© Sally Knornschild owns and reserves all rights to images and words.
The SS Vulcania has moved into the bay and is now under her own steam. As I sit marveling over my cabin’s manifestations, I feel the slightest vibration of her engines. I don’t want to miss the exit of the ship through the small straight that leads into open water so it’s out to my private deck I must go.
The sun has set and the west is ablaze with color. Clouds stream across the orange sky, striping it with varying hues. The sun reflects shades of yellow and gold on the striations of the clouds. A sailboat and the sea are silhouettes imprinted on the horizon. I have a feeling this is only one of many breathtaking sights I will feast upon during this voyage. I must capture this image with my camera for I have many living vicariously through me. I don’t want them to miss a single moment, especially one of such great beauty.
Is there any more perfect moment than this? I have no heavy thoughts, no pressing chores, nothing more to do that this. The air stirs around me, caressing my face like a lover. The stereo clicks on by itself and I plunge into a feeling that feels like movie and looks like a dream. I think about pinching myself to make sure it is real, but giggle instead. My giggling attracts the attention of the passenger in the neighboring cabin. She is a tall woman, like me, and her laughter sounds like Tibetan chanting. It has both high notes and low notes that together make another harmonic sound. Her laughter resonates within me and I take an instant liking to her. She nods as if she knows exactly how I am feeling, what I am thinking, and smiles. She then cups her face with both hands, scrunches and raises her shoulders, and sighs with pleasure before she turns to enter her cabin. She does know! Feels like a movie and looks like a dream!
I turn back towards the west, watching until the sea, pinkening sky, and red ball of the sun unite in splendor. The sun drops from sight in that illusive flash of green. I stay where I am with one foot propped upon the railing watching as the sky darkens to purple. The cabin lights automatically illuminate catching my attention. I move into my illustrious cabin and stand just inside the door. My manifestations still astound me.
My eyes catch
my watercolor painting of Half Dome in Yosemite and I am confused. My brain has trouble distinguishing between California, the birthplace of and home to five generations of my family, and this…This other dimension that is the ship. I’m acutely aware that the straight out of the bay was also a vortex.
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