13thDec06 I'm going slightly mad....
Fleck
Wed 13 Dec 2006 13:41
|
Thanks again to Vicky for the juicier bits from the
main ARC website. We had 'heard' the SOS call about man overboard but
didn't know that he had sucessfully been recovered, nor that he had in fact
jumped over. When we heard the poor chap was from Belgium, we tried very
hard to think of other famous Belgians and why he might have become so
distressed. It might just have been the infernal rolling, although with
the gentle breezes of the last 24 hrs, we have swung onto a reach and the
rolling has stopped at last. Bliss. Could have been a deficiency
state of some sort, because not many people realise that a lack of contact
with reality is a common sign without daily vitamin G.
Traditionally, sailors jumped overboard holding a cannonball, so
he must have been swimming to have survived. Where to? The
Golden Boot in the Gran' Place or to the nearest Leonidas shop? Ostende??
In all seriousness, it was a miracle really that he was ever found, at night,
and in those waves - a very well done to all involved. Neptune
must like Tripel but not planning on sharing any with him because we
shouldn't be crossing the equator....
Noon position 15 deg 34 N, 47 deg 13 W. Day's
run 86 miles, but only 73 miles nearer after straightening out the
meanderings, so our latest ETA is 2000 hrs on the 19th. This is getting
uncomfortably close to my own deadline - the last Virgin flight out before
Xmas. We are trying to find our way through a 'hole' in the trade wind
pattern, but today looks like being very quiet again. R has repaired his tackle*
and is off hunting again. I'll finish my heavy book and start
on something lighter - I am on holiday after all!
And there you have it.
Geoff and Richard
* fishing tackle
|