My arrival in La Cruz started off abit awkward. The Harbor-master with excellent English promised he’d assigned me to a “head-in port-tie” slip. Of course it wasn’t a port (left sided) slip and there was confusion in getting the boat secured without the right-sided dock lines being readily available. In other words, it was an average day in Mexico and no harm done.

I did make a note that “next time” I’d have the dock lines and fenders out on BOTH sides. If I remember.

But, I digress.
As I was coming in, I noticed that the guy in the boat next to me hadn’t (as usual around boats/marinas) left his cockpit to catch a dock-line from me. In my momentary petulance, I considered an original if sarcastic quip about “Thanks for the help”.Thankfully, this time I shut up.

Because after a few minutes, my neighbor, John, came tapping up to the side of Aventura with his white cane. John is completely blind. He’s also the skipper of his boat and does all the sail handling (raising, reefing, striking sails) on his boat. John has been sailing with and without sight for 40 years and lost his vision to a hereditary problem 25 years ago. His wife was his crew until four years ago when she died of cancer.

Now, John advertises for – and has had good luck finding – competent crew to handle the “sight tasks” like anchoring, navigating, docking, etc. This year, he sailed from Ventura, CA to La Cruz and had a blast. He and his then-friend were actively planning to sail to the South Pacific (Puddle Jump). Then the friend’s “SO” got involved and John is back online looking for his next adventure/crew.
By this time we were having a drink onboard Aventura and I was blown away. First off, even with all my faculties (often debatable) I find sailing a boat quite challenging.

‘Had never even considered the possibility it could be done by a sightless skipper. So, John started talking about all the apps and gadgets he has that “talk” to him, letting him know the status of the various boat systems. He uses similar technology to keep up with finances, emails, etc. His attitude is very matter-of-fact: I do it and it’s not that hard.

Of course, John wouldn’t say something like that.
After a few days, I noticed that he had a morning ritual. He’s an early riser (well before the 8:30am Cruiser “net”) and, while the dew is still heavy on his boat – John wipes down every surface. He said he does that to keep his boat clean and looking good. As a contrast, none of John’s sighted neighbors have anything like a similar routine.John walks to the stores and the markets, he rides the buses to different towns and does his shopping; his life is rich, full and independent. But, I kept thinking of all my near-misses and almost catastrophes; I still didn’t understand why Bill chose to entertain such risks in his sailing lifestyle.

And, then he told me how the blind live like shut-ins on land; how the risks of cars and bicycles and dogs and stairs and criminals are even worse as a dirt dweller than at sea. John literally knows his environment (boat) by hand.
But, “It’s the Cruisers” he said. He talked about the constant stream of people who instantly became friends and helpers – taking him to market, cooking and entertaining him, helping with the cash machines and counting pesos at the store.

You see, John has immediate and intimate access to some of the best people around – living closely and happily right next to him. His life is a life of inclusion rather than exclusion.
And, as John talked I was reminded of the innumerable times that, without asking, cruisers had seen me struggling and pitched in; how immediate and open our community is here on the water – and more so as one gets further off the beaten path.
So, that’s how John helped me, that day. He reminded me of all of the things that are right in the world – of the significance of a simple kind gesture and the importance of gratitude. John is just another guy that happily lives on his boat amongst friends: old, new and those yet to be met.

POST SCRIPT: The above was written last year. During my time with John, he mentioned the possibility of sailing his boat to Hawaii. Of course, we all talk about sailing to distant lands – so I nodded and the conversation wandered elsewhere.

As I was preparing to publish the article, I googled John – to see what he’d been up to. Part of me wishes I hadn’t. The following is from the Huffington Post. The Good News is that John accomplished a dream most sighted sailors never have the courage or skill to attempt; but there’s more:

John Berg, Blind Sailor, Successfully Sails From Mexico To Hawaii, Only To Crash On Arrival
The Huffington Post | By Carla Herreria

John Berg, a legally blind sailor, completed an impressive 20-day voyage from the shores of Mexico all the way to the waters of Hawaii only to run into a huge letdown when he got there. After dropping off two crew members at Hilo on Hawaii’s Big Island, Berg crashed his boat onto the reef while sailing toward the Kona side of the island.

Berg’s 40-foot boat, dubbed the Seaquel, entered Hawaiian waters on Sunday, according to Hawaii News Now. His navigation equipment failed and he mistakenly sailed close to shore where rough waves knocked the boat over.

“He wandered into the surf. It was a navigational error,” John Dour, a local resident who spoke to Berg a day after the crash, said to news reporters. “The waves picked them up and threw them on the beach.”

Dour told Hawaii News Now that Berg and a female crew member had to clip themselves together with a harness after the accident and make their way back to shore in the dark. There was no indication they were injured during the crash.

The Seaquel, where Berg had been reportedly living for the past 14 years, was uninsured. It was equipped with all the latest technology he needed to sail as a blind man, including electronics designed to give vocal prompts.

The boat was left on the beach overnight and found looted the next day. Thieves made away with Berg’s valuable equipment, including the boat’s steering wheel.

“The guy was completely devastated,” Dour said. “You know, he lost his home. Everything.”

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Final Thought:

Newspapers like to wrap up their articles with finality; in this case a depressing finality. But, some of us – and particularly John – are too resilient to give up or declare defeat. The next time I check on him, I expect John to be pursing his next dream with grace and vigor – wherever that may be.

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