Let The Orinoco Flow- One Year @Sea

Rome · Santorini · Germany · Denmark

The ElixirOne Year at Sea

In answer to the question, “How long has he been drifting?”—long enough for the journey itself to become home.

01

The Anniversary

How Long Has He Been Drifting?

Celebrating one year at sea this week.

It started in Rome Sweet Rome, then Santorini. I have not been everywhere, but it is on my list.

“Those who float away their lives on ships are forever journeying, and their homes are wherever their travels take them.” — Bashō
Naples during the first year at sea

Italy · The Beginning

Rome Sweet Rome, Then South

The route began in Italy before widening into a year of Mediterranean and northern passages.

Santorini during the first year at sea

Santorini · The Horizon Opens

I Haven’t Been Everywhere

But it is on the list.

02

Narrow Road to the Interior

Asleep in Germany, Awake in Denmark

Asleep in Germany.

Summer’s sea-castaway floats.

Awake in Denmark.


As the vagabond wind

whispers over the bay,

songs and laughter

carry away in the sky.

Ed Reif with Truddie Reif, Steffi and Captain Hops in Warnemünde, Germany

Warnemünde · Germany

The Roy-ales

This week in Warnemünde with Truddie Reif, Steffi and Captain Hops, looking very stout.

The Elixir

Home Became the Route

One year at sea did not answer every question. It changed the question.

How long had I been drifting? Long enough to discover that drifting was not the absence of direction. It was a different way of navigating—by people, ports, seasons, songs and the next horizon.

The journey was no longer taking me away from home. It had become home.

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