Zen Again 6

 

Stargazer's foam flecked gallop, toward the North Foreland, is brought to an abrupt halt.

When the jib halyard parts and her foresail tumbles to the deck. 

There is nothing for it, but to turn and run before the wind, under mainsail only. Stargazer's deck now flat. The apparent wind reduced. Enabling me to recover the sail and lash it to the rail.

As well as to puzzle over what has just happened. It seems that the, two year old, halyard has parted at the swage. The eye left dangling, like a pendant earing, from the furler top swivel.

Unencumbered by the sail, the hayard has fallen, out of the mast, to the deck. Under the impetus of gravity and wave motion. Where it has neatly coiled itself.

Stargazer retraces her steps. Back into the Medway. Her skipper's spirits rising, following a phonecall, to Alan, of Wilkinson sails. Who can meet us at Chatham Naval Dockyard. To collect, and remake, the errant halyard. With a view to his wife, Sarah, climbing the mast, to re-reeve it, tomorrow.