24 Doors Malta

^{The walled medieval city of Valletta withstood centuries of siege and world war and remained the spiritual center of Malta. Photograph © Jeffrey Cardenas}

As I sail through a pandemic that seems to have no end, the significance of finding a portal allowing me to move onward has more meaning to me. Mediterranean Europe is on fire again with a new wave of coronavirus. As I prepared for my departure from Malta to Italy, my destination in Sardinia went from COVID Condition White (completely open) to Orange and then to Red (completely closed) in only three days. Much of Malta, where Flying Fish is currently moored, also remains closed. The cure for my restlessness this day is to walk through the medieval city of Valletta… and look at doors.

Doors control entry or exit, depending on which side you are on. They represent a border; doors divide and connect two worlds. They provide a passageway for starting something new or leaving something behind. A door is a universal symbol that implies transition, giving way from one domain to another. It is the place of passage between two completely different states. A door can divide a hostile and dangerous space from the comfort of a safe place.

“There are things known and things unknown, and in between are the doors.” –Jim Morrison

In Valletta today, most doors remain closed and locked. Some show centuries of use and wear. Others feature details of pride. All provide protection. And so it is with sailing in a pandemic. One day, the doors will reopen.

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^{Click on an image to see a higher resolution. All Photographs © Jeffrey Cardenas}

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Sailing is not just about the wind and the sea; equally important are the places to which this voyage delivers me.

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You can follow the daily progress of Flying Fish, boat speed (or lack thereof), and current weather as I sail into the Mediterranean by clicking this satellite uplink: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/Flyingfish. Click the “Legends and Blogs” box on the right side of the tracking page for en route Passage Notes. 

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Text and Photography © Jeffrey Cardenas 2021

^{Let this be a time of grace and peace in our lives   –Fr. John Baker}