Today was a day of reflection on sound. The first sound was that of gulls feeding. The y-boom opposite us had ‘capsized’ and so was resting upside down. While this made it useless for mooring to, it did make it an ideal feeding platform for the gulls. All the mussels which usually grow under the water, were easily accessible to them – fast food for gulls.
Then, after a morning of washing and sorting stuff, we headed off south once again. The next sound was the more intrusive sound of the engine as we headed off out of the berth, but that only lasted about five minutes. Almost directly outside the entrance we had a good sailing breeze and so hoisted sails straight away. This carried on for most of the day and while the breeze faded in and out we kept sailing. This meant we could revel in the peace and quiet and reflect on the sounds all around – oystercatchers – a high-pitched, piping almost whistling or trilling sound. It could even perhaps be described as sounding like an excitable child, but perhaps best not to think that. This was joined by the lapping and rippling sound of the boat sailing through the water, the banging and clattering sound made by swans taking off as we tried to run them down and the cacophony of other sounds – all of which are emphasised when sailing peacefully along.
The final major sound of the day was not such a good one – a gentle bang followed by a short period of clattering as the mainsail then fell down. The main halyard had snapped! This happened just as we sailed up towards Vindö Marin, leading to a change of plan for the evening. Instead of carrying on round to Slussen, we decided to moor at Vindö Marin and get them to redo the halyard tomorrow. Of course, when it snaps, the other end heads up the mast and then down through the mast, so it will need re-threading through the mast.
A slightly frustrating event, but one that make you reflect on the nature of timing and, in particular, opportune timing. Could the timing of a halyard breaking literally as we approached a boatyard be more opportune? In a more philosophical sense this makes you think about the concept of Kairos. This an ancient Greek term meaning the “right time” or “the opportune moment.” In this case a halyard breaking seems to be a perfect example of Kairos – a “supreme moment” or a “critical juncture” where something can be effectively accomplished. Kairos is all about a moment’s potential for action, a fleeting window where conditions align perfectly for something to happen. In this case going past a boatyard and heading straight in to have the halyard repaired. This contrasts with the Greek concept of Chronos, which refers to sequential, measured time – hence the term chronometer.
Or maybe I am just over-thinking it all …..!