Give me again,... the lad that's gone.

It's a rare treat! The Swedish Ship Gotheborg is in port this week. Rare, because she has been built according to traditional methods. Not only that, but that the same raw materials were used. The original ship was built in the 18th century (1738) for trade between Sweden's Stockholm and China. She sank outside her home port in 1745, on her return from China, with a load of cargo.

The beauty of tall ships had always captured my imagination. So I definitely don't want to let this opportunity of going onboard pass by.

The ship is berthed alongside Vivocity and the crew were still busy onboard. The ropes and sails have to be tended to, and it was definitely no easy task.... very little mechanical aids. Looking at the crew tending to the ropes on deck brings to mind a old folk song we sang in school years ago.....

Over the Sea to Skye

Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul, he sailed on a day,
Over the sea to Skye.

Mull was astern, rum was on port,
Eigg on the starboard bow;
Glory of youth glowed in his soul,
Where is that glory now?

Give me again all that was there,
Give me the sun that shone;
Give me the eyes, give me the soul,
Give me the lad that's gone.

Billow and breeze, islands and seas,
Mountains of rain and sun;
All that was good, all that was fair,
All that was me is gone.

Give me again all that was there,
Give me the sun that shone;
Give me the eyes, give me the soul,
Give me the lad that's gone.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

well, the lyrics still rings in my ears and stirs up my imaginations..... give me again, all that was there.... give me the lad that's gone.