Cassini blog#66 Sally and Catherine are back...
Cassini's blog
Simon and Sally, Nigel and Catherine
Thu 14 Dec 2023 15:27
| Sally and Catherine are back…. After 7 weeks at home, I am now back on the boat. Sally and I left on Monday morning for our 9 hour flight to Barbados. The flight was OK but the booked taxi failed to arrive so we had to queue for another one. Not what we needed after a long day and 4 hour time difference. Barbados rush hour makes the M25 look easy peasy! And it rained! We finally arrived at the marina bar where Nigel and Simon were waiting for us. A short dinghy ride and we were back on Cassini. It felt a bit strange as the crew had moved things around to assist their storage needs and I felt very disorientated. Tuesday morning, a leisurely start, we checked out of Barbados then set sail for Martinique, 100 mile trip. I had "lost" my sea legs so felt very queasy. The winds were in our favour, right direction and 15 to 20 knots. The problem we did have was trying to slow the boat down as we did not want to arrive too early and have to anchor in the dark. Three reefs in the main sail, changed the head sail to the smaller stay sail also with 3 reefs and we still maintained a reasonable speed although it was far from flat. As darkness fell, we had a tricky manoeuvre sorting the main sail, Nigel lost his balance, went flying around the mast held on by his safety strap but bashed his hand. I chose that moment to be sea sick. Yuk yuk. First aid box out for Nigel, steristrips applied and healing well today. I spent most of the next 12 hours horizontal in the rear cabin, sleeping on and off. This morning was Sally's turn. Luckily we are both feeling better now, anchored in Martinque. 18 hours sailing after our journey on Monday was no gentle start back to sailing. I really felt like I had been flung into the deep end. The weather is sunny and warm but with occasional heavy squalls. It was fascinating to watch the storm clouds arriving, some we avoided, others gave us a short sharp deluge of rain but at least it was warm rain. So the next adventure has begun. After my time at home visiting family and friends, being back in UK routine and a busier than expected last weekend, I feel I have leapt from one world to another. Our next definite plan is to be in Antigua by 22nd December to pick up Colin and Julia so we plan to island hop up there. Then - who knows. It will be wherever the sun, wind and mood takes us. Thank you to everyone for their good wishes and please keep in touch. It's lovely hearing news from home. Catherine |
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