All the crew turned up on the Saturday 25th March for their
week long training, and after a short briefing all the crew was split in to
small teams and various tasks were handed out so that the yacht is ready for the
week at sea.
With some previous sailing experience one will think they got the sea
legs but it’s not the case, the first day went with out any drama but on the
2nd day the dinner was spaghetti bolognaise and smell of the mince
and the rocking motion triggered me to hug the side of the yacht and feed the
fishes.
I was put in the red watch, and the best watch of the two... ????
The watch got on well and the watch leader Daz (for some unknown reason I
kept calling him Dave) was an excellent instructor and we all learned a lot in
the short time. For the first time in my life I managed to drive the 67 foot
yacht in day light and in night. Driving at night only using the bearing with
out any other landmark to aim was difficult, but all the red watch enjoyed the
star gazing.
The rest of the crew were secretly betting who will be taking more
pictures between Byrne (hacker from Blue watch) and I, but looking at the amount
of pictures taken they agreed that together we have taken enough so there was no
winner and they all wanted a copy in a CD format.
Today 29th March Byrne and I were put on mother watch, our
main job is to feed and water the crew topside who were working very hard, and
constantly asking for snacks, tea and coffee. Neither Byrne nor I have cooked
for 14 people, to make things even more challenging the yacht was pitching and
heeling at 45 degree making all the pots and pans in the galley flying from left
to right and so were we. Byrne is on the right of the picture and I am the one
with Colgate grin. Hope to meet up with the crew in July and during the
sail out to Greenland.
Ramesh Manickavasagan & Byrne
Ghavalas
