The Sailor Who Climbs Mountains
by
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I am a professional Sailor. A charter boat Captain who has tripped – with surprise – into clandestine sandbars and multicolored reefs, especially embellished in dramatic photography for travel magazines. Thump…Thud…echoed throughout the hull with the consistency of the uneven sea floor. Such is my adventurous life. The brown pelicans floating above the waves or diving head-first must have been shocked – like me– to find a rocky bottom. But you cannot fiberglass a pelican beak. I am not sure if I am retired, actively lazy or plain lucky to have missed some mysterious flotsams at night. In the Virgin Islands I used to name the rocks that I did not see: CRAZY ROCK ONE, CRAZY ROCK TWO, ignoring my own craziness. In 40 years of sailing, my charts still reflect my naive disrespect for Poseidon with a magic marker, green for miss, red for a hit. The highest elevation in St Thomas —where I live—is called “Mountain Top “at 1500 ft. above sea level. It is more of a green hill overlooking the blue ocean. My preparation for the height is still non-existent, with negative numbers when I dive like… an Amateur. (Aha…you were expecting the expression “like a Pro” weren’t you?) My part-time diving is more recreational than professional. I like to share the deep with lovely creatures that are friendlier at first contact than tiger sharks. Some say “Location, location, location”. In my case, the mountains and the oceans, which are my boundless real estate, print my motto: “Altitude, latitude and longitude.” I hiked on” Mountain Top” just to drink a piňa colada and look at the waves beyond the sapphire of Magens Bay, until my eyes hurt. I fantasized frequently about Sir Francis Drake, sailing his menacing galleons toward Cartagena like a pirate that he was. At age 20 in the Caribbean, I believed that I was a Buccaneer, (a retired French pirate due to my origins). When I hear the word “boucan” in Creole, I smell a delicious cook-out on a shaded beach, where the Gallic Buccaneers requested the presence of all female natives in order to share imported barrels of Bordeaux, followed by an afternoon in the same hammock. This was the extent of my piracy. Fortunately for Drake, he was ennobled by the Crown of England and could do no wrong. But he missed the Bordeaux.
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About the Book
Jean Braure has been interviewed on local Virgin Islands’ radio stations (WVWI), Channel 12 TV Station and many stories have been written in local newspapers (Caribbean Boating, The Virgin Islands Daily News).
Jean was told to write his souvenirs, some chronicles of his adventurous life shared by friends, sailors and mountaineers alike. He has lived all his life in the Virgin Islands. He qualified to represent the Virgin Islands team at the Olympics in 1984 in the Soling class and in 1988 and 1992 in the Tornado class.
He still climbs high mountains at 75. He will never retire. He still competes in local races, sailing his Freedom 40 “Mumu Sunset,” from sunrise to sunset.
These two “activities” are unique for a Virgin Islander, more accustomed to a traditional way of life than to challenge Nature.
Jean is a Free Spirit who does not fit in a conventional life.
This book is more a series of humoristic accounts of Jean’s adventures. It is also an introspective into the weakness of the human being facing Nature.
He has promised his family tens of times not to climb anymore or to sail offshore. Jean is unable to keep his promises. Jean is the “Enfant Terrible” of the Virgin Islands.
He obtained a Master’s Degree in French Literature at Middlebury’s College, Vt.
About the Author
Jean Braure has been interviewed on local Virgin Islands’ radio stations (WVWI), Channel 12 TV Station and many stories have been written in local newspapers (Caribbean Boating, The Virgin Islands Daily News). Jean was told to write his souvenirs, some chronicles of his adventurous life shared by friends, sailors and mountaineers alike. He has lived all his life in the Virgin Islands. He qualified to represent the Virgin Islands team at the Olympics in 1984 in the Soling class and in 1988 and 1992 in the Tornado class. He still climbs high mountains at 75. He will never retire. He still competes in local races, sailing his Freedom 40 “Mumu Sunset,” from sunrise to sunset. These two “activities” are unique for a Virgin Islander, more accustomed to a traditional way of life than to challenge Nature. Jean is a Free Spirit who does not fit in a conventional life. This book is more a series of humoristic accounts of Jean’s adventures. It is also an introspective into the weakness of the human being facing Nature. He has promised his family tens of times not to climb anymore or to sail offshore. Jean is unable to keep his promises. Jean is the “Enfant Terrible” of the Virgin Islands. He obtained a Master’s Degree in French Literature at Middlebury’s College, Vt.