I must go down to the sea again
by Spike Milligan 1918-2002

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky;
I left my shoes and socks there – I wonder if they’re dry?

No, Mummy, you don’t understand – I have to sail – I can’t stop now. I can’t stop ever…

And no one ever felt this way before…
The first time is special in its own way for each one of us. Like the first kiss from a rugged alpha male -you’re either sunk – or you can’t wait to paddle away. She’s sunk.

And even being strapped into a bosun’s harness and hauled aloft and over the side of a fast-moving racing yacht in the middle of a hailstorm to recover a ‘body’ with a hook in a simulated ‘man overboard’ exercise with mountainous waves slapping her in the face as she hung upside down hasn’t diminished the lure of the sea.

And if Princess Perfect can put up with this…
I have to believe it’s true love

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.

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. John Masefield 1878-1967

Wishing you all a warm, dry and wonderful day
Sxx