14:05S 9:50W

Tales of Amok's Adventures
Mike Jones
Sat 30 Jan 2010 22:34
Beans, beans, they're good for the heart, the more you eat, the more you ...

well folks, they (as in THE COLD BAKED BEANS) no longer loom as a dreaded prospect, they are a reality, as the cooker/oven remains a very temperamental beast. We are trying to make ourselves feel better by reading WILBUR SMITH novels, where the only things they get to eat are biltong and biscuit irrespective whether they are sailing or on safari. Now, I know that you don't have to have a hot meal everyday, but it sure lifts spirits when you do. Oh well, tomorrow is another day, to try another trick with it. Did you know that potatoes cook in hot water if you leave them overnight???

We had the most amazing wind shift this morning, the wind suddenly decreased from 18 knots down to about 5, then blew directly from the south, making it appear for a couple of minutes, may 10, that we could actually free off and sail straight to St. Helena, which would be a very fine thing indeed. Unfortunately, as quickly as it happened, it then reverted back to a miserable south easterly. Anyway, sometimes this happens when a wind shift is coming, so we'll be watching. Easterlies have been forecasted, but they haven't really materialised yet. The beauty of the wind vane is that she'll follow the shifts, we just need to ensure that the wind shift is a lifter and not a header. ie, something to our benefit, not to our detriment. pictures to follow for QLD folk...

The fish are still giving Toby a run for his money; a flying fish has just landed on the deck, giving Pandora a lovely fright. It's the most action we've seen out of Meerkat all day. It'll be used as bait tomorrow, so hope he's successful. In the uncooked food competition, Ceviche is ranked slightly higher than HEINZ, so if it is so popular in sushi, we'll give it a go.

Many of the lovely people we met on Ascension are called Saints, ie they are originally from St. Helena. Due to the extreme remoteness of both islands, the Saints are renowned for their resourcefulness. I wonder if they can fix cookers and microwaves...

anyway lubbers, think of us when you are tucking into your roast beef and yorkshire puddings or prawns on the barbee... we'll think of you when we are eating our BEANS.

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