Of Sea and C
Lady Corinne
iain and gaynor macalister
Tue 11 Aug 2009 11:09
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I'm sitting up in my bunk with the strains of Felix
Baloy filling the boat with Cuban music to lift our spirits. The last 36
hours have been a very mixed bag that started the night before last as a wall of
blackness marched across the water towards us at around 19.00 hrs. We
quickly shortened sail to deep reefed main, (a method of reducing the
amount of the main ship's sail to cope with stronger winds)putting away the
inner foresail and rolling away most of the genoa (similar system to reduce the
sail at the front))The next 24 hours were the sort that make you wonder quite
what you were thinking when you decided to go to sea with winds gusting to 28
knots. We were pretty comprehensively beaten up and hence there was no time
for the niceties of a blog. I didn't think computers were meant to be on
1939 sailing boats anyway but there is a shelf with raised edges built
behind the wheel which must have been made to put a 10" Asus netbook on - such
foresight! I felt sorry for all of us yesterday but especially Tristan who
picked the moment the storm arrived to get seasick and for the whole time was
the colour of the incredible hulk when he cops a strop. He felt guilty
that he wasn't pulling his weight and kept trying to help so we had to keep
sending him below to lie down. Lady C has 2 very cosy bunks which we
use as seaberths when we are underway, they are in the saloon on
either side so they are in the lowest point of the boat and right in the
middle so there is the least amount of Rock n Roll , they are fitted with
leecloths ( a canvas cloth fitted to the outside of the bed and tied up to the
ceiling so you can't roll out when the boat is heeled or rolling from side to
side) - definitely the place to be if your'e feeling dodgy. I'm very happy
to be able to tell you that he has just asked me if I want boiled eggs and beans
for breakfast - a recovered Tristan is good but the thought of breakfast in bed
is pretty nice too.After the worst of the storm had gone and the wind had
dropped we got the sails back up and Lady C seemed to be positively enjoying
herself as she reached across the messy remains that the storms had left at over
7 knot's. I actually found myself not wanting my watch to end at 6 this
morning, it felt so good to be out there. It was vey black although I
know there was an almost full moon up there behind the dark menacing
clouds.There was still quite a big sea and as we smashed into it the resultant
froth we created which streamed past the hull was speckled with occasional
points of bright green luminescence. This exhilarating sail was
reward indeed for the trials of the previous day. At 70 years
old this boat is amazing as she throws herself against another of the relentless
waves that are lined up in our path. They say that there is an
holistic black box in a ship where positive energy is accumulated as a result of
the care and attention you lavish on her, you can then draw on this in times of
need - We were very glad yesterday that we had done so much to "The old
Slapper" (A term of endearment that I apply to Lady C as she used to belong
to the RAF and I reckon almost everyone in the forces has had a good time on
her) as she really does have good sea manners and looked after us in her usual
calm understated manner. Thanks for the e-mails, I can't tell you how good they
are to receive - please keep them coming. And Jody we hope your 1st barbie was a
great success sorry we missecd it and yes we will have 1 when we get back
xx Time to get up I can't stay here all day (lunch in bed too? I think I
might just be pushing my luck) Wonder if Gaynor or Tristan fancy a
Salsa...........................xx
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