Sydney 14th February 2009 - Valentines Day

The rain eased briefly this morning and under an overcast sky we motored out into an empty Pittwater in "Joysea", an old converted timber trawler. There were 12 of us aboard, our adult children and a few friends quietly watching the chuckling wake. On the saloon table surrounded by flower petals lay a small cardboard box which carried a silver plaque, engraved "Lyndall Aston". We were about to honour her last wish. "Recycle my bodily remains", she had said, "but keep my spirit in your hearts". Pittwater is where we learned to sail as kids together, where we built our house called "Toad Hall" and where we built "illywhacker". Setting her ashes free in these waters was both natural and necessary. When the engine stopped we drifted to an outgoing tide beside the bushland shore. I was weeping as I bade her farewell on her next ocean journey, gently lowering the box into the water. Petals were scattered after it and we watched in teary silence as it slowly drifted away. Our son David and a friend recited a poem each as she slowly gathered way, surrounded by a floating tribute of white and yellow. We felt deeply alone but united in her love - there were hugs all around as our dear Lyndall sailed away.