About

WELCOME ABOARD!

HERE’S MY STORY AND I’M STICK’EN TO IT!

About thirty years ago I attended a craft fair at a local high school and noticed a young student’s work with inspirational calligraphy. I’ve always been attracted to the very old illustrated manuscripts of Gregorian Chant done by monks in the Middle Ages. At the time I was looking for something meaningful to do with my time and decided to try my hand at calligraphy.

My very first piece was a personalized commemorative First Communion Prayer for the daughter of a close friend. The girl’s mother then asked me to do a Baptismal Prayer for their newborn son. Since then I have developed a following for my Sacramental Collection. I did a First Communion Prayer for a lady’s Grandson in 1996 and I had the honor to prepare a Navy Graduation and Commissioning plaque for his graduation from the Naval Academy with the Class of 2011! That was very special for me to do.

When I reported aboard the aircraft carrier USS Randolph (CVS 15) in July of 1962 in the Port of San Remo, Italy I was assigned to the Navigation Department and assumed the duties of a Quartermaster Seaman. Along with numerous other responsibilities, a Navy quartermaster serves as the ship’s Helmsman underway. With the ship’s compass, the Helmsman steers the ship, hopefully, in the right direction. I assure you, if he’s not driving the ship in the right direction he’ll hear about it very loudly and very clearly. Arriving safely in port depends on the accuracy of the compass and, to some extent, the skill of The Helmsman.

LARRY POH
Sole Proprietor
The Helmsman’s Compass
703-971-9156

“He was thoughtful and grave — but the orders he gave were enough to bewilder the crew. ​

When he cried ‘steer to starboard, but keep her head larboard’ what on earth was a helmsman to do?“

— LEWIS CARROLL (1832-1898) BRITISH AUTHOR