An offering to Poseidon
When I bought Pelago she was sitting in a yard at the north end of the Chesapeake 50+ miles from Galesville. I worked all winter plumbing, wiring, caulking, painting, and doing all those things that you must do to launch an old boat.
I finally splashed her and prepared to make my first voyage as her captain. A couple friends and I drove up the night before and stayed aboard so we could get an early start.
It was cold.
The next morning we arose early. We broke out the doughnuts and I brewed a pot of coffee. The pot was small, so ther was only enough coffee to fill four mugs. That made it a cup each for the two crew, a cup for me, and a cup left over.
I walked up to the bow and breathed in the crisp morning air. I watched the gentle breeze carry the morning light across the water as the Bay awoke.
I'm not a particularly superstitious man, but at the risk of mutiny, I took the fourth cup of hot coffee - at that time the most precious liquid on board - and offered it to Poseidon. I let him know that Pelago was now traversing his domain under new command and asked that he grant us safe passage.
Then we slipped the lines and began a new chapter in Pelago's log.