At some point a few weeks back, when I was meandering through the Shipyard thinking about how big and complicated but still essentially unknowable everything seems lately, I came upon Black Knight. She (boats are always "she" for whatever reason) was up, out-of-the-water, having work done.
I remember Black Knight from America's Cup days, back in the 80s — being the 1980s (given it's the Cup, I could have meant the 1880s) — when she was the Committee Boat for the New York Yacht Club. It was precisely 1980 come to think of it. I was working on a charter yacht for the summer. My title was Deckhand/Cook/Stewardess/Bartender. Hard to believe I was Darling Daughter's age at the time ... not that it was a big job (it wasn't). It was just so long ago ....
I also remember Black Knight from three years later: the oh-so-sad summer of '83.
Black Knight has an inspiring story. Click here to read it. And seeing her back in Newport just when we're really hoping for a white knight — in the form of Larry Ellison, who maybemaybemaybe (hope upon hope upon hope) will choose to bring the Cup back to its historic home in Rhode Island — struck me as an auspicious sign.
No matter what, the America's Cup (the trophy itself) will be in Newport tomorrow, if only for a day. Click here to read about that. I intend to be there: for the viewing, the harbor parade, all of it. I hope everyone intends to be there, to the extent time and distance allow. A huge turn-out might send our white knight a sign/signal/whatever ...
On second thought, white knight is a problematic term; white night is more appropriate. Black Knight, too, carries a certain amount of baggage (cargo??). Click on any of those highlighted words to see what I mean. And, yes, that's Black Knight right there in the background, behind the lobster traps ...
