From the archives – Time and time again

By Phillip Gray

We hoist the sails and cast the lines.

We hope for wind the weather’s fine.

The water’s clear, the sea is calm.

We head for island with swaying palm.

Soon the sky is thundery black.

Not a bad time to start on back.

The wind is up, we say good-bye to clear blue water and brilliant sky.

We change our tack and start on back just as the sky turns really black.

The rain starts pouring, the thunder’s roaring.

The situation’s far from boring.

We’re up and plaining, this is sailing, but soon we’re swamped and then we’re bailing.

Home is near, nothing to fear.

We soon are in and having a beer.

We start to tell them of our tale of how we were caught in that there gale.

The blokes all say we’re mad to go, and get caught out in such a blow.

But come next week when we’re rested, by wind and sea, we’ll again be tested.