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04:12 20:43.627N
31:46.163W
Day ten on little
blue, Kevin the crew reporting again 812 miles from the nearest
land.
The big news today is we have a celebration on
board - a rather unusual one even ! Apparently in Poland you celebrate
your birthday on your names day rather than your actual birthday - and guess
what ? today is Saint Barbara's day. So, I can't help picturing that
tonight in Poland there will be tens of thousands of Barbara's all dressed
up and hitting the town celebrating !!! Anyway,
I digress, back here mid atlantic, while Barbara was sleeping, Chris started
wrapping various presents in various wrapping papers - please bear in mind we
only heard of this custom yesterday !, anyway I managed to find a small present
unopened yet from my airport shopping at Gatwick. Chris then drew and wrote
clues on his presents and Barbara had to guess what they were - good fun !
Then we sang " happy names day to you " !!?!! - I'm sure she appreciated us
stopping after the first verse, but then just how much harmony do you expect
with only twenty four hours notice to practice. So as we speak, Chris is slaving
over a hot oven baking a cake - unfortunately the mixture slops from side to
side with each roll of the boat so we're not quite sure if its going to either
cook properly or what shape it will be ! Perhaps Barbara will update you on that
tommorow. One last treat for Barbara, - a whole pint, yes a full imperial
pint of fresh water to rinse her hair in !! washing your hair in salt water just
isn't the same in case you haven't tried it !
Well, what else can I talk to you about ? how
about watch keeping. Three people, three hours on, six hours off - continuosly,
so the most sleep you get is about five hours by the time you hand over the
watch and actually get to sleep yourself - not bad really - top that up
with another three or four hours during the day and its actually quite pleasant.
On another passage, on another boat there were only two of us for four and a
half days - four hours on then four hours off, always tired and always getting
woken up in the dream stage of sleep - vivid dreams !!!.... but that was another
time.
One last thought - Saint Elmo's fire........ I
sat in the cockpit in the late dark hours last night, the moon had sliced itself
away daily to almost nothing and doesn't get out of bed till two a.m.. Big black
clouds menace the sky and gradually roll over us - sometimes with a few
raindrops but always with the possibility of a storm with thunder and
lightening. And I thought about an article I read where in the midst of an
electrical storm at sea, the potential of the boat can be raised to a point
where fingers of visible electrical power actually flicker out from the top of
the mast about a metre or so, trying to equalise with the storm !! I
don't suppose for a minute that in this part of the world, at this time of year
we'll get a storm like that, but interesting thoughts for the middle of a night
watch none the less ! Till next time readers.
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