Harbors -- haunting, picturesque, serene -- capture the wanderer's soul

 Italy's Amalfi coast boasts winding roads with lovely views of the bay and water life below. 

Honolulu's harbor has beauty and history, dating back

to Polynesian times, and in 1941 the attack on Pearl Harbor.  

SAFE, SERENE, SECURE - HARBORS GIVE US COMFORT 

AND HELP OUR BRAINS

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

The fog comes in on little cat feet. It sits looking over the harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. --   Carl Sandburg

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT a pretty port.  A handsom harbor  speaks to the world traveler.

We hear the water call, "Sail away, come along, explore, enlighten, enjoy."

"Keller and Cookie," aka photographer Bruce Keller and

writer Christene Meyers on "their" San Diego Bay.

The Wailua River on Kauai empties into the pretty bay.

Some of our favorite ports and harbors include Hong Kong, Sydney, Auckland, Portofino,  Cape Town, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Rio de Janeiro and Dubai.  

Recently, we sailed out of Venice -- one of the prettiest ports for our travelers' money, with its grand waterways, colorful water life and elegant architecture.

Favorites on our home continent are San Francisco, Vancouver BC, Seattle, New York City, Boston, Providence, Quebec City, New Orleans and both Portlands -- Maine and Oregon. In Hawaii, there are a dozen lovely little harbors and bays and our favorite is on the Wailua River with a waterfall and fern grotto nearby. (Keller has water skied -- sans clothes -- on this 20-mile long stretch.)

Sydney, Australia, with its gorgeous harbor highlighting the world renowned

Sydney Opera House and the city's beloved Harbour Bridge.  

PERHAPS THE world's most recognizable harbor (harbour if you spell it the way the Brits and Aussies do) is Sydney, Australia. Its stunning Opera House and Bridge catch the light in a lovely, magical way. The world knows this famous view, with the striking Opera House in view from nearly every corner of the harbor. 

Malta's harbor is stunning in the gold of sunset.

Whale watching in the Chilkat Preserve

in Alaska's inside passage.

Argostoli's harbor in the Greek Isles boasts a beautiful harbor.

 New York's World Trade Center, the new

 "Tower One," is a lovely sight from the water.

We love Hans Christian Andersen's credo -- "To travel is to live" -- which captures our wanderlust belief. And to plant oneself for a few nights with a harbor view is the ultimate for us.  THE SOUND of the water, the sight of life, of the comings and goings of cruise ships and freighters, seems to connect us with the eternal.  Since man first settled the Earth,  harbors have attracted explorers, tourists, photographers and ship's captains looking for a place to shelter their fleet and provide security for their sailors. By definition a harbor is "a place on the coast where vessels may find shelter, especially one protected from rough water by piers, jetties, and other artificial structures."

But did you know that the shelter extends to one's brain? According to scientific studies, being by the sea has a positive impact on mental health. Minerals in sea air reduce stress. Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain (they're also present around waterfalls), which improves alertness and mental energy. Hats off to harbors!

A trans-Atlantic cruise brought Cookie and Keller into a

circle of global friends and cemented their romance. 

UP NEXT:  When a spouse dies or a marriage ends, it's tempting to fold up the tent, enter the metaphoric convent.  But remember:  carpe diem, tempus fugit.  Life is short, so "cowboy up" as we say in the West.  Get back on the social horse.  Adventure awaits.  Travel, date, accept the invitation for dinner, a movie, a trip, a cruise. Connect with other humans and reap the rewards. We offer tips on surviving widowhood, loneliness or divorce from two who know: Keller and Cookie! Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh take on the arts, family, nature, travel and more at www.whereiscookie.com