Muskoka.

Between stints with the hammer and sander, my friend and I hosed each other down with lake water from a garden hose to escape the oppressive heat.

With the sound of hammering in the background, I got to daydreaming about the ocean-plying vessels of the Nova Scotia coast.

In Halifax, the forlorn sound of the foghorn is never far away. Like the churchbells that toll the hours in other towns and cities, the cry of the foghorn is commonplace. And just like the sound of the train whistles in small, lonely towns, it somehow fires the imaginations of adventurous children.

When the foghorn beckoned, I used to run through mist-wreathed Halifax streets, down to the harbour. It was a nocturnal pastime of which the adults in my life would never have approved. On Gottingen Street, the sailors from Stadacona were always about for a night on the town. With the collar of my raincoat turned up like my heroes and heroines of the movies, I was entranced by the ships and vessels docked at the harbour. Even plain workaday barges seemed to have an air of having just arrived from exotic lands, and I spun countless daydreams of what those lands must be like.

Although none of my peers found the same fascination with the ordinary foghorn, in my mind the sound was surrounded with mystery, intrigue romance, and the delicious possibility of something exciting just about to happen.

It was probably the sound of the foghorn and this sense of anticipation that led me to tossing bottles with notes off Halifax docks. And likely the foghorn, too, that had me racing off to the library to read about mighty seafaring ships.

One of my favourites was about the Mary Celeste, found for no logical reason listing in the ocean without a trace of its passengers.

Later the nuns of St. Joseph’s Orphanage held me enrapt with tales of the Teaser Light , a legendary ghost ship which is supposed to make an appearance each August. According to local fable, one can see the boat, and hear the sounds of sailors laughing just before an explosion. Then the Teaser fades from view.

We sat around campfires and heard tales of Spanish galleons which dropped treasure chests of gold coins and jewellery, worn by queens, somewhere deep in Davey Jones’ locker.

The next morning always found us out on the beach with spades, thinking in that special way that children have of finding the treasure easily.

It wasn’t until a long time later, that I discovered the true treasure comes from the joy of looking for it.

Now that the Galilee has been majestically restored to her original beauty, a remarkable 10-year-olde boy called Ryan will be joining his Dad to ply the waters of the Muskoka all summer long.

On land or water, Ryan is driven by an infectious enthusiasm and an enquiring mind. I wish him dozens of trips and dreams of sunken treasure.

Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com



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