Christmas At Sea

Dec 2, 1997
8,708
- - LIttle Rock
Christmas At Sea
The sheets were frozen hard, and they cut the naked hand;
The decks were like a slide, where a seaman scarce could stand,
The wind was a nor'-wester, blowing squally off the sea;
And cliffs and spouting breakers were the only things a-lee.

They heard the surf a-roaring before the break of day;
But 'twas only with the peep of light we saw how ill we lay.
We tumbled every hand on deck instanter, with a shout,
And we gave her the maintops'l, and stood by to go about.

All day we tack'd and tack'd between the South Head and the North;
All day we haul'd the frozen sheets, and got no further forth;
All day as cold as charity, in bitter pain and dread,
For very life and nature we tack'd from head to head.

We gave the South a wider berth, for there the tide-race roar'd;
But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard;
So's we saw the cliffs and houses, and the breakers running high,
And the coastguard in his garden with his glass against his eye.

The frost was on the village roofs as white as ocean foam;
The good red fires were burning bright in every 'longshore home;
The windows sparkled clear, and the chimneys volley'd out;
And I vow we sniff'd the victuals as the vessel went about.

The bells upon the church were rung with a mighty jovial cheer;
For it's just that I should tell you how (of all days of the year)
This day of our adversity was blessed Christmas morn,
And the house above the coastguard's was the house where I was born.

O well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there,
My mother's silver spectacles, my father's silver hair;
And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of homely elves
Go dancing round the china-plates that stand upon the shelves!

And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me,
Of the shadow on the household and the son that went to sea;
An O the wicked fool I seem'd, in every kind of way,
To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day.

They lit the high sea-light, and the dark began to fall.
'All hands to loose topgallant sails!' I heard the captain call.
'By the Lord, she'll never stand it,' our first mate Jackson cried.
. . . 'It's the one way or the other, Mr. Jackson,' he replied.

She stagger'd to her bearings, but the sails were new and good,
And the ship smelt up to windward just as though she understood.
As the winter's day was ending, in the entry of the night,
We clear'd the weary headland, and pass'd below the light.

And they heaved a mighty breath, every soul on board but me,
As they saw her nose again pointing handsome out to sea;
But all that I could think of, in the darkness and the cold,
Was just that I was leaving home and my folks were growing old.

--Robert Louis Stevenson, 1888
(RLS was also the author of the novel TREASURE ISLAND)

--Peggie
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Here is a picture from Christmas Past. I had four Christmases aboard, but only one was away from our home port. I was 13, we were on our way to Maine to spend the Summer on Hurricane Island. This picture was taken Christmas morning in 1976. Sunflower was berthed on Boot Key and it was so cold we could see out breath when we went topside. Still, we had a little silver Christmas tree set on the main salon table and our stockings were hung against the cabinets that lined the bench seats. Santa found us and it looks like he included a pack of Dentene to go with the candy canes.
Christmas in Boot Key.jpg


Merry Christmas to all.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
Oct 10, 2011
619
Tartan 34C Toms River, New Jersey
Great picture Will! I bet it was a great experience. Christmas is a great time for remembering.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all.
 
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Feb 14, 2014
7,399
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Our morning today...

As we woke this morn, from our company's fest
The party's leftovers still made for the breakfast mess
The cured ham and fresh eggs now sizzle on the Stove
The Admiral and I sip coffee and contemplate a trip to the cove.

Ahh the cove where our special boat is berthed
Our boat, our wonderful boat, a source of our contiued mirth
No frost on the roofs, or chimineys with yule log smoke
Our boat beckons us to come to her, as if she spoke.

We quickly check if the weather is clear
Our urge to sail, our need to sail Grows ever near.
With wicked smiles as we prepare for a sail
Knowing most of cold SBOers wish us to "Go to ..."

Merry Christmas from...
Admiral Sue and Captain Jim