souldare

Words, Photos and Art by Kel Rohlf

The last few days, we’ve had intermittent cell service, thus the pile up of posts.

Les keeps a log separately from me, and I appreciate his perspective on each day’s journey. I also keep track of the time we leave, how many miles, and how many hours on the water, by conferring with him, and then scribbling notes in a small notebook. I am a collector of things: ideas, memories, words, photos, packaging from various things, vintage items, art supplies, etc.

I thought today I would share some of my “collections” from the journey so far. Sometimes my collections are in list form, other times a collage or even small poems in the tradition of haiku.

Let’s start with some lists that I’ve collected along the way:

Boat Names
No Regrets
Coda
Sudden Inspiration
Ocean Fresh
Ocean Defiant
Strumpet
Perpetuity
Curiosity
UnderDog
Danger Mouse
Lady Janet
Kurioso
Tequila
Oceanic

Weather Phrases
Flood tide
Neap tide
Ebb tide
Slack tide
Swells
When it’s rainy and windy the weather is “snotty”
When the water has rougher waves, we say it’s “lumpy” or “choppy”
Sometimes we’re “bucking” the tide, other times we are “riding” it in
Once Les said, “The waves are confused.” I said, “Huh?” He replied it’s when two channels meet and it’s harder to read the direction of the current.”

Things I Do on the Boat
Sometimes drive
Often make meals and do the dishes (which I enjoy more on the boat than at home)
Rearrange things to make them easier to stow and access
Read a book or map, when it’s not lumpy
Word Search Puzzles
Write in my journal or use my art supplies
Knit
Take photos
Talk to myself
One time, I mumbled to myself “It’s normal to talk to myself.” Les replied, “Huh?” I started laughing, and said “I should quote myself on that one: ‘It’s normal to talk to myself.’”

Here’s a couple art pages I made along the way:

A couple poems inspired by the road trip portion of the trip:

Rusted Reminiscence

Abandoned parking
lot or self-salvaged heap
for posterity sake?

(or prosperity stake?)

Stake your claim; take your
time to rummage through the lot—
rusty parts for free.

Remains that recall
their better days long gone,
but someone keeps them.

Drawn in more often
than not by a rusted scene,
will I salvage a story?

Nature Haiku

Two kinds of beauty
Clouds and mountains both
Scuplted out of air and earth