The Shipping News

andromeda of plymouth
Susan and Andrew Wilson
Sun 18 May 2014 16:00
N24:25:954    W64:09:746
 
The Shipping News - it was reported today that a retired couple sailing from the Caribbean north were concerned about the apparant lack of merchant shipping observed. They said "It's as if its all gone - overcome by some catastrophe"! A spokesperson for the Merchant Shipping Organisation (LPG, LNG, VLCC, Cars, Trucks, White goods, electrical, computers, fabrics, frankinsence and myhrr) and its associated organsition, The Tramp Steamers Association, responded by saying that "they are still very busy, but probably taking a well deserved rest." The retired couple replied "Well that's good to know - it's ok when you can see them, it's when you can't you worry!"
 
In an associated development the same couple remarked that "the weather had disappeared" - this is purely their view of course!
 
Anyway, here we are bobbing around in a relatively flat sea and very light breezes from the North East - not what we want really. On the fishing front, nothing to report, not even seaweed. On the shipping front - zilch. On the wildlife front we have seen 1 brown noddy and 1 greater shearwater. No flying fish to speak of - seems a bit of a wildlife desert out here at present, so to speak.
 
So we may need to change our plans - if the weather doesn't help us North East, we may well have to head for Bermuda and take on some fuel - we dislike motor-sailing, but without wind we would simply drift to the NW, which doesn't seem like much of a plan when heading to Europe.
 
By the way, Andrew finally found the bacon this morning - yummy bacon sandwhich for breakfast.
 
Orion - the auto-pilot - is doing sterling work, and Vanessa, when we have wind (which we don't) is working very well as the wind-vane.
 
Some chores done this morning and now for another lazy Sunday afternoon - well we have no neighbours after all!
 
Andrew & Susan
S/V Andromeda