Shouldn’t laugh
15th April 06
I know I shouldn’t laugh, and I didn’t at the time, but when she was out of earshot, I had a little giggle to myself.
Low tide and she was stood at the bottom of the pier ladder looking up. She was absolutely petrified with her buddy looking on in the background, slightly embarrassed but trying to be sympathetic. Ok, so it was a low tide and the top of the pier was about 12 ft up but all the other divers had climbed it and were away without even a second glance.
I had been below deck fixing the loo. First there was the clunk of footprints across the deck with chatter and laughter, then a quiet spell. Then the growing agitation as the pair squabbled about their predicament. Coming up to investigate, I could see their skipper in the wheelhouse of their boat engrossed in the repairs of bits broken that day, oblivious to the drama unfolding.
If anyone was going to help them it was going to have to be me. I tied the boat of to the ladder: the gap was now 2ft or less and not about to enlarge by any amount.
One hand on the ladder then back as if bitten.
“I can’t do this”
“Oh well high water is in 6hrs”
One hand back on the ladder, then a foot.
Slowly she climbed moving each limb on my command ’till she climbed over the precipice like the pope on new soil. There she sat, got her breath back and set off to the Ferry for a stiff whisky. The buddy nodded his thanks. I know, if you had helped there would have been a row. Better it was me, and you stood back, even if you did look silly. I know the drill there. I have been there too with my friends, though not at the bottom of a ladder.
I untied the boat and went back to the loo, chuckling. Bad, I know, but it did tickle me.
