THE EDUCATION OF AN INNOCENT AUSTRALIAN: Bar Crossings for the great unwased

摘要

Alfred, Lord Tennyson of course, refers to crossing the bar as dying and going from the river into the afterlife of the ocean. It was his eulogy. My first bar crossing was with Bruce Harris on one of his legendary Shark Cats over the Southport Bar about 30 years ago. "Just keep yer legs bent!" yelled Bruce as we approached the first of the breaking waves at around 30 knots. Sure enough we became airborne and slammed down on the other side of the breaker, and if our legs had been straight, we would have broken them. Three breaking waves later I was exhilarated and out in the ocean swells.