We make a series of voyages in our lives. Each has its own challenges as well as beginnings and ends. They bring a lot of joy and smoothing sailing, but at times there are storms--and tough going.
I have lead a fantastic life--with a lot of focused around the boating environment, starting growing up around the docks of San Pedro, knowing working fisherman, a number of famous early voyagers, and racing on my father's 26 foot sailboat. My college and Med school days brought runabouts, and boater camping adventures along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Back to Calif. and a sport fisher, than a series of racing sailboats. Voyages to Hawaii, Mexico, and eventually long cruises to many of the countries of the World, including Central, and South America, Caribbean, all of the coastal US, Bermuda, Azores, over a dozen countries in the Med and Baltic, another Atlantic crossing, Australia and New Zealand.
One of the best voyages, has been that 15 years associated with the wonderful extended family of the C Dory/C Brat group. In 1980 when I first saw a C Dory, I said was going to own one for my final voyages after we could not longer sail.
The voyage of my life has been extended over 30 years since my first heart attack at age 50. By the grace of God, my life was saved then, by my skilled professional brothers. After my first bypass, I continued to Ski, back pack, and I was able to make 5 trips along the Inland passage, my 3rd Panama Canal Transit on my own boat, and sail another 50,000 miles. Marie and I became members of this wonderful extended family of C Brats. Our thanks to all of your for the great times we have had, and the voyages we have made. We have tried to attend as many of the gatherings all over the US, as we could. We had planned for more; if we are not there in person, we will be in spirit.
This summer I became weaker and walking any long distance became difficult. 2 1/2 years ago, I clotted off my second bypass grafts, and although further angioplasty and stents were tried, they were not successful. I am not an ex Vice President of the US--thus not eligible for a heart transplant at age 80. Despite maximum medication the angina had become so severe that I was only able to walk a few hundred feet on the level, and climbing a flight of stairs took 5 minutes, and I still had severeangina, and a pulse ranging up into the 120's with minimal exertion.
We made our last trip to Calif. starting a week ago, and had the wonderful experience of spending a day with Pat and Patty Anderson in Eloy AZ. along the way. I was on oxygen much of the trip across the US. My cardiologist had given me the name of a "physician of last resort" in Calif. Because of my increasing symptoms, I consulted with him on Friday. After reviewing my old angiograms, and medical records, plus doing new tests, he found that my "ejection fraction" (the amount of blood which is pushed out of the heart on each beat) had fallen from 30% in 2014 to 20% now. The "normal ejection fraction is 55% to 80%.
I have spent some time with my son who owns a C Dory 25 Cruise ship in San Clemente, and my daughter flies in from London today. Tomorrow, we go to a hospital to attempt a procedure. (several possibilities as to what can be done--but due to extreme cardiac muscle loss, no guarantees). It will not be open heart surgery; the doctor was hopeful he could help to give me some relief from the angina, but cannot improve my heart function.
It is most likely I will not be able to take any more voyages on the C Dory--maybe we will see some of our good friends at the St. John's gathering, if I am very lucky. If not we will see you all at some time "after crossing the bar". Preparing for that final journey is difficult. In case I don't make it, I want to thank all of those in the wonderful extended C Brat Family for all that you have given to us during this last 15 years.
My son Todd, will be our contact with the C Brat community, in case I am incapacitated or don't make it. I know he will continue the "Austin" boating tradition.
I want to encourage every C Dory owner to avail themselves of the wonderful fellowship of our fantastic boating community and go to the gatherings!
My thanks and love to all in the community.
I have lead a fantastic life--with a lot of focused around the boating environment, starting growing up around the docks of San Pedro, knowing working fisherman, a number of famous early voyagers, and racing on my father's 26 foot sailboat. My college and Med school days brought runabouts, and boater camping adventures along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Back to Calif. and a sport fisher, than a series of racing sailboats. Voyages to Hawaii, Mexico, and eventually long cruises to many of the countries of the World, including Central, and South America, Caribbean, all of the coastal US, Bermuda, Azores, over a dozen countries in the Med and Baltic, another Atlantic crossing, Australia and New Zealand.
One of the best voyages, has been that 15 years associated with the wonderful extended family of the C Dory/C Brat group. In 1980 when I first saw a C Dory, I said was going to own one for my final voyages after we could not longer sail.
The voyage of my life has been extended over 30 years since my first heart attack at age 50. By the grace of God, my life was saved then, by my skilled professional brothers. After my first bypass, I continued to Ski, back pack, and I was able to make 5 trips along the Inland passage, my 3rd Panama Canal Transit on my own boat, and sail another 50,000 miles. Marie and I became members of this wonderful extended family of C Brats. Our thanks to all of your for the great times we have had, and the voyages we have made. We have tried to attend as many of the gatherings all over the US, as we could. We had planned for more; if we are not there in person, we will be in spirit.
This summer I became weaker and walking any long distance became difficult. 2 1/2 years ago, I clotted off my second bypass grafts, and although further angioplasty and stents were tried, they were not successful. I am not an ex Vice President of the US--thus not eligible for a heart transplant at age 80. Despite maximum medication the angina had become so severe that I was only able to walk a few hundred feet on the level, and climbing a flight of stairs took 5 minutes, and I still had severeangina, and a pulse ranging up into the 120's with minimal exertion.
We made our last trip to Calif. starting a week ago, and had the wonderful experience of spending a day with Pat and Patty Anderson in Eloy AZ. along the way. I was on oxygen much of the trip across the US. My cardiologist had given me the name of a "physician of last resort" in Calif. Because of my increasing symptoms, I consulted with him on Friday. After reviewing my old angiograms, and medical records, plus doing new tests, he found that my "ejection fraction" (the amount of blood which is pushed out of the heart on each beat) had fallen from 30% in 2014 to 20% now. The "normal ejection fraction is 55% to 80%.
I have spent some time with my son who owns a C Dory 25 Cruise ship in San Clemente, and my daughter flies in from London today. Tomorrow, we go to a hospital to attempt a procedure. (several possibilities as to what can be done--but due to extreme cardiac muscle loss, no guarantees). It will not be open heart surgery; the doctor was hopeful he could help to give me some relief from the angina, but cannot improve my heart function.
It is most likely I will not be able to take any more voyages on the C Dory--maybe we will see some of our good friends at the St. John's gathering, if I am very lucky. If not we will see you all at some time "after crossing the bar". Preparing for that final journey is difficult. In case I don't make it, I want to thank all of those in the wonderful extended C Brat Family for all that you have given to us during this last 15 years.
My son Todd, will be our contact with the C Brat community, in case I am incapacitated or don't make it. I know he will continue the "Austin" boating tradition.
I want to encourage every C Dory owner to avail themselves of the wonderful fellowship of our fantastic boating community and go to the gatherings!
My thanks and love to all in the community.
