Day 4

Doug got up at 0615hrs to get the kettle on for the engineer (Brian) who was expected at 0630hrs to replace the engine water hose.  Pete and Gary were soon up too but no sign of the engineer.  A quick call and the engineer was found to be working on a fishing boat further round the harbour but promised to be to us by 0830hrs.  Doug and Pete filled the time by fishing for mackerel off the end of the boat.  This proved successful and the decks were awash with blood and guts before long.  The shouts of excitement eventually got Tricia and Tim up at about 1230hrs.  By this time the ongoing absence of the engineer was having a negative impact on crew spirits.  The crew was dispatched to all corners of Kinsale to find: 1. a water hose; 2. an engineer; 3. gerry cans for diesel; 4. oatmeal to roll the mackerel in for breakfast – in no particular order of priority. The forecast was for light winds and there was concern that the day lost in Kinsale could be followed by a long windless trip to Spain.  An engine back up to sails  was required.  Pete had calculated that we burnt 1.5 -2ltrs of diesel per hour for 5 knots.  GeeWizz’s tanks take 275 ltrs so wouldn’t be enough to get us to Spain.Still no sign of the engineer but a water hose was bought from the yacht charter company (SailIreland).  The potential fee to Brian was saved as Doug, Gary and Pete were able to carry out the repair themselves.  Departed Kinsale at 1200hrs with the sun on our faces and came out into the sea to find a south-westerly force 4-5.  Sails straight up and whipped along at approx 7 knots for the rest of the evening.  We attracted a family of 7 or eight dolphins which swam along in our wake (see photos).  Gary carried out joinery repairs to the cockpit table after it had a tragic meeting with Tim’s right foot.  After an open sandwich dinner eaten at an angle of 30 degrees the crew retired to bed at 2200hrs leaving Peter to helm as the first watch.  In the fore cabin Tricia and Tim were finding sleeping together, at an angle of 30 degrees with a lot of slamming into a confused sea, challenging.  Unable to reach a mutually agreeable compromise, a little domestic developed a Tim rejoined Pete in the cockpit to sleep for a couple of hours before sneaking back into the cabin just around midnight.

TMM crew