Post by Administrator on Oct 3, 2020 13:29:09 GMT
JOHN`S VOYAGE
My brother John’s a seaman and once he said to me;
“I’ll tell you of a voyage in my early days at sea",
The ship was the Consuelo - in ’46 I’m sure,
I was a young apprentice and relatively pure,
The Continent was starving - the people needed grain,
So we went to fetch a cargo from Canada’s domain,
Sailing from the Humber and through the Pentland Firth,
Fifteen knots on Yorkshire coal the engines showed their worth.
Heading North of West on that hot midsummer’s day,
Making for old Montreal just eight long days away,
The weather was so perfect - horizon very clear,
Earning pay while on the way as Belle Isle Straits drew near,
In time we raised Newfoundland, her coasts on either side,
Chancing fog and icebergs - went on our risky ride,
Of course we had no radar then, but steamed on through the night,
Came tomorrow morning - what a marvellous sight.
The Straits are frozen over for six months of the year,
But this June day the fish could play and whales were basking here,
Sunlight off the growlers when my trick at the wheel,
Accompanied by herring gulls and green winged Arctic teal,
Close to the Long Range Mountains, with snow up to the peaks,
We could see the polar bears fishing in the creeks,
Also spied the white fox straying from its lair,
Encouraged by the temperature warming up the air.
There were several sightings, of caribou and moose,
Midst ever-changing colours and trees of mighty spruce,
Taking in the scenery while running with the tide,
The view was truly awesome - my eyes were open wide,
Towards the Gulf of Lawrence, through the Straits of Labrador,
No other craft were thereabouts but porpoises galore,
I was so very fortunate to see nature at its best,
Even hardy seamen were visibly impressed.
I thought that I must tell you of this voyage of delight,
The beauty of these latitudes from morn `till fading light,
Wish everyone could see it - make believers of us all,
If aboard an ocean freighter, from Hull to Montreal.
Joe Earl R680857