Early June 2009

Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Tue 21 Jul 2009 07:35
Yes, it’s true. Poor Brindabella didn’t have the attention she deserved once Simon’s new business consumed so much of our time. However, he decided it was time for an adventure and suddenly everything changed…………….
 
Some mornings I pinch myself to check I’m actually awake and I really am about to live my dream. How has an ordinary girl like me become so lucky when doom and gloom is all around us? I truly count my blessings that I’m preparing to sail away for an amazing adventure with the love of my life on his beautiful Brindabella. As the departure date rapidly approaches our enthusiasm is building and life is becoming increasing hectic.
 

Gone are the days of a few lists lying around; we each have whole books of them.

Gone is the chic-lit; I’m ploughing my way through mountains of books from first aid and diesel engines to SSB radio and storm tactics.

Gone are the funky tunes; Spanish lessons play on my iPod.

Gone are conversations with Simon; he’s on another planet - calculating power consumption, updating the boat data book, playing with his SSB, sorting his spares and ordering mountains of bits on the internet.

Gone is dressmaking: the trusty Janome is battling its way through canvas as thick as cardboard for an ever increasing list of covers and bags.

Gone is a normal diet with on-going galley experiments.

 

This is what I’ve been up to the last few months……………………………

 

GALLEY

Planning is under way for menus, provisioning and solutions to problems that might arise in the galley. The idea of set menus doesn’t really appeal so I’ve been compiling meal option lists marking them with suitability for various sea conditions and longevity of ingredients. In the past, meals have been determined by sea conditions and the results of the daily inspection to see what needs eating first. Due to the high power consumption I’m not keen to run the freezer at sea, so we’ll probably freeze vacuum packed meat before going offshore and pack it tightly in the bottom of the fridge. I’ve learned through years of camping with only a cool box that food stays solid for ages if packed well. No doubt plans will change umpteen times before departure. My dining room is slowly being taken over by crates of provisions. If it’s on offer with a good date I’m buying now. Brindabella will be sitting very low in the water!

 

We’ll be trying shallow ‘Lock and Lock’ containers instead of the old idea of dog bowls for plates at sea as they will stack well, go in the fridge, freezer and microwave and can be sealed watertight if things suddenly get busy on deck. The test of lentil soup on a blowy day at sea worked well. They’ll also still be useful when moored and will be more environmentally friendly long term than plastic bags for sandwiches when the weather is wild. They make a range of suitable sizes for the galley cupboards but there’s one BIG problem: As fast as I order them, Simon steals them for spares!

 

We’re keen to be as self-sufficient as possible while still living comfortably so umpteen experiments are going on. Should we run out of fresh food, if we carry enough stores with good recipes, it would prevent having to leave an idyllic anchorage for civilisation when a bit of forward planning could have extended a stay in paradise. I’ve made yoghurt before in the thermos flask with dried milk, but still haven’t tried ricotta cheese. The homemade couscous mixes for the food flask in rough weather still need perfecting, as do the dried sausage mixes using TVP. My lamb and rosemary version was coming along nicely some time ago before Christmas stopped play. I’m also practicing alternative methods should the cooker break or we run out of gas. The first experiment baking bread in the Cobb BBQ was a total disaster as it grew so much it filled the lid and extinguished the fire. If at first you don’t succeed……….. Flat bread in the frying pan works well though and uses less energy, as will breadmaking in the microwave and pressure cooker- yes, apparently it can be done! Watch this space! Sprouting beans has proved a challenge in the past, so I guess the sprouting bag should come out for some practice too. Favourite recipes also need adapting to versions that cook quicker to save gas and existing measurements converted to American cups as the scales don’t work at sea. Lots to do then……………

 

Numerous metal items in the galley have been replaced with new silicone versions which are unbreakable and go in the freezer, microwave and pressure cooker. Everything now stacks well without rattling (so far!). The galley also now has a new toy in a Remoska mini electric cooker which is proving very useful already.

 

BOY’S TOYS

Simon’s newest toy is his fuel cell which he’s toyed about buying for ages. He is a very happy boy! I’ll leave the technical description of this and other new toys to him. He’s as knowledgeable and meticulous as ever which I find very reassuring.

 

COURSES AND TRAINING

Simon recently attended a ship’s medical course so it will be especially beneficial for him if we refresh my limited first aid knowledge and go through different scenarios in case of an emergency. How true it is that most of what we buy and learn for sailing we hope we’ll never need. Luckily the instructor at Sea Start had a sense of humour when I did my diesel engine course back in April. I went armed with photos of our engine so I could try and relate what was taught to our own engine. With text book in one hand and photos in the other I’d spent an afternoon in the engine room trying to label the different systems and I have to say I found the photos very useful on the day. Stop sniggering guys! Now we’re looking forward to a day’s tuition with the new Parasailor2. (More about that from Simon) It’s now time to share our knowledge though so our roles at sea are fully interchangeable. I’ve so much still to learn and he doesn’t know where the pasta is!

 

GARDENING

The thought of no fresh herbs or rocket has made me determined to find space for a ‘garden’ somewhere. I’m searching the net for information on hydroponics as muddy plant pots flying around in a gale would be a nightmare. Any top tips gratefully received…………….

 

EVERYTHING DIGITAL

Digital storage is proving invaluable with little space available for unessential items. Father Christmas bought us both e-book readers which can store zillions of books. Recipes are being scanned onto a memory stick to save taking unnecessary cookbooks and audio books are going on the iPod for story time when it’s too rough to read. Being able to send photos and Skype family and friends will make the distance between us seem smaller. Digital storage of photos will make it even easier to bring home zillions of memories to bore everyone with on our return. (Yes kids, more pictures of boats!)

 

SEWING AND DIY

Lini’s boat rule – Everything must have at least two functions!

My determination to turn a donated piece of lightweight, waterproof fabric into a multi-functional doodah for fore-bunk cover, wind scoop, hatch cover, rain-catcher and over boom cockpit cover was proving a real challenge for dull moments. (Yes, I was the one tripping up shoppers while measuring fibreglass tent poles in Tesco!). Simon must have seen my confused sketches and quickly bought a wonderful ‘marquee’ to keep us cool in the cockpit at anchor and with time slipping away my plans for the other functions will probably stay on paper for another time. However, I am churning out canvas covers for anything that will see the sun or salt water and bags for anything that needs protecting. Fleece covers for the upholstery were completed some time ago, and just finished, the silk sheets are dyeing in the washing machine as I write. Next challenge is bags for the folding bikes.

Si has loads of equipment to fit and has just painted his housing for the fuel cell. I hope we’ll soon be able to make shelves for some dead space behind a saloon seat. The extra storage space will be sooo useful.

 

STORAGE

Where we’re going to put everything I don’t know. I’ve spent hours peering into cupboards with a tape measure trying to work out the most efficient method for stowing so many things. Brindabella is indeed heavy and bursting at the seams now most of the new items have been delivered. It’s time for a huge sort out and renewed fighting for lockers space. Simon very kindly gave me the old tool locker for the electric cooker and I’ve got my eyes on another one of his for hobbies and games! The search continues for a hiding place for chocolate and nibbles though so Si can’t eat them all on his first night watch! Then, once everything has a place we can see how many of the provisions we’ll have to leave behind!

 

At present, besides mental fatigue, there’s another BIG problem: With work so busy, including weekends, nothing is being crossed off the practical sail training list. I’m determined we’ll be very well practiced with new equipment, storm sails, sea anchors etc etc before we set off, even if it means sail training in local waters for a while at the start of our adventure. However much we study, to be good sailors we need experience……………..    

 

---Lini---