Saturday 1.12.07

Although our sanity in embarking on this hazardous trip has been questioned, let it never be said that your crew do not know how to enjoy themselves. Last night we celebrated the first third of the voyage with curry (thanks Mrs F), poppadoms, and, yes, lager. A celebration so thorough that its detrimental effects were still being felt eight hours later when we should really have been celebrating the first 1000 miles.  

Nobody had the heart to kill a baby dorado that attached itself to the skipper’s fishing line, so we let it go.

“Bandits at two a-clock!” was the strangled cry from the dog-watch, all they had time for before Astra was engulfed in a cascade of flying fish. Wave upon wave of these pelagic kamikaze pilots rained down over, beside and around our boat. Three landed on deck but fortunately none of the crew was injured.

To our disappointment none of the winged invaders was carrying any message from the outside world that would indicate your views on the question we posed yesterday. We therefore have to sum up the voting count as follows:

Skipper to walk the plank…………………1

Crew to be keelhauled…………………….0

On reflection the penalty has been rescinded by mutual consent, in view of more pressing matters for which he is needed.

Top of the list was what to do about the weather. Two days until the wind runs out, and we have taken the decision to go south, where we think it is going. At the same time we are trying to contact the ARC weather adviser to ask him whether that forecast is actually correct. Chris, if you see this, please let us know, and if so, could you kindly organize some different weather for us!

The skipper also made amends by preparing a stunning coleslaw for lunch.

Best wishes to all our readers.

Paul