This is one of the ferries that crosses between New Zealand’s two main islands. It’s a trip that takes about three hours. Here we see it entering the harbour of New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. I took this photo while waiting to catch it to cross over.
And yes! regarding the melody first heard in the music – it does have a bar. However, it is often not a good idea to use it. Once you’ve left the safe confines of the harbour, the strait between the two islands is regarded as one of the roughest in the world! Today’s music journey however, is a relatively smooth affair.
Listen to the music HERE.
I once crossed the Strait with my two very small daughters and great-aunt in tow in the tail of a hurricane. It was a most exciting event from which we emerged wet with salt spray, red faced from the wild winds and bruised from a few tumbles ….. but not one of us became sea sick as we stayed on deck the whole time. The best memory of that day is the sight of my aged aunt grasping hold of the ships railing, face thrown sky wards crying ‘Oh, the elements, the elements’. 🙂 How would you compose a piece of music to commemorate that event?
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I just love that image of your aunt, Pauline!
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She was an amazing woman Cynthia – I wish I could have had her longer in my life!
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He he! My mother lost her false teeth somewhere overboard between Wellington and Picton! What a wondrous aged aunt!
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Mmm- I wonder what she was doing at the time Bruce 🙂 My aged aunt was a truly wonderful woman,
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Dentureless mums tell no tales.
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Aww by gum, I think you’re right.
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When in doubt, mumble…
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What a fabulous image of your aunt in her element!
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I can’t tell you how happy it has just made me to have so many pick up on this amazing woman – thank you!
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Love her, Pauline
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Anyway, it was earl-eye in the morning so we hit the bar first thing…so good to be dancing the hornpipe, until suddenly things got just a tad queasy. But it didn’t last, and we settled into the good old rocking of the sea.
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Well painted, Cynthia!
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Thanks for the dance, but I must rest now, me wooden leg has termites!
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Mind the parrot.
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Never mind the parrot, me buried treasure’s in me pocket.
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! I’m digging!
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Avast! Pull me mast!
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Oscar!!!
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If ever the world has seas, there will always be pirates!
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I would like to have been a pirate!
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The 2nd half of this piece I get an image of Bruce as Glen Gould hunched and whispering over his keyboard. I loved the 2nd half. It was sobering after the rum tossed seas.
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Rum-tossed seas! A great image!
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Blasphemy! Who’s been tossing rum into the sea?
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It was a rumming tide.
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Probably more of a rummy tide.
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Loved the second half of this too, beautiful, sounded like a movie soundtrack! I pictured Clint Eastwood though, obviously I don’t watch very many things with boats in.
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That wasn’t Clint! That was me!!!!!
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You have SUCH a vivid imagination.
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Ha ha! Very funny 😀
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Aaaarrrrr matey! A ship in the old west? Out in the desert? Yeah that was Captain Bruce saint the Mohave.
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Thank goodness he did – otherwise Cynthia might not be about today – given her Micmac tribal ancestry.
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Bruce the spruce pirate, giveth not taketh!
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Gladly giveth. (P.S. I have/had a great-nephew called Oscar, but he died at birth.)
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Sadly, Autumn Symphony’s brother was still-borne as well.
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I could hear all the sounds of the boat leaving the pier and beginning to head out of the harbor, all the engine sounds and instrument beeps and anchor coming up; then I could tell when it moved into the channel. Lovely piece. And nice image kudos to Pauline as well, with her marvelous aunt!
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I think Pauline’s aunt needs to be written into the music. Some lilting opera singer calling out “Oh the elements! The elements!”
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Shiver me timbers! That was a jolly tune, Bruce. That is until the black flag was raised. Avast! Prepare to be boarded!
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Black Flag is a brand of fly-spray over here. So back off or I’ll spray.
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LOL! I think you mean neuter not spay…wait you said “spray”…oh I get it now.
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😀 Typo – I meant spayed : back off or you’ll get spayed.
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Great piece, Bruce
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Thanks, Derrick.
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