Phaedra

So, what does a Greek myth have to do with an Alaskan on a sunny Sunday after mucking around in the spring woods with his thoughts for a while. Partly it has to do with those thoughts of the big ocean that come up as the sun spends more time in the sky and the air warms to tolerable temperatures. I named my first boat, a 19-foot lightening sailboat, "Phaedra." She and I sailed Lake Erie for a summer and from her I came to understand the freedom of a boat on the water out of sight of land, while at the same time wallowing in the loss of the person who introduced me to both Phaedra and to sailing. But, why would anyone name a boat after a tragic Greek woman? Given the superstitions of sailors that seems like a dangerous proposition. It was more the haunting melody of the theme than anything about the story, and when the name came to mind today there was a flash of warmth and I could hear the theme song in my head and I could see Melina Mercouri dancing and I could feel the person next to me as we watched the film in 1962. It has a haunting riff that stays with you a long time. I could remember that but couldn't remember much more about the movie. Enough to say I read the legend to recall the story and from iTunes I found the theme music and from that relived a cherished moment in life from long ago.