We groped our way toward Antigua. A couple of hundred miles offshore a spotted hawk flew overhead. It was a poignant moment; it often is when the first bird appears in the sky. The first bird, like a man ahead of his time, is a tragic figure. Typically, the first bird has flown too far from shore, and is flapping its way to its death. The good news that land is near is quickly followed by the realization that land is not near enough for the bird. The crew gathers on deck and hopes that the bird will roost in the mast, and sail back to shore. It almost never happens.
