Nick's view from the night watch
LIBERTAD
Paul Huntley
Sun 30 Nov 2008 12:05
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A tap on the shoulder wakes me from my fitfull
sleep and vidid dreams and signifies the start of my time on night watch The
only light in the cabin comes form the instrument panel so I grope around
for my lifejacket and another layer of clothing and noiselessly climb the
companionway to the cockpit and take my position under the stars. With no light
polution there are millions of stars to gaze at above. The old favourites are
there like the plough and the bear. The shooting stars have lost some of their
novelty now and only sound comes from the odd flap of the sails and the bow wave
crashing away from the hull and dissolving into the spume. Suddenly there's an
odd sound behind in the scuppers like that of a trapped moth. A flying
fish has landed on deck and is flapping it's wings trying to get airbourne while
gasping for air or water? Night watch is a time for solitary reflection and
meditiation. There is little to concentrate the mind on the water with no lights
from nearby yatchs to monitor. A faint glow over the port quarter indicates that
a nother day is about to begin and my shift on watch is coming to an end. Now
it's my turn to deliver the tap on the shoulder and return to my bunk for a
short nap before breakfast. And Libertad ploughs on. Till next time lots of love
to you all. Nick
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