‘TWAS a clear blue sky with fair and
favouring breezes as we hauled sail and
ran down through the Family Isles; the only boat
on a boundless ocean while Grieg’s Peer Gynt
Suite lent an edge of music to our minds.
Now Uhuru 3 lies at anchor in the early
evening of Missionary Bay, as we laze on the
foredeck with a cigar and glass of wine, to savour
the pleasure of sharing this mystical moment.
Mystical it surely is: the effect this expanse of
forest, mountains and ocean has on us, who are
a alone in it with mists and clouds draped along
the jungle peaks, all f loating in the timelessness
of a tropical evening, combine to lead into our
minds the notion we four souls are at anchor
in a vast primeval world where, through a split
in the sky, the world of Tolkien, peeps through.
Puffy cumulus and thin white fog drift by, sift,
form scenes and faces, then re-form as a creator
unfolds miracles in the sky; while we, who
wish this moment to last forever, shake hands
with sunset, then together drift into night,
suspended in eternity.
Morning walks with us through mangroves,
then along Ramsey Beach before introducing us
to a friendly little path, which takes our group
for a stroll through her forest home.
Upon meeting another path, we scramble up
to its mountain lair. A rugged sort of place with
commanding views of mangroves and bays, then
back down to rejoin the first path, which leads
us through tea-trees and dappled sunshine for
a swim and cup of billy tea.
After an easy walk upstream we veer north
to clamber and scramble up to a rocky summit,
Jen nearly falls, while rain sets in. When it clears
a little, like good soldiers, over the top we go.
What a magnificent scene: silver-brown
peaks wreathed in smoke; granite crags
breathing fire; mists and distant thunder;
forests and waterfalls all lend to this valley
of pink and green tundra, an ethereal and
somewhat fairytale quality.
Finally we decide to change seats in this
mighty outdoor theatre, swing over the side
and slide down through wet forest. None of71
Tolkein time
THE SERENITY OF SAILING IS OFTEN ENHANCED WHEN
IT CAN TAKE YOU PLACES OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Sailing in
STEVE KENYON
ABOVE: Tolkien our time.REFLECTIONS