Southern Lord
11 December 1998, South Atlantic off Terra Del Fuego.
Whilst along side the jacket (Hidra Central Platform) as the tide went down, a large seal was sort of wallowing around among the legs. It seems to have made the platform legs it’s home and as the tide went down exposing one of the cross beams it got it’s self up on one and let the tide fall away underneath it, staying there sleeping until the tide came back in, with the occasional stretch and yawn. Watching this I wrote a few words about it.
Sombulent laze on cold steel pole
Furr’d fat flesh in silent repose
Majestic Lord of salted sea
Distains the lapping low his knee
Washed around the jacket frame
Wall-less pedestals his hame
Tides fully exposed high and dry
Left on greened beam did lie
Slowly raised on flippers spread
Wide the mouth uplift the head
Discordant bellow in fetid breath
Announces royally this his hea’th
Refuting interlopers desires
Reclining back on beam retires
And pointedly ignoring others
Returns to sleep till tide recovers