Compass Rose

This is a Zentangle Compass Rose. It took me four weeks to finish, and I am very happy it is done. I made so many mistakes, from wobbly lines to every sort of inexactitude, but it doesn't even matter. Art is partly telling the critic inside to go away because I'm happy. And Zentangle always says, "No Mistakes." Plain persistence gets you a long way. 

Of course I was drawn to this idea because of the hundreds of hours I spent on night watch in the waters off Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Warm nights with silvery black water as far as you could see in every direction. For my four hour watch, the tiller in my hand, my eyes wandering up in the sky and the sails, then always coming back to check the course. To be on course, to know the direction. No mistakes. 

Steering by a star made it all easy. They taught me to line up a mast or a cross beam or the pointed top of a sail with a star. Then just keep them lined up. It's  easier than trying to keep the compass needle lined up on a certain degree on the compass rose. Steering by one star works well for a long time. Eventually you have to pick a different star if you want to stay on course.

Sea Fever

By John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

If I were twenty, maybe I would change my name to Compass Rose.
You could call me Rose for short.