For Unto Us An Ocean is Given

The waves today were about 7 meters, or over 20 feet. In his noon address, the Captain announced it was a “Magnificent day on the north Atlantic!”- He described it as gray and rainy and windy and “Isn’t it a joy to surf these mighty seas??!”

The waves are indeed something to behold- we gape slightly open mouthed, and then shake our heads and smile- smile at their might; smile at our relief they have until now, avoided us.

I decided that water like this was too sacred to watch while podcasting, so I put in Handel’s Messiah and walked around the 7th deck, which translates to about the 7th floor. Some of the swells were so high, it was like the water wanted to come up and say hello. As I listened to sopranos raised in song, (FOR UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN!)  a few of these monsters crested, and the tops turned a vibrant, turquoise blue. (AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL!)
It was such a beautiful sight; it made me tear up.

In fact, I was so moved, I yelled hello into the wind. Hello you glorious, dolphin filled waves! “HELLLOOOOW!!!!!!!!!”  Thank you for bringing me to England.

Luckily this is not at all strange behavior here. Many people drink at lunch, so it is hard to tell who is drunk and who is just a Wehlen.

Went for manicure and hit pay dirt. This sassy Jamaican woman of great beauty and a rather don’t mess with me vibe, described the safety procedures. She seems to be a bit of a nerd like I am on the exact protocol, and she reserves very harsh words for people who are on their phones during the safety briefing. Says if she sees any of these slackers in a real emergency “You don't want to know what I will say to him, maan.”

She is clear that one needs to stay on the Queen Mary for as long as possible. “Don’t be jumping off, girl. She is safer than de life boat…”
(“Don’t be worrying,” I said…..)

Best of all she described what happened a few weeks ago- the night that woke Osman. The waves were 50 feet (that is 5 stories of water coming at you) and it lasted two days and a night. She said that the bow of this enormous ship went up so high- it looked vertical, like it would flip over. She said “Dat storm need to go back and not happen again..”

She and the spa girls were terrified; and it is hard to find crew who have ever been scared. She said there were two kinds of passengers: the seasick/terrified, and the ones who still insisted on French manicures.
She told them: “ A french manicure? In this weather? We outta a de white polish maan”

And so on this beautiful Advent evening…may I say to all my beloved fellow seekers: Jews and Gentiles; Muslims, atheists, ocean worshippers, tree huggers; Catholics, lapsed and devout: May I remind you tonight of the gift of this beautiful ocean. Visit it from time to time, and say hello won’t you?  It will do your soul good.



Pictures from solid land I promise. xx