Perhaps this may seem dramatic, but as I reflect on the past decade of my life, my homeport marina stands at the core of my identity, my achievements, and many of my most treasured memories.
Describing its impact feels almost beyond words. When I started working at the marina in my teens, I had no idea how deeply it would shape my life. From captaining the launch boats and managing the waterfront, to embracing boat ownership for the first time and becoming the club's youngest member, I've essentially grown up at my homeport marina. Beyond my seven years as a launch driver, CYC has fueled my love for the ocean and fundamentally shaped who I am today.
This poem is a tribute to the marina that I still call home to this day— a community that has offered camaraderie, celebration, safety, and great joy. Perhaps you can resonate with these feelings when reflecting on your own homeport.
For seven years at the helm, steering the launch's course,
Youngest to claim membership, with joy as my force.
My homeport marina, in its timeless embrace,
Has sculpted my life, setting pace after pace.
Taught more of boats than books dare declare,
Found deep in community, a wealth beyond compare.
Learning to stand tall as my own captain with pride,
Anticipating returns where my soul resides.
A sanctuary, classroom, stage for my tales,
Mastering the seas, setting forth with full sails.
At just seventeen, a captain, a steward, and lead,
My homeport ingrained in me— it’s impactful, indeed.
Hours by the water, where stories unfold,
Meeting souls from afar, adventures retold.
In the ocean's embrace or in dreams that I weave,
My homeport, my anchor, in which I believe.
Stepped away from the launch, yet the bond holds its ground,
Owning boats of my own, with connections profound.
More than just sailors, more than mates on this sphere,
A family of seafarers, companions so dear.
While visions of distant shores dance in my head,
Lessons and friendships, my heart’s always led.
Skills and courage, support to explore,
My homeport guides me, from shore to shore.
No matter the distance, the journeys I chart,
Homeport’s essence lives deep in my heart.
A community embracing the sea’s loving call,
Guiding wherever I roam, I never truly fall.