Bloggagios from Madeira
Mariposa Blog
Robert Newman
Sun 3 Oct 2010 14:01
N 32 38.6 W 16
54.4 After a couple of days of cleaning, re-organizing and
some light R&R in amongst the Gin-Palaces at
Villamoura Marina (and several journeys for Spiller to the supermarket /
off licence for supplies he had forgotten on previous trips), we set out to
sea for Madeira, fully laiden and refreshed (....well we would have been
had we not gone out and got shredded again the night before departure.....there
is a worrying pattern emerging?!!), straight into a beak-on hoolie (c.30
knots) and spent the next 24 hours being bounced around at 45 degrees
(...well probably more like 30 degrees, but, to the novice cabin boys, it
felt like more!). All available sleeping options were tested (non-sexual),
but sleep depravation generally ensued, other than for 1st officer Willy
Wilmott-Brown the Arian lovechild Klaus, Von-Fontelroy (Nick)
who can apparently sleep anywhere, anytime and in any position.
However, the wind gradually relented, the
Skipper's sea legs improved and we got used to life out at sea
with a self-proclaimed 'Cabin Pig'
('Rainman' Chris Benbow), the wind came round and in the next couple
of days & nights at sea, a pleasant
routine of life on the ocean waves developed, oiled with regular
round of Earl-Grey Teas and Ginger-nuts. We
made good progress at around 7 knots, mostly listening
to Spiller's dubious ipod selection, fishing and playing with ropes
and sails. The night watches were generally warm, star-lit and tranquil
with little other vessel action on the AIS. Surprisingly no dolphins present,
but, allegedly one turtle and a distant whale
were spotted?!
One Tuna-like and one Dorado-like fish landed (2 ft
max), duly prepped and eaten (very good), a further similar sized fish landed
and then escaped as it was being battered to with a monkey wrench and therefore,
probably provided breakfast for the many other predators awaiting in the deep
blue below. Nick and Spiller almost hooked a 'biggy', which chewed and spat out
a large treble hook, leaving the prongs bent back flat and will go down as the
first monster to have got away.....thankfully!
The Skipper's night baking and slow casserole cookery
skills are being honed, keeping morale high as the various watch systems to
be deployed on the ARC are tried and tested.
Notes to selves; Nick must be avoided first thing in the
morning until he has been plied with tea and more gingernuts, the Skipper must
try and avoid walking around naked and putting us off our dinner! , Cabin
Pigs are very smelly and Spiller is an OCD cleaning freak and must not be
allowed near the water taps, as Mariposa does not have tank capacity
for a zillion litres of fresh water!
Madeira was sighted in the early hours of our 4th day at
sea and Mariposa has come through her first longer-haul sea trial with flying
colours.
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