Anzac Day Sail

[garymalmgren]

Beautiful early spring day. 14 degrees water temp here in N.E Japan.
Air temp a little higher, but definitely sunscreen weather.
Half a dozen boats from my little harbour went out.
I am the smallest and slowest. As we were heading back in on a run, I was the only one with a gennaker up so was doing pretty well.
Watanabe san came up on me and I could hear the sound of his harmonica drifting down wind.
He was playing Waltzing Matilda. It brought tears to my eyes.
I listen to "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" every year at this time and had listened to it last night.
I asked Watanabe san about it on the dock. He said that he had learnt it in primary school 60 years ago and this was the first time he had played it since. That's him sitting in his stern seat playing.
Gary

 

[dLj]

Thanks for sharing. Haven't heard that song in a long time. I can understand how it brings tears to your eyes.

dj

 

[Cap'n Deke]

My granddad fought at Suvla Bay as part Connaught Rangers of the 10th Division. I only ever heard him talk about it once, when I was about 8 or 9. Years later, when my mother died, I found some of his old belongings. He is the only member of his squad to survive and he received a medal for carrying 12 men up Kiretch Tepe, which he promptly tossed in the bin. My grandmother retrieved it and kept it, passing it on to my mother with a note telling the story. I kept the note but chucked the medal into Suvla Cove.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Joan Baez did an excellent rendering on one of her few "live" albums.

 

[garymalmgren]

RE; Joan Baez did an excellent rendering on one of her few "live" albums.

Strangely Johnny Cash has a version of Waltzing Matilda.
Not quite right, but interesting.