FIRST TIME OUT

If your stomach's strong
And the weekend long
And your plans for Sunday vague
And you like good cheer
With a touch of fear
Volunteer on the ship James Craig

With a harness on
Up aloft they've gone
Just a slip from heaven, so
Each one's a saint -
But a saint I ain't
So I stayed on the deck below

There's lots of ropes
At similar slopes
Each wound around a pin
At turn about
You ease them out
Or sweat the buggers in

The theory how
From stern to bow
Is a wondrous thing to know
But they sag and lag
And snag and jag
Out here where the true winds blow

When friction locks
The tackle blocks
A little spills to the decks
But you're adults all
Some call, some haul,
No regard for age or sex

Your main defence
Is common sense
Of eye and mind and hand
And listen well
For a yell will tell
What you need to understand

At end of day
And a weary way
The deck's abuzz with cheer
For you make friends fast
Before the mast
And you hold not rope but beer

                                Chris Clarke, first sail Sunday 30 November 2003