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<\/a>So, when I heard about it the plans, I just as quickly volunteered to bring Pandora down from Wickford RI to help do the honors.\u00a0 So, yesterday, family arrived, urns and flowers in hand, and off we went.<\/p>\nWhat a beautiful day and likely one very similar to the many that his mom and dad had enjoyed on their countless sails in Block Island Sound over the years.\u00a0 We headed down the rhum line toward Block and when we crossed the 3 mile limit, the moment came.\u00a0\u00a0 Ken hoisted pennants, including his Dad\u2019s private signal, from the starboard spreader.\u00a0 Then he raised his dad\u2019s American flag that had been flown over the White House and given to him in recognition of his service in WWII aboard the Coastguard Cutter Taney (the very same Taney that I saw in Baltimore last weekend and wrote about in this post<\/a>) \u00a0Ken had also written an article about his dad’s time in the service. \u00a0 The weather was perfect, with gentle breeze to draw us along\u2026\u00a0 Two brothers paying last respects to parents who\u2019s actions had earned it.\u00a0 \u00a0Ken had told me years ago, perhaps when we were sharing watch aboard, that he had \u201cchosen his parents well\u201d and I guess that he had indeed meant it.<\/p>\n The experience was moving and reminded me of burying my own father\u2019s ashes just about a year ago at the cemetery of the church in Weston CT that my parents had loved.<\/p>\n I can only hope that our own sons will someday be so moved when the time comes to do the same for us.<\/p>\n<\/a>The flag was then lowered to half staff.\u00a0 The \u201ccrew\u201d assembled on the leeward rail (note to self:\u00a0 never, never sprinkle ashes from the weather rail).\u00a0 Flowers were tossed into the water as the ashes were slowly spread over the waters that meant so much to their family.<\/a>The flowers and ashes left a lovely soft trail behind Pandora.\u00a0<\/a>We tacked to head back and Ken\u2019s brother, Harold and his wife, trailed off of Pandora\u2019s stern as we sailed slowly homeward.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The \u201ckids\u201d had done this countless times when sailing with their parents, many years ago in these same waters and it seemed fitting to do so again as we passed through waters carrying their parent\u2019s ashes.<\/a><\/a>It was a wonderful trip and one that I was pleased to have an opportunity to share with Ken and his family.<\/p>\n