Sea Fever

Out in the elements for my first sail in 50 years!

“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by; And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking. “ Sea Fever, John Masefield

I’ve loved this poem ever since I first read it. Between this poem and the one by Emily Dickinson (below) poems about the sea have captured my imagination. It helps that I consider myself a salt water person. For thirty years I lived in the mountains (which I also love) but I still needed that sea salt on my skin  to feel alive.

So every year I would book our family holidays down Victoria’s west coast, ostensibly so the children would have that same sea experience I remembered from growing up, but more importantly for my own reinvigoration.

Sailing has been a part of that sea fever yearning. This was fulfilled in some part when I was a teenager and crewed in my neighbour’s sailing boat. Then there were all the ferries large and small that I took myself on during my travels in the Mediterranean and in Iceland and Greenland. It has always been Dylan Thomas’s fishing boat bobbing seas for me. Maybe I was a Nordic or Icelandic fisherperson in a past life.

So yesterday I got to embark on a sailing adventure (see last week’s blogpost). The wind was strengthening, the river was a bit choppy and I was pretty darn rusty with my boating skills. Within the first 10 minutes the boat capsized. It was hard to get it back upright and I did a lot of treading water. Nevertheless we persevered, but before too long she was down in the water again. I ended up spending the afternoon in the rescue dingy and we had to tow the boat back to the sailing club.

I still had a wonderful time. It was a few hours out on the water, amongst the elements. The water was warm (not like the cold Victorian seas of my youth) and the sun warmed my back in my long sleeved rashie. I was happy! Today I am going to try it all again – this time in the boat with someone a lot more experienced than me. I’ll let you know how it goes!!!

“I started Early – Took my Dog –

And visited the Sea –

The Mermaids in the Basement

Came out to look at me” – poem 656 Emily Dickinson 

West Greenland Sarfaq-Ittuk ferry, 2022

The CalMac ferry, at Stromness Orkney, 2018.