Shared Strength

There is a beach in Northern California that I remember vividly from my youth.  Out of the many beaches that I had the opportunity to enjoy, this one stands as my favorite.  The beach has been historically referred to as "The Dumps."  As you approach, you see a tall cliff side, from which you can stand and take in the serenity of the beach below.  Fully taking it in, you will find it hard to believe that you are standing on the very spot of the old Fort Bragg landfill.  The place where this town once jettisoned its trash, has gone from an eyesore into a beach unlike any other. As I walk along the beach below, pieces of glass sliding between my toes with each step, I cannot help but think to the shaping power of the sea, slowly and ever methodically, sanding the rough edges of these pieces of worthless glass.  Though each stroke of its sculpting brush may seem insignificant, the result that it produces is clearly evident.          ...

In ocean transportation, there exists one painted line that stands of great importance, if crossed the vessel is not worthy for the open sea.  This line is referred to as the Plimsoll Line, if you drive by a ship, you will likely have to look twice to see it.  It is small and looks rather insignificant on such a massive ship.  But make no mistake, this circle with a line through it, is of great importance to the captain and all who sail aboard.  This is the line that ensures effective buoyancy to traverse the perils that could lie ahead.   But the origination of this line did not come from science or forethought, instead, this line was born out of tragedy.  It came during an age of sea transportation where the desire to continue to push the envelope stood at greater importance than safety.  Cargo loads kept increasing inch by inch, pound by pound, until January 6th 1866, when the SS London destined for Melbourne, Australia set out from Plymouth, E...