Merry Christmas & One Day - Last Minute Sale!
"Christmas at Sea"
Performed by Sting
Although we heard Sting perform this last year I think it bears repeating with
new surroundings and full orchestra.
poem by Robert Louis Stevenson
(1850-1894)
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 suff 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 tacked and tacked between the South Head and the North;
All day we hauled 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 tacked from head to head.
We gave the South a wider berth, for there the tide-race roared;
But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard.
So's we saw the cliff 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 volleyed out;
And I vow we sniffed 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 in the year)
This day of our adversity was blessèd 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;
And O the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way,
To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessèd 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 staggered 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 cleared the weary headland, and passed 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.
Winter Solstice - December 21, 2012
Well, we have lived to sail another day. Check out this information on the Summer Sailstice just 6 months from today and start planning for this fun worldwide event.
One Day - Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Sale!
If you know someone that would like to try sailing we have our Discover Sail (2 hours on the water where
they can take the tiller and learn some of the basics of sailing) for over 1/2 off at $45.00 per person.
Call 801.636.5204 to get your Gift Certificate now.
From the team at Bonneville Sailing we wish you a very Merry Christmas
and all the best for 2013!
Todd & Louise Frye
Dale Browne
Doug Hendricks
DeWitt Smith
Mitch & Katie Mahana
Tim Adams
Steve Monson
Diana Goodell
Brent Reed
Roger Bliss
Bonneville School of Sailing
www.bonnevillesailing.com
801.636.5204