I need to join my family, but wanted to write a quick post to thank everybody who came out to remember the Hougthon family today. I’ll write more later. We told stories for bit as we sat in the calm waters. Maybe somebody has a better shot they can send me, but above, you can see the flowers and the ashes. To the upper left you can see a few who paddled out to join us.
Above is a zoomed part of the first picture and you can see the crowd that gathered at lighthouse point and listened on marine radio. There was also a boat behind us full of friends of the family. Church bells marked the exact time when we released the ashes. It was a very sad moment of goodbye.
It was a foggy morning the sea was calm the water had a beautiful unusual emerald color,as we watched The Chardonnay 2 sailed out of the harbor and toward us as we stood up on West Cliff by a dive flag with wonderful pictures of the Hoghton family along the railing in front of us. The Chardonnay 2 came to a stop right out side the kelp bed at a rather flat Steamers Lane. We shared stories, some laughs and many tears. I had my marine radio tuned to 68 as did enough others that when a beautiful heart felt poem was read from the ship we could all here it. The poem ended in tears on the boat and on the shore. We all watched in silence as the boat turned portside and the ashes were spread off the stern,the only sound to be heard were the sea lions on seal rock and one person in our group beautifully humming Somewhere Over The Rainbow. I watched the Charonnay 2 sail toward Blacks point before it returned to the harbor. I didn’t want to leave some how this felt so final. Those of us in our AquaSafaris shirts seemed to gather around Doug’s van(we all new he always had cookies and sweets) we told some stories about David DeDe and the boys and eventually parted ways. I listened to Brother Iz’s version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow as I drove home,it was almost to much.
Thank you for your beautiful words Derek. With a love that makes us one…DeDe’s Aunt Dona
I too thank you Derek for your sharing and Dona for posting. Today was by all standards a beautiful day, the weather just right the water calm, love was all around us the Chardonay 2 was so special and the family taking part in sharing of this celebration was so beautiful and memorable to be apart of. Our dear David, DeDe, Luke and Ryan are now floating forever in the sea they all loved, playing with the dolphins and seals and forever listening as the sealions talk from the rocks beyond. It has been so hard saying not goodbye but farewell for now to those we love so much, and all of our hearts continue to hurt from the hole that is left by their passing. We are so thankful for all of thefamily and friends that were able to share this moment on Lighthouse Point and to those who were with us in thoughts and prayers. I think to be as loved as they all were and are is one of the greatest gifts and blessings anyone could ask for. I am so proud of each of them and so thankful for their love! Heaven is getting the very best of a can do, get it done team generated and motivated by their love and caring. I love you all!