The sun was over the yard arm.. So was I

"This concentrates the mind" shouted Chris, I looked up to see Chris edging out to the end of the `Royal yard´ "poof, I thought" and looked out to survey the view over the bay from my vantage point, at the course yard, ( the lowest one)..

Yard arms, are the big spars that the sails hang from on a square rig ship. Lord Nelson Has 4 yard arms, on its two front masts. This story is taking place on the `Fore mast´ ( the stick at the front of the ship) we are climbing to the tippy top, to prepare the `royal yard´ (the highest one) to be lowered to the dock for some maintenace.. The added fun is, that the ship is no longer in the water. It his sitting on a dusty dock after being lifted out for our 20 year survey.

I continue to climb.. I am wearing a full body harness, rigger boots with steel toe caps, my big Knife ( of course) my `leatherman´ too. ( thats incaes I want to file my nails, open a bottle of wine or pick my teeth for some reason) I have the biggest adjustable spanner you have ever seen, tied rambo style over my shoulder and assorted other pliers and tools hanging from my harness. What is not hanging from my harness, is a rope or a belay devise. Climbing in the morning sun, the rigging becomes more narrow and I approach a `jakobs ladder´ or the´` futtock shrouds´to most of us its an overhang! Blimey!!! I thought, " this focuses the mind"

As I start to edge out on the opposite side to chris, I am sweating but finally the tether on my harness is attched to something. Normally when you are up here you edge out over water, which somehow is a little more reasuring. Today however a) the ship is about 3 stories higher than usual and b) I am edging out over a very hard concrete floor. Yikes.

" Did you bring the side cutters Chris?"
" No Mate!"
" F**K!"
" F**K!"

As my climbing frinds will know. The only possible worse thing than negotiating an over hang, is to back climb one... I am now getting used to the `futtock shrouds´ and I think of the 5 p´s before starting work in the rigging. ( prior preparation prevents piss poor performance)