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1.42am
18 March 2010
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I recently finished reading John Lennon : The Life, by Philip Norman.
There is a really fascinating story that I’d never heard about John in it. Like a lot of us, he turned 40 and began to feel the need to do something adventurous. So he bought a small sailboat and took lessons and tooled around Long Island with Sean. If you’ve ever sailed (I’ve done just a bit), you understand the appeal of guiding a vessel under wind power from a specific point to another specific point. Unlike power-boating, you have to think the trip through.
Anyway, having learned the basics, John took a bigger step. He hired a 43-footer to sail on from New York to Bermuda. His crew was “Cap’n Hank” and two others.
Cap’n Hank was a character. He had lived a counter-culture life in the 60’s, so he and John bonded. He of course new all about the Beatles and Lennon, but surprisingly didn’t recognize John when they first met.
The forecast was good weather and smooth sailing. However, out in the middle of the Atlantic, things got nasty. A gale-force storm blew up, with 20-foot waves tossing the boat about. This was seriously dangerous for a boat that size. The two mates got violently seasick and worthless. Only Hank and John were unaffected (John explained that while quitting heroin “cold turkey”, you learned how to subdue nausea). Hank directed the boat for over 48 hours through the storm before he told John he had to take over…Hank was too exhausted to continue. John was terrified at the prospect and told Hank that he only had these “little guitar-playing muscles.” But he accepted the duty. Hank showed him how to handle the boat in the crashing waves and whipping wind and then left John to take over.
After a little while, John was master of the sea, shouting at the storm, daring it, cursing it, and having the time of his life. And he actually piloted them through to safety.
The seasoned seamen were duly impressed, and Lennon himself was astounded and excited. When he got to Bermuda, he was full of life and actively started writing songs again. The result was his first album in years “Double Fantasy .”
Shortly thereafter, he was murdered. The loss is even more acute when you see he was finally at peace with himself and excited to be alive again.
The following people thank Celebrated_Mr_K for this post:
Oudis4.04am
1 May 2010
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Celebrated_Mr_K said:
I recently finished reading John Lennon : The Life, by Philip Norman.
Shortly thereafter, he was murdered. The loss is even more acute when you see he was finally at peace with himself and excited to be alive again.
Wow that’s interesting!! That’s a book I’d like to read about the Beatles thanks for sharing!!
Edit : I mean about one of the Beatles…
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
11.47am
13 November 2009
Offline Ok, reading just the title, I thought it was about John not really being dead, and living up north some where as a hermit. I’m glad it’s not!
I first heard this story on Behind the Music. It made me very happy. Go Johnny, go!
Ad hoc, ad loc, and quid pro quo! So little time! So much to know!
7.26pm
27 February 2010
Offline Yeah, that episode is simply glorious. To add some flavor, Hank not only didn’t recognize John, but didn’t care a dog’s s**t he was an ex-beatle. John had to build his position in the boat from zero.
The following people thank Marcelo for this post:
OudisI'd like to say "thank you" on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition.
John Lennon
10.03am
13 August 2013
Offline Really interesting topic,
thanks for sharing.. 
The Beatles Summed in 10 Seconds -> http://y2u.be/oTlxatsUdpI
5.18pm
9 July 2013
Offline Fred Seaman tells the same story in his book. John was especially moved by the experience because it made him feel very connected to his dad, Alf, who worked as a stweard on ships, making him a “man of the sea.”
The following people thank mccartneyalarm for this post:
Oudis"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
1.39am
8 November 2012
Offline Royal Gazette article on the couple who now own the sloop.
parlance
5.58am
15 May 2014
Offline Amazing story, thanks for bringing this thread back to life.
The following people thank Oudis for this post:
parlance“Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit” (“Perhaps one day it will be a pleasure to look back on even this”; Virgil, The Aeneid, Book 1, line 203, where Aeneas says this to his men after the shipwreck that put them on the shores of Africa)
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