Double Feature, New Records and Congratulations
IDEA Sailing
Idea Yacht Racing Ltd
Mon 15 Jul 2013 04:21
Good morning from the glassy Med. As we continue on in the light breezes of the Med it's been slow speed ahead for IDEA, but forward we went into the night. Since this has been such a relatively short jump from Gib to Tarragona we haven't really set a formal watch system. It's just been a case of who ever is up is up and whoever is tired goes to sleep. Believe it or not it actually works out and everyone gets the rest need to go on.
During the evening as everyone was up and no one was down one crewmember suggested "Movie Night in the Cockpit", and for our double feature we had up first Fast and Furious. This was followed by Training Day. Both fully entertaining movies. With the Screen set up on top of the companion way and our low budget waterproof speakers moved to the forward cockpit we were able to both watch the movies and continue keeping watch.
And keeping watch was quite important last night as we played a game we like to call "Dodgems". With loads of fishing boats added to to the mix of shipping traffic we spent the night on our toes dodging left and right, weaving and bobbing our way through the fishing fleets. IDEA, with here deep keel (14.5 feet deep) we can not risk passing close behind any fishing boat for fear of tangling the keel in their fishing gear, so it's a case of get across their bows, or get way behind their sterns. All the while trying to get in the direction we wish to go. Some boats cooperate with us and will also alter course or slow down in order to make it easier. Other just stubbornly keep on keeping on causing no end of headaches. But over and through and on we went without missing a beat.
Speaking of shipping traffic, which I know we've done several times now, we have ourselves a new record. The previous record, 1100 feet of cargo ship, has now been eclipsed by a 1250foot long tanker(and the mind continues to boggle).
Finally in family news: The IDEA family wishes to offer a big congratulations to young Drew Brooks for taking a win yesterday afternoon. Drew sailing in a local (Barbados) dinghy regatta managed to take not one, not even two, but 3 bullets to end the day on equal points with none other than his own sailing instructor there by winning on a count back having taken more first places for the day than said instructor. Drew, good on you! Keep on working hard and continuing the family tradition of success and winning. We are proud of you (noone moreso than dad). Congratulations from all of us.
We are now just smidgen over 20 miles from our destination and are looking to arrive in just a few hours where a well deserved rest will be had befor launching into the hard work of converting IDEA from delivery mode to racing mode.
One other thing of note which really should have been mentioned yesterday - We have officially passed from West to East for those of you following our Latitude and Longitude. We've crossed the Prime Meridian.
TTFN - Ta Ta For Now
IDEA