http://allpoetry.com/poem/8495913-Sea-Fever-by-John_MasefieldI 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.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
---------------------------------------------------------------
As Roger Taylor said in response to criticism of his essays, "The Elements of Seamanship", the sea has such power that even consummate seamanship may not be enough.
The song is haunting, and when I find myself with it in my head when I am on the sea, I feel like I am breaking a taboo.
The height of a wave is the least useful part of knowing its danger, period is a far more informative indicator of it's ass kicking potential.
I spent five years on the 4,500 ton vessel when she was new and named the R/V Shell America.
I bought this Salmon troller in July, a steel 42 footer. First boat I went out to work on back in high school. Well Maintained over the years, I am putting new fuel tanks in her and cleaning up the engine room right now.