Magellan
Friday 18 December 1998, Straits of Magellan.
Inspired while travelling through the narrows at the Atlantic entrance to the Straits of Magellan, just off Cabo San Vincient (Cape St Vincent) on the southern shore, Terra Del Fuego and Punta Gracia (Point Grace) on the northern mainland. The cliffs on Terra Del Fuego rise to 40 metres and the race of tide around Cape St Vincent creates quite a turmoil of water. It was a fine day but high winds were racing the cumulus along, and the wind against tide making the water off the cape leap and spume while two black and white dolphins were escorting us slowly past the cliffs as we stemmed the 5 knots of current on our way into Laredo.
Loamed cliffs inwards face
Overlooking swift green sea
In narrow constraint flows apace
Tidal race from sea to sea
Sheer the cliffs on either case
Watch the waters run below
Tidal forces at their base
Refuse the towering status quo
High above the clouds race
Mercy of the straining gale
Deep shadows in relentless haste
Colour cliffs from dark to pale
Windswept land a barren place
Parched the grass clutches hold
Ne’er a tree to give it grace
Riven wind allows none so bold
When Magellan took a taste
Fast swept the current all along
Sails aback, all headway waste
O’er the edge believed they gone
Now is known the channels place
It heralds not impending doom
Sun and moon the waters chase
‘Tis but the oceans weaving loom
Wind gainst tide within the waist
Constraining cliffs heaped the flow
Turning waters to foaming lace
A tapestry woven for natures show
Piebald dolphins leaping pace
Pilot travelers down fluid road
To leave behind ne’er a trace
Where the waters passing flow’d
Barren cold and windy place
The straits that pass from sea to sea
Loamed cliffs that inwards face
Watch trespassers sail between