Position: 36:39.5N 002:01.75W
Global Yacht Racing's EH01
Global Yacht Racing - sponsors: Caspian Services
Thu 6 Nov 2008 06:25
At the terrifying prospect of chilli made from tinned mince or as an alternative, thai chicken curry from tinned chunks of chicken we decided to take drastic measures. Fish! Not us you understand our man servants on the other boat who promptly landed two large mackeral one of which they popped in a bucket attached it to a fender and chucked it over the side for us to collect - now that is what I call an excellent home delivery service!
A crash course in fish gutting, filleting and cooking for our naked bowman followed and we found ourselves tucking into mackrel fillets with olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper with pasta in a tomato and basil sauce! Not bad for a man who claims he cannot cook - so Mrs Baker, if nothing else I will return your son to you a lot more useful in the kitchen!
Oh and before I forget - yes Mrs Baker, the offending feet smell that I referred to a few days ago in my daily ramblings does in fact belong to your son and as a punishment he has been made to sleep with his boots in future so he can truly appreciate the whiff!
So we were off again and with supper taken care of so early on in the day we turned our little ship in the direction of Gibraltar. A noon departure found us heading out of the marina past an enormous cruise liner that had arrived in the three hours we had all been asleep and off, under motor once more, heading west.
The wind has caught us out this time - quietly motoring along in a whopping 2 knots of breeze discussing rather large ship that was catching us with the motor still droning the wind began to build alittle, enough in fact for us to decide to put up the foresail and with full main beautifully set we killed the engine and began to sail! Hurray!! However, within seconds we suddenly found ourselves facing 33 knots over our starboard beam and were somewhat overcanvassed. A quick call to the other watch brought up dreary-eyed sleep deprived bodies to help regain control of our little boat. A frenzied 30 minutes of hoisting and changing sails followed and with rolling seas and a boat now fully powered up we were happy to be trucking along at 9.5knots in the general direction of Gibraltar. All was well with the world.
Now alittle geography lesson for you all - does anyone know were the Isle de Alboran is? Well it is in the middle of the eastern approaches to the Straits of Gibraltar - handy!! Not an ideal spot for an island!
Anyway, our little boat heads westwards and as I awake this morning I've got to tell you - the odour eater spray stuff that Sam was dispatched off to buy in Cartegena in a despate attempt to shield us from the whiff has been wholly unsuccessful and I have awoken to take my watch to the same vile smell that shadows our every move!
Em Pontin
Skipper - EH01