Sea Fever and a Hot Toddy

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls’ cry.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

The wind is raging outside, rain is lashing at the windows, and I could not get this poem out of my head.

There are moments when I listen to the wind and remember when I was eight years old and had a recurring daydream that I was on a Tudor ship (I have no idea where this fantasy came from, but it was very vivid) and would imagine climbing up the rigging, standing in the sails and staring out to the wide sea, hanging off the ropes with careless abandon and my entire body taut with a feeling of adventure. I think it was to do with reading a children’s book about Francis Drake once too often, or my brain finally catching up to the possibilities that life brought and all the directions I could go in the future, both scary and spectacular.

The future is now here, and I am curled up under a blanket, the scent of salt in my mind and a wonder where my wanderlust went. Certainly, as the rain rages outside, I am very happy to be in. I have no desire to be up any rigging and my hot toddy is the closest I am going to get to vagabonding.

But this poem fills my head.

John Masefield’s ode to the sea and all the promises, dangers and potentials it brings and the desire to go out and try to tame the wild ocean.

Tomorrow I will take the dogs on their walk, in the inland whetted knife-like wind heralding the coming of winter, and feel the spray of mist, hear the running tide of the streams, and the chatter of robins in place of seagulls and share many a merry yarn with my intrepid fellow-rover, as we question our choices of pet ownership.

But tonight, just tonight, I will let my mind wonder down to the sea again and the impossible dreams of my eight year old self, sip my hot toddy and imagine my life as a pirate on the waves.

Rum Hot Toddy

(Makes 2 glasses)

• 50ml Grumblebee Honey Spiced Rum https://courtneys.online/rum/g... 
• 2tsp runny honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
• Juice of ½ lemon (more if necessary)
• 4-6 cloves
• 2 lemon slices

1. Stud the lemon slices with the cloves.
2. Split the rum and honey between two heat proof glasses and add the cinnamon sticks and lemon slices
3. Top up the glasses with boiling water.
4. Add lemon juice to taste and serve immediately.