Landfall: State Craft
Dorothea Green
12/01/2005

Throughout the centuries, water has been viewed as a symbol of renewal. Water is the very essence of our lives, and for my life, water is the unifying force guiding me on my journey to rediscover my friends, my family and my own sense of adventure.

In 1992, when my husband, Steven, bought this yacht, then named Savvy Lady, I never imagined that for the next 13 years, she would be more of a home to me than our primary residence in Miami or that the call of the sea would become so addictive. Originally built as Kakki M, the 107-foot vessel we call Dorothea was created in 1967 by William Garden and masterful hands at Vic Franck’s Boat Company in Seattle, Washington. Designed for offshore cruising, this icon of Pacific Northwest boat building features a bronze-fastened hull of double-planked Alaskan cedar more than three and a half inches thick over steam-bent, laminated 4 x 4 oak frames. Her reverse transom with swim platform was nothing less than a breakthrough design, and her profile still looks modern.
 

Dorothea under way. (Click image to enlarge)

Yachting was all new to me, but Steven’s sense of adventure, love of the sea and youthful enthusiasm eventually rubbed off. I knew it was no coincidence that Dorothea had been introduced to the sea the same year my husband and I took our vows. I was ready to embark on our journey together, knowing it would be a new experience every day.

Together we committed ourselves to a whole new world by water, taking Dorothea over 175,000 miles, from Miami to Maine, from the translucent waters of the Caribbean all the way to the frozen seas of Alaska at a stately 10 to 12 knots. We have journeyed to the Moorish coast of Spain and seen the bronzed beaches of France and Italy. We can honestly say that we have sailed the Seven Seas, using Dorothea’s 3,000-mile range to take us through the ancient islands of the Pacific to mystifying Southeast Asia. We have explored the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and rubbed noses with the Maori of New Zealand.

Bali’s magic. (Click image to enlarge)

Remote, isolated places never deterred our anchor, and we hiked jungles that I never knew existed and navigated our way through exotic islands only accessible by tender. We witnessed many inhabitants of the sea, from the dolphin’s lively ballet to the whale’s majestic spouting salute. We dined in huts with indigenous people and sipped tropical drinks with young starlets on famous beaches. We immersed ourselves in the many colors and languages of the world, and were granted a glimpse into the many beliefs and traditions that create the cultures of humankind. In time we began to truly understand the inter connectedness of the world, and how water is our commonality.

Ambassador Green inspects Singapore’s military guard. (Click image to enlarge)

Dorothea has been many things and, at one point, became our embassy at sea. In November 1997, President Clinton appointed Steven as the United States Ambassador to Singapore. We decided Dorothea would take us on our journey, carrying us through ancient waters to ports and islands only read about. She was our protector, embracing us with her strong wooden sides, but she was also our guide and olive branch, reaching out to the many people we would meet with a kind hand and inviting smile. The yacht, too, became an ambassador as we traveled the world. Through Dorothea, I would soon experience the warmth and fluidity of the water surrounding my new land.

Water is a significant factor in everyday life in Singapore, and it seemed fitting that we would arrive by water and spend much of our time traveling on it.According to Malay legend, a Sumatran prince traveling the area encountered what he thought to be a lion. Considering this a good omen, the prince named the land Singa Pura or “Lion City.” Today, the people of Singapore are a beautiful fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indian. With so many cultures comes a mix of religions that coexist peacefully on this tiny peninsula. I soon became accustomed to seeing Hindus praying in front of a temple built to Ganesh or Buddhists prostrate before a golden statue. I saw Islamic mosques, vibrating in prayer calls and heard the ringing bells of Catholic churches.

While in Singapore, Dorothea was docked at the legendary Tuas Raffles Marina. The senior minister at the time, Lee Kuan Yew, and Mrs. Lee dined on board. Onshore lights reflected Singapore’s vibrant prosperity, reminding us that this courageous man aboard was the modern founder and leader of this vital country. Since becoming the first prime minister of Singapore in June 1959, Lee’s leadership helped transform Singapore into a modern and affluent city-state. Because of his clever strategies, Singapore is the world’s busiest port, stable and successful in this often-turbulent part of the world.

Feeding the local transportation on Java. (Click image to enlarge)

Like jewels fallen from a broken necklace, thousands of islands are scattered throughout the waters surrounding Singapore. Dorothea provided us with our own private access to many of these islands. One of our most memorable journeys was to an island inhabited by the Bugis, in Sulawesi. The island is located east of Borneo, west of the Moluccas and has a common border with the Philippines to the north.

One of countless ancient temples in Bali. (Click image to enlarge)

The Bugis people have captured the imagination of storytellers and travelers, and for a thousand years Bugis sailors traveled as far as Burma and northern Australia, trafficking in everything from birds’ nests to guns and opium. The Bugis were also known as the Sea Gypsies, slave-runners and the most feared pirates in and around the Java Sea. Until recent years, cannibalism was a common practice on Bogey Island. They became so feared that the word “bogeyman,” a corruption of “bugis man,” was coined to describe them. My daughter, Andrea, was thrilled to discover there really is such a thing as the bogeyman!

The children of Bugis island, where the myth of the bogeyman started. (Click image to enlarge)

We were granted permission to visit the island after offering gifts to the chief. Hordes of children ran screaming with delight into the water to greet the boat. The chief was gracious and invited us to his home. We reluctantly accepted their hospitable mystery drinks and bizarre fish cookies with a smile, while secretly hiding the cookies in our pockets and backpacks. We feared becoming the next snack if we insulted anyone. As we escaped the boiling pot and climbed aboard our floating oasis, we realized that we too were Sea Gypsies, traveling the high seas in search of new adventures. Luckily, we could be adventurers and creatures of comfort all at once.

Note: This article is based on Dorothea Green’s book My World by Water. All proceeds from the book benefit the Children First Fund at the University of Miami’s Department of Pediatrics. For more information call (305) 243-3956.