[Sloop Scoop 2012] Surfacing Stateside, sailing, sad news

[Sloop John B]

Ahoy friends of the Sloop John B

I had planned on sending messages ages ago catching you up on my life 
and the Sloop's life but life got in the way.  I started working for the 
US State Department in February 2011, went to my first post in Accra, 
Ghana in June 2011.  I was supposed to be there for a two year tour, but 
for reasons I'll describe later I had to curtail and be reassigned back 
to the states.  It was a great experience; I loved Ghana and had a 
wonderful community of people there.  The only thing that was wrong was 
that it was pretty much year-round summer and I never went sailing!

Anyway, here's the news.  Gordon, my significant other/love of my life 
and angel caretaker of the Sloop, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 
January of this year.  It was very difficult to be so far away, with 
sketchy phone and internet service and long and unreliable flights home, 
when I was needed and wanted here.  After 20 years, this is where I 
needed to be.  At the time hospice though he was doing well and would 
possibly live beyond the six month diagnosis, so I needed to be back in 
the states indefinitely.  I came home on May 14, and spent the next 29 
days with Gordon, 24-7 almost every day.  On June 12, right at the 
moment of sunrise when we'd usually be out sailing, Gordon sailed into 
heaven.  After watching him suffer I was glad he found peace, but he 
leaves a huge void here for me and his family, especially his nephew 
Kristopher and his wife and kids.  They were a regular presene in his 
life and primary caretakers ever since January.  He did get out for a 
sunrise sail Memorial Day weekend, and it was sad to see him as a 
passenger on his own boat, but it was important to say that goodbye.

I am here until the end of June and right now I need to be sailing. 
Since I never got around to selling the Sloop, I had the boatyard prep 
her for me and I'm putting her in the water.  We'll see how she 
weathered two winters and one summer.

If anyone is free on Saturday (June 30), or possibly Sunday (July 1), I 
need help taking her up the river and getting her ready to step the mast 
and sail.  The boat will stay in until the fall--I'll be back a few 
weekends--and will go back onto dry dock then.

So please be in touch if you want to sail--mostly weekends or weeknights 
and some Fridays as I am working during the days at the Chicago Passport 
office.  And be in touch anyway--it is a sad time and I would love to 
hear from folks.

Email and cell phone are the same.

Take care.

Skipper Schuy

773.343.0153