[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     STATEMENT ON HOWARD AND RIETA PARK CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE GLOBE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROB SIMMONS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 14, 2001

  Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Howard and Rieta Park, 
a couple from my hometown of Stonington, CT, who, on June 10, 2001, 
concluded a 31,000-mile sailing journey around the world.
  Traveling on their 53-foot Sparkman and Stevens yawl, named COMET, 
the Park's odyssey took them across the Caribbean, through the Panama 
Canal to the Galapagos Islands, across the Pacific to the French 
Marquesas, the Cooke Islands, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, and New 
Caledonia.
  They trekked to the Great Barrier Reef along the Australian coast, 
across the Indian Ocean, around the tip of South Africa's Cape of Good 
Hope and through the southern Atlantic Ocean on their way to St. John, 
the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Parks finally came home to Stonington, 
where they began their journey in November 1998.
  To plan to undertake such a daunting journey is impressive enough--to 
complete the journey is truly remarkable. The trip was not without 
danger. Howard Park spoke of one day when he saw what he believed to be 
a whale alongside their craft. As COMET neared the submerged figure it 
rolled and dove under the boat, lifting the entire vessel out of the 
water for a moment.
  As the tail of the creature rose behind the yawl's rear, Howard Park 
did not see a whale's tail but the back fin of a shark. The 60-foot 
beast was a shy, basking shark, and the silently moving boat had 
startled it. Howard Park said the image of this giant tail rising out 
of the water would remain with him forever.
  There were also sites of extraordinary beauty. The Parks had not seen 
land for 19 days when they approached the Marquesas Islands. They 
waited until dawn to pull into port, giving them the opportunity to 
watch the sunrise over the volcanic peaks of Hiva Oa. Describing what 
they saw, Howard Park said, ``There were high, high mountain peaks and 
indescribably beautiful vegetation.''
  Why undertake such an intimidating journey? The answer lies within 
the heart and soul of mankind. We are inquisitive, and we dream. 
Throughout history men have sought to find out what lies beyond the 
next hill--what waits to be discovered beyond the horizon, and they 
have followed their dreams into reality.
  That we might know the unknown we have traveled to the depths of the 
oceans and have reached far beyond our own globe to the distant stars. 
It is our nature to dream--and to try and satisfy that dream.
  The Parks have experienced the journey of a lifetime. And why not! 
Life is a finite adventure. There is only one, certain end. We should 
make our voyage as sweeping, as productive, as positive, and as 
exhilarating as possible.
  Reflecting on life's adventure, Theodore Roosevelt said, ``He must 
long greatly for the lonely winds that blow across the wilderness and 
for sunrise and sunset over the rim of the empty world. His heart must 
thrill for the saddle and not for the hearthstone. The joy of living is 
his who has the heart to demand it.''
  I commend Howard and Rieta Park on their exceptional achievement. As 
we go through life, may we, like the Parks, treasure images that will 
remain with us forever. And like Theodore Roosevelt, may we realize 
that the joy of living is his who has the heart to demand it.

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