Journey is over but adventure is not for Morrow

(Photo courtesy of What's On Xiamen) Le Mars native Hugh Morrow, who sailed from China to the U.S. and most of the way back, is now spending his days training youth to sail and swim at Asia's largest yacht club. That's where he helped save the life of two drowning teens. [Click to enlarge]

Le Mars native Hugh Morrow's journey from China to the United States and most of the way back is finished, but he's far from slowing down.

From Xiamen, in the People's Republic of China, Morrow sent word of his latest venture -- book writing.

"I will be publishing a series of children's adventure books that will introduce Chinese culture to the west. Here in China it will be used as an English learning series," Morrow wrote in an email. "Chinese culture is the one of the world's oldest and most complex cultures. China is also huge, There are 56 minority groups in China and just as many languages. Most groups have their own spirituality and mythology."

Morrow's working with a publisher in England on the project.

But that's not all.

He is also planning a novel on the voyage of the Princess Tai Ping, the ancient Chinese-style sailing ship he sailed on from China to the U.S. and back. He'll tell the story of traveling aboard a 1400's style ship from his perspective.

"While I am not writing, I have been working with the largest yacht club in Asia," Morrow wrote. "Every day at work has become an adventure for me."

He is coordinating with the Beijing Government, America and Taiwan to plan the first ever yacht race from mainland China to Taiwan.

"The race to Taiwan and back is about 160 miles," Morrow said.

In addition, the Le Mars native has been teaching Chinese children swimming and sailing, as well as learning how to train dolphins.

And he's been rescuing people from the sea.

Last week, while teaching a lesson by the shore, Morrow saw two young men drowning.

According to a news report in Xiamen's English newspaper "What's On Xiamen," Morrow and a former Princess Tai Ping crew member Wu Yi were on the scene.

Wu Yi first saw the two drowning men waving their hands for help. He approached them in his boat and found one man was already unconscious.

Morrow, who saw the events unfold from the shore, jumped into the sea and swam toward the men.

One man was blue in the face and completely unconscious.

Morrow and Wu Yi managed to bring the two men to shore.

Before rescue workers arrived, Morrow started giving first aid to the unconscious man.

"I performed CPR, which I learned at LCHS (Le Mars Community High School)," Morrow said.

Spitting sea water and foam, the man came to, according to the news report.

Both men were taken to the hospital for emergency care.

"I haven't spoke with the two boys since the incident," Morrow said. "One boy took in to much water through the nose. ... The boy spent four days in the hospital."

The news report also noted that Morrow's Chinese name is "Si Hai."

Interestingly enough, the name was given to Morrow by another Chinese reporter earlier.

"He asked me what my Chinese name was," Morrow said, remembering that meeting. "I told him I didn't have one so, he chose it for me and it stuck."

The Chinese characters that make up the name, Morrow said, symbolize ideas, not words, so the name carries deeper significance than a few words.

"It means 'All of the world is your home, all are your brothers with in the four seas,'" Morrow said.

A name fit for an adventurer.