The Birthday boy with the Skipper & his Missus & The Skipper dossing!

jenna
Jim / Elaine Soens
Wed 9 Sep 2009 19:02
N38.26  E007.14
 
A few sparrows had cracked farts by the time we got away on Tue. morning at 07.00.  Beautiful morning, flat calm and very little wind so we thought it's going to be a great sail today. Wrong!  not far out the starboard engine played up and poor old Jim had to spent an hour or so in  the bowels to give it a good overhaul with great success so off on our way at full steam again. The weather started blowing up and soon we had very rough seas (reminiscent of Biscay Chris) and we were tossed about all over the place. We all spent the day lying down when not on watch and I could have slept for Scotland.  It was very cold too, not for you Scots though you would have found it quite warm!
 
D & I woke up this morning to do our watch shift at 04.30 after a night spent stretched out on the saloon bench seat which is very comfortable.  Too rough to go down to our cabin.  (the bucket's been well used again Faith but without the death wish I had on Biscay)) It was much calmer by then and has got steadily calmer all  day.  Like a mill pond now with a gentle roll.  D's 70th birthday today and we celebrated it with a bottle of bubbly after lunch and a Majorcan Almond cake purchased before departure, (see photo).  A lovely hot day and we all enjoyed the calm after the storm lazing on deck.  E cooked a great dinner of corndbeef hash (the frost meal we have Ben able to eat since departure)  The skipper is now making tea and it's my turn for watch and the others will probably go for a kip. Hoping to reach Sicily on Friday around morning coffee time but will keep you posted.  Thanks to you all for D's birthday wishes and pressies.
 
Bye or now
 
Jenna's Blog Master
Issy
 

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