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William J. Bateman III
DOB – September 03 1980
Education – University of North Carolina @ Chapel
Hill (’03)
BS Business Admin.
Spanish Minor
Travels – Leeward and Windward Islands
Bahamas
Costa Rica, Mexico
Chile, Argentina, Peru
Interests/Hobbies – Fishing, Boating, Traveling,
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In the course of one’s life, there
are few times when the opportunity arises to “pull up anchor” and run at
the mercy of the wind countless miles across an unpredictable, untamed,
body of water. As a young man, fresh out of college, and consciously
avoiding the austere commitments of the real world (for the moment), I am grateful to have
been presented this opportunity by the Lambertsens at a time in my life
when travel is at the top of my list of priorities. I have always been
fascinated by sailboats; not only their physical gracefulness and
serenity, but also their mechanical soundness and efficiency, dating back to the
times of
the Phoenicians. Prior to this trip, I had done a bit a sailing --from handling small sunfish on the
Pamlico River to bareboating in Florida and the Bahamas with friends to participating in a
sailing development program in the Leeward and Windward Islands one
summer, and even taking classes to become a USCG licensed captain. These
experiences may have furnished me with much of necessary general knowledge
of boat handing, but they could have never prepared me for the dynamic of
a transatlantic passage. While I didn’t believe it at first, a 65 foot
ketch is fairly similar to smaller, more simplistic boats – it merely has
more gadgets and rigging which require more time, effort, and
attention. |
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However, even after the
familiarization and adaptation to the vessel have transpired, there still exists an
inexplicable element – a product of the solidarity felt while 1000 miles
from any other living person and surrounded by a profound blue ocean; the
bond created between yourself and all sailors that crossed before you; the humility
acquired
as every cautious step throughout the boat reminds you of the dominance of
the waves crashing against your hull; the joy felt at seeing a pod of
dolphins serenade your boat for a few miles of their innocuous journey;
the awe experienced as a revitalizing ocean sunrise leads to a
breathtaking ocean sunset, and the soothing tranquility instilled by vast
heavens as they reveal the grandeur of innumerable celestial bodies. When
merged, these sensations produce a harmony that can only be amplified
by the apparition of a full sail, and the awareness that some day soon
land will be in sight and your passage will be complete. Here, mine are
the joys which stem from the precariousness of such a journey – a journey
which has the capacity to exercise the faith of any sailor of any vessel – forcing them to
acknowledge that “O God, thy ocean is so big, and my boat is so small.”
Whether this trip is a doorway to a lifetime full of
boating, or simply a onetime experience, I feel blessed to have been able
to partake in the voyage in all regards. |
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Bill's Little Known
Favorite Things at Sea
 | Watch? B – a Cappuccino at 3:30 AM is a wonderful
thing |
| Compass heading? 180 o True (I like
going South, sadly we never had this heading) |
| Latitude? 36 o 30 N |
| Tack? Broadreach |
| Sail? Mizzen Staysail |
| Temperature? 98.6 o F |
| Cat? Saba (Looks like the cat from The Jungle
Book) |
| Crystal Light Flavor? None (Water is the only
drink of a wise man – Thoreau) |
| Knot? Spanish Bowline |
| Cloud Formation? Funnels |
| Phase of the Moon? Full, rising over the sea |
| Lifesaving device/safety procedure? Night Vision
Goggles |
| Malnutritional Ailment at Sea? I don’t worry
about minor details |
| Books read – For Whom the Bell Tolls --
Hemingway, Atlas Shrugged -- Rand |
| Fish Lost -- I don't lose fish, I give them
another chance |
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Nice spot to watch the sunset Nothing like starting your day with a Sailfish! Cousins in the Sunset, how cute!! All in a hard day's work!
Nice spot to watch the sunset
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