Ivy essay

             above deck robbed me of all my normal faculties. The vertigo that had long.
             plagued me whenever I ventured too near the edge of some precipice or too.
             high into a tree had caught up to me in the rigging. Queasiness quickly.
             replaced my disappointment at this discovery, however. Spotting my heaving.
             chest and buckling legs, my petty officer, Mark, immediately ordered me.
             back to deck.
             I tried going aloft again on a day of calm wind and still waters. Under.
             Mike's supervision, I climbed back into the rigging and inched my way out.
             onto a yard arm. Struggling to control my labored breathing, I attempted to.
             focus on the job at hand so I could climb quickly off the toothpick-like.
             timber. No matter that I was "roped in" with a safety harness, I was still.
             rendered completely ineffective by my surroundings.
             During one of my next trips aloft, I found it possible to recover some.
             control once I forced the shudders to retreat from my body. When I paused.
             to analyze my situation, I knew my vertigo would not prevent me from.
             maneuvering safely. "Ben! Pay attention and help me furl this sail so we.
             can get out of here," barked Mike. Visions of Bouncing Bens quickly.
             dissipated. He reminded me that we were hanging from the yard to perform a.
             task, not for me to reflect on the state of my phobias.
             I continued to climb into the rigging, determined to master my fears enough.
             to perform good work. On one trip onto a craneline hanging near a mast, I.
             forced every detail concerning the location of my body and velocity of its.
             parts to come into precise focus. My mind emptied of all else, I slowed.
             down the task until I could gain command over each of its component parts.
             To help maintain control, I avoided the sensorial shock that accompanied.
             the sight of my shoes balanced on a thin bit of line 60 feet above deck. By.
             concentrating on the pace of my breathing and the exact position of my.
             hands, I could almost forget that I was no longer roped in. Without any.