Strange things happen at sea

“Home”, said the sailor, “it’s been a long trip
Two months I was stuck on that ship
Twas a good job it sunk, that I could say
Though I’d not have said that when we got underway
The captain was incoherent with booze
Had to be carried aboard for this cruise
He wasn’t to be seen the day we set sail
Curing his hangover with a flagon of ale
The first mate knew nought and wanted to do less

I tell you the boat was in a real mess

We left the harbour at the crack of dawn
With a hold full of rum hidden under baskets of corn
Hoping to get into Scarborough under no moon
To avoid dancing to the custom mans tune
The Atlantic storms come out of nowhere
Even the best can get caught unaware

We was battered and tossed by the sea and the rain
The wind howling around as the ship shrieked its pain
With a crack the mainmast suddenly fractured and fell
Taking with it the bridge and captain as well

The ship spun without steerage and anything not tied
Slid over the deck and over the side
Taking with them anyone who got in the way
Disappearing in the sea and lost to the spray

Old Jack Bean hung desperately from the ships rail
As the ship yawed his grip started to fail
I struggled to a locker that some rope was on
But when I looked around I found he was gone
The storm passed as quickly as it had come
But by then the terrible damage was done

Twelve of us on board when we’d got underway
Just three of us survived that awful day

The sails had been ripped and now long gone
Anyway no mast was left to hang them on
The ship lay becalmed on an eerie flat sea
A silence that suddenly seemed strange to me
We stood on the deck, all three, side by side
we stood there, all three and we cried

That night I watched the sun descend
It’s red dusk light seemed to send
A pathway from us to its deep orange core
For nine more dead souls to seek and explore
I quietly prayed that they were at peace
And hoped they found sense in their brutal release

For three long days and even longer nights
We watched for ships or for ships lights
For all the ship was still afloat
Another storm would sink the boat
But strange things can happen at sea
I ask you to suspend your judgment on me
I promise you I will not be deceiving
But this is going to be hard to believe in

On the fourth day the whales appeared
that’s when this story really gets weird
There were three whales circling around us
Both playful and I think, curious
Each was half the size of our ship
Their tails could sink us with just one flip
The suddenly we felt a gentle push
And the ship trembled underneath us

We realised that the ship was in motion
Finally moving in this empty ocean
Then we realised that on either side
A whale accompanied us along for the ride
We looked to see where the third whale had gone
To our surprise it was pushing us along

Every few hours the whales changed position
Taking turns on this strange mission
For two days we were pushed towards an unknown destination
Carried along by these strange cetacean
Then in the dark of the night we heard a strange call all around
As the whales communicated in their sad mournful sound

The ship slowed to a rest in the dark of the night
Then suddenly a light pierced the night
A lighthouse appeared on our starboard side
In shock we just broke down and we cried

We waited until the sun raised its head
And found ourselves drifting near flamborough head
Of the whales there was no sign, we couldn’t believe
That they had steered us home through treacherous seas

Shortly after the lifeboat arrived and tried to give us a tow
But our boat started to break up and filled with water below
We stood on the lifebout and watched with dismay
As our boat disappeared under the waters of the bay

Now I’ve told you my story, I guess I’m all done
So buy me a beer and go have your fun
Tell al your friends about the old sailers like me
You’ll never understand, strange things happen at sea.”