Sailing By Ash Breeze

Carry on, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham is a wonderful story about a self-educated young mathematician named Nat. At the age of 12, Nat receives indenture papers and has to work as a bookkeeper for 9 years.  His hopes of a Harvard education are dashed.  He quickly learns, though, that he must "sail by ash breeze" or be "becalmed" and stuck in chandlery forever. 

Nat comes from a family of sailors and lives in the port town of Boston.  He learns the sailing analogy of sailing by ash breeze the first day of his service.  A friend explains, "When a ship is becalmed--the wind died down--she can't move--sometimes the sailors break out their oars.  They'll row a boat ahead of the ship and tow her.  Or they'll carry out anchors and heave them over, and the crew will lean on the captain bars and drag the ship up to where the anchors are heaved over.  Oars are made of ash--white ash.  So--when you get ahead by your own get-up-and-get--that's when you sail by ash breeze" (pg 48).  Nat could have easily  chosen to be "becalmed"--depressed because of his situation and now unreachable dreams--but he took a different path. 

Nat started reading and writing.  He filled many notebooks with notes, copied the Almanac, taught himself Latin and French and Spanish all while he was indentured.  After completing his service, Nat becomes a sailor and teaches the other sailors about navigation.  He figures out different ways to explain things and writes down what works.  He discovers different ways to navigate.  Nat decides to write a book that will be understandable by every able seaman full of correct tables and charts.  He is often told by his captain to "Carry on, Mr. Bowditch." 

Nat is a fantastic example of someone who isn't dependent on another person to get ahead.  He decides what he wants and works to meet that goal.  How often are we like Nat Bowditch?  Do we stick to a goal, even when obstacles pop up?  I would like to have the opportunity to study like Nat and to have his same desire for knowledge.  I try to study every day, but unfortunately I often let things get in my way.  Making the time to study is hard work, being becalmed is easier, but being stagnant means no growth.  Growth is important, so I will strive to "sail by ash breeze."