Mid-Atlantic Philosophers...
Mikado
Mon 8 Dec 2008 15:25
Hi All,
Every now and then you get what can arguably be called "the perfect evening
sail". Ours came in at about 6pm last night and we let Mikado have a run all
night - averaging 8+ knots under full main and spinnaker. Half moon, warm
winds and a bit of Jimmy Buffet playing. Reminds me that I must get one of
those "Marguerittaville" TShirts whilst visiting his museum in the Carribean
(Lovely - If they have them, I'll get you one as well)
Spoke to a Frenchman from Tunisia last night as we zipped past him...he was
sailing his son's 37 footer to St Maarten with his wife. He left Gran
Canaria a few days before the ARC.. Just got called up by a German on
Channel 16 who seems to be gaining on us.... More sailing effort required
from the junior crew I think!!! Also : must work on Nick to remind him that
Jenny and I would like to continue sailing into our geriatric years (after
we spend his inheritance on this trip..) and that this is a very workable
and gratifying model..He buys the yacht and we sail it when we are older...
Happy parents = Happy life !!! We can keep the model very simple..
Fishing effort has been restored and we enjoyed a nice 6kg Mahi Mahi for
lunch yesterday. Stuey provided a fish cleaning exhibition and demonstrated
the Japanese art of making fish steaks....I think I'll stick to the
traditional bush-filleting method : don't take as much off, but it is
faster....logically though, I think my method also gives you more time to
catch another fish??? Belly once again did wonders in the galley and had it
back on our plates within the hour..after a bit of a rant and rave about
table setting. Also caught an anorexic couta just after dark; but as it
reminded Julz of his first girlfriend (skinny as rake and sharp buck teeth)
we had to send it back (Or was it that none of the older crew could be
bothered fighting a sharp toothed m.f.'r with a filleting knife under torch
light??)
Anyway, the lunchtime congregational is developing its own character and
both the older and younger crew members have now solved most of the world's
issues....I feel enriched that we have such a diversity of opinion on
board...Right wing extremists, Lennin lovers, neo-classical fundamentalists,
post-Keynesian free-loaders, human rights liberational bra-burners (OK so I
got a bit carried away with that last one - sorry Ingrid, but I tried to get
your son into a blog group....I think his mind is distracted at the moment
as he sends at least 2 Emails religiously each day to his new found friend
from Sweden...I initially thought he was sitting at my chartable to hone his
navigational skills on the computer. At least he now knows where Sweden
is!!).
Anyway, must go....it's getting around lunchtime and I need to think of some
more bullshit topics to debate the afternoon away with my fellow crew...
Love to all from the mid-Atlantic..
Cheers
Ian