Kalmar Nyckel

As I read Rick’s latest blog I asked myself , “have I been following the 3 L’s in my retirement exploration?”.

A number of months ago a sailing friend of mine (I have sailed sailboats for over 25 years) suggested we attend a program about the Kalmar Nyckel, Delaware’s tall ship. The program was recruiting for a training program to become a certified crew member.  I signed up (my friend chickened out!!) and attended a 10 week zoom and hands on training session this past winter.  Although I sail, a 4 masted wooden 1638 reproduction of a boat that looks like a pirate ship which sailed across the Atlantic, was all new.  I completed the course and now crew on the boat docked in Wilmington, DE.  We offer sailing tours, participate in festivals, showing the visitors what life was like working and living aboard a ship—400 years ago.  We also have pirate cruises where we dress up in period costumes and say “ARRGH” to the kids.

This experience covered all of the L’s.

• LEARNING-constantly learning something new on a 1638 ship.

• LEISURE-It is fun to be out on the water, hoisting sails and feeling the boat move with the wind, interacting with other crew enjoying a shared experience

• LABOR-We work, I have cleaned the quarters below, climbed into bilges to check water levels,  manned dock lines, washed dishes, manned the helm (steering the ship), etc.

As I reflect on this, the distinction between the L’s gets blurred:  

• Learning something new is fun (Leisure), especially when you can put your learning into practice.

• Leisure-to have leisure, sometimes you have to work, hoisting sails, pulling lines,etc. (Labor).

• Labor-Cleaning the crew quarters imagining how the sailors lived back then (Learning)

In retirement you should be willing to take a chance and try something new. I did, and it covered  the 3L’s.

“ARRGH”

Andy Gogates