Saturday 27th February (Lini’s Journal)
Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Mon 8 Mar 2010 13:45
Almost exactly six months into our adventure year we began a new
chapter of our story and turned north to commence the journey home.
After removing monsters rather than tiny creatures from the log, our
disappointing speed was revealed with current against us and fluky
winds. I then cringed when Simon fired up the watermaker expecting the
usual problems and associated anger. With the tanks topped up
yesterday however the pathetic trickle it was producing soon filled
the tanks. I quickly ran off hot water into our large buckets,
disappeared into the heads for a session of laundry and wouldn’t have
been able to hear the cursing if there was any. It was not good timing
for the wind to pick up and close hauled I pummelled the clothes at a
30 degree heel to port with the bucket sliding down the back of the
loo.
The day was scorching so hot soup probably wasn’t the best choice
for lunch. Without the sun canopy we were exposed to the sun for the
longest time in ages and both donned more clothes as the day wore on
and we could feel our skin tightening. There were several scrub fires
up in the bone dry hills. The journey took hours longer than we had
expected beating into the wind and with a tremendously strong current
running against us. Our afternoon was brightened enormously though
with the sighting of a whale just three boat lengths away. It was just
floating along the surface with the occasional fountain from its blow
hole. Although not large it was very exciting and the first close
sighting we have experienced together this trip.
The fishing was not so exciting. Today I trolled two lines, one
with smaller hooks and feathers as favoured by Mark and Marian; the
other a white squid with larger hook. One line was short, the other
long. It is full moon and it was later in the morning by the time all
was set up when everyone knows fish are sleeping, but the lines stayed
out until almost dark. There was a glimmer of hope however as I
disappointedly hauled in the lines and felt something squidgy on one
of the hooks. Something had been caught but consequently eaten by
something else. Next time?...........................
We eventually arrived in Tyrrel Bay on Carriacou with a bright full
moon aiding our visibility. I’d cooked dinner in the microwave on our
approach to the anchorage so as soon as we’d packed up with a cold
beer we mulched at the table. Simon looked shattered. To revitalise
him I gave him one of our vacuum packed Aussie lamb shanks in wine and
rosemary sauce with rosemary mash, cauliflower and broccoli washed
down with the remainder of our scrummy red wine. He was asleep before
I’d finished his back massage.