THE OTHER EVENING ON THE WAY DOWN HERE I SAW A VERY BEAUTIFUL SIGHT, THE EVENING SUNSET ON THE CARIBBEAN. I HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE BUT THIS TOOK ON ADDED BEAUTY BECAUSE OF THE PEACEFULNESS OF THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE AND OF THE WORLD. OF COURSE IT WOULD TAKE A POET TO DESCRIBE A THING OF SUCH UNSURPASSABLE BEAUTY BUT, NEVER-THE-LESS I SHALL TRY TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF ITS BEAUTY AS I SAW IT. IT WAS ABOUT 6:30 IN THE EVENING AND THE SKY WAS DOTTED WITH A FEW SMALL CLOUDS AND TO THE WEST THE SUN LOOKED LIKE A HUGH RED BALL OF FIRE ROLLING ACROSS THE SKY. AFTER LOOKING AT IT FOR A FEW MOMENTS THE COLOR SEEMED TO CHANGE TO WHITE AND IT LOOKED AS IF IT WAS A LARGE WHITE WHEEL ROLLING ALONG NEAR THE SURFACE OF THE WATER JUST AT THE HORIZON. THE SKY WAS A GLORIOUS PANORAMA OF BEAUTIFUL COLORS; NEXT TO THE WATER IT WAS A DULL BROWN, ABOVE THIS IT WAS ORANGE, AND AS IT ROSE HIGHER THE WHOLE SKY WAS A BEAUTIFUL REDDISH PINK. FINALLY, THE SUN SLOWLY SANK INTO THE BLUE WATER BUT SEEMING TO HESITATE FOR A BRIEF MOMENT BEFORE MAKING THE FINAL PLUNGE. AS IT SANK LOWER IT REMINDED ME OF THE GLOWING EMBERS OF A DYING CAMPFIRE IN THE NIGHT. AFTER A FEW MORE MOMENTS IT DISAPPEARED AND THE SKY BEGAN TO DARKEN IN THE WEST BUT IN THE EAST THERE WAS A MOST BEAUTIFUL FULL MOON RISING IN ALL ITS GLORY.

THE MOON ROSE OUT OF THE DUSK OF EVENING WITH VIGOR AS IF IT WAS NOW IT’S TURN TO BRING FORTH LIGHT TO THE WORLD. THE REFLECTION ON THE WATER WAS INDEED A SIGHT TO BEHOLD FOR AS THE RIPPLING OF THE WAVES CAUGHT THE REFLECTION, THE WHOLE SEA LOOKED LIKE A LARGE FIELD OF PURPLE VIOLETS WAVING IN THE COOL EVENING BREEZE, FOR BY THIS TIME THE WATER HAD TURNED TO A DEEP PURPLE. THAN SUDDENLY AS I STOOD THERE ON DECK IN THE COOL OF EVENING A THOUSAND THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES RUSHED THROUGH MY MIND AND A STAR SEEMED TO PEEP OUT FROM A CLOUD TO INVADE MY THOUGHTS. IT WAS THE FIRST STAR OF THE NIGHT AND STOOD OUT IN GREAT BRILLIANCE ALL ALONE IN THE HEAVENS, FREE AS A BIRD THAT SOARS INTO THE SKY. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE SKY LOOKED LIKE A DARK ROOM FULL OF SPARKLING JEWELS WITH THE MOON STANDING OUT LIKE A HUGH WHITE DIAMOND IN THE MIDST OF ALL.

IT SO HAPPENED THAT I HAD RADIO WATCH FROM 12 TILL 7 O'CLOCK SO I WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE THE MOON THROUGHOUT ITS LONG SLOW JOURNEY ACROSS THE HEAVENS. ABOUT 5:30 IN THE MORNING MOST OF THE STARS HAD DISAPPEARED BUT TO THE EAST THE MORNING STAR WAS STILL SHINING VERY BRIGHTLY. ABOUT 6:00 O'CLOCK THE SKY TO THE EAST TOOK ON A DIFFERENT COLOR FOR THE SUN WAS ABOUT TO COME FORTH FROM THE SEA AFTER A FEW HOURS OF REST. IT ROSE OUT OF THE SEA WITH THE VIM, VIGOR, AND VITALITY OF ONE WHO IS PROUD OF HIS JOB AND IS EAGER TO BEGIN THE DAY. WHEN IT WAS ABOUT HALF WAY OUT OF THE WATER IT LOOKED LIKE A HUGE BALL OF FIRE, MUCH LARGER THAN THE PREVIOUS EVENING. YES, IT WAS GOD'S OWN BEAUTY AND NOT MAN'S. THIS SAME SUN HAS BEEN DOING THIS SAME ACT FOR THE PAST MILLION YEARS, COMING UP AND GOING DOWN OVER THE SAME BODY OF WATER, NEVER HESITATING OR FALTERING IN ITS VERY IMPORTANT JOB OF SUPPLYING ITS ENERGY TO THE WORLD. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME TIS TRUE AND IT WILL CONTINUE SO FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. YET IT SEEMS THAT SO MANY OF US FAIL TO SEE BEAUTY IN THE THINGS ABOUT US FOR WE ARE CONSTANTLY LIVING AMONG THEM. IT IS WHEN WE NO LONGER HAVE THESE BEAUTIES ABOUT US DO WE REALLY APPRECIATE AND CHERISH THEM.

LEE KILBOURNE MEMBER OF FIRST CREW 1945-46

Note:At age 80, and, as I enter the sunset of my own wonderful life, -perhaps it is appropriate to include this memory.