The perfect wave

I would not regard the sea as malevolent, but I have seen plenty of evidence
on this trip of its michieviousness. Take this morning for example. We'd
had a brilliant night, surfing a huge swell, hunkered down with two reefs
and the jib top and, by morning, things had settled down and the wind had
backed, necessitating a sail change. Richard had just completed his watch
but went to the bow to sort it out. All was completed without mishap.
Richard was just about to return, get off his kit and snuggle ito his
sleeping bag but thought he'd just re-site that spinnaker line that was
threatening to foul the furler. He turned to the bow and bent down, the
wind blowing his hood back. At that precice moment, the sea lined up two
waves, one from the ffront and one from the starboard quarter, to come
together just at the side of the bow, where Richard was crouching. There
was a satisfying schlup and an arc of water rose up described a perfect
parabola and went straight down the back of Richard's neck. There was a
stangled howl and he came crawling back with an expression on his face like
a dog that's been told it's time for a bath.
I honeslty did my best to look concerned and sympathetic, but failed
miserably. It was simply too, too funny.
Trev