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Aubrey-maturin Quote by Patrick O'Brian

“Since the sheets were half-flown the sails instantly split at the seams, the maintopsail shaking so furiously that the masthead must have gone had not Mowett, the bosun, Bonden, Warley the captain of the maintop and three of his men gone aloft, laid out on the ice-coated yard and cut the sail away…” quote by Patrick O'Brian
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““Since the sheets were half-flown the sails instantly split at the seams, the maintopsail shaking so furiously that the masthead must have gone had not Mowett, the bosun, Bonden, Warley the captain of the maintop and three of his men gone aloft, laid out on the ice-coated yard and cut the sail away close to the reefs. Warley was on the lee yardarm when the footrope gave way under him and he fell, plunging far clear of the side and instantly vanishing in the terrible sea.””

Patrick O'Brian

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Far Side of the World, 1975

A sudden storm tears the ship apart, leading to loss of crew and a tragic fall overboard.

In simple terms: A violent storm destroys the ship and kills crew members

Key Takeaway

Respect nature’s power and prepare for emergencies

Themes

maritime disaster leadership

Mood

somber dramatic

Type

historical narrative

When to use this quote

  • naval training
  • emergency drills
  • risk assessment

Key Concepts

Chaos of storms human vulnerability

Questions to Reflect On

  • How would you improve safety protocols?
  • What lessons does this tragedy teach?
A Different Perspective

May romanticize danger over safety

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