Its here!!!!

Mustique
Fin McGurran
Tue 25 Sep 2007 10:33
Apologies for the delay in getting to writing the Pi blog - i have been promising to do it for days. I suspect there are a number of reasons as to why - perhaps slightly disheartened by the hard slog around Brest, the motor sailing through the Bay of Biscay due to light winds or perhaps we were just too busy chasing what had become fondly known as the Holy Grail (15-20 knot northerly breeze!).  By the way, who says Biscay can be hairy? My memories are flat seas.. snoozing on the deck under the sun... sipping beer and dancing to cheesy '70s tunes - oh yes, welcome to Boogie Nights in Biscay and go the boys in their matching romper suits. We have been privvy to regular wild life show in Biscay - whales, dolphins, porpus and what we think was a turtle, but it was the end of a long night watch at that stage so who knows if that is what it was. Whatever the reason for not blogging before now tonights watches are definitely noteworthy. We've waited a week and finally the wind gods are on our side! As we whizzed by the night lights of Lisbon enjoying an average 25 knot northerly the adrenalin finally started pumping. John and i proudly clocked 14.6 knots on the speedo somewhere between 12 and 3am  to much cheering from me only to be woken a few short hours later by the intense vibrations of the entire rig - yep, Cap'n Fin and Penny had hit 17 knots. The sight when we came up on deck to see what was going on was one to remember - a windswept Fin at the helm holding on for dear life with the biggest grin i have seen since the start of the trip (i think there may even have been a throw back of his head followed by an evil cackle at one stage) and Pen giddy as a kid!! Brilliant. That's what it's all about. Three near wipeouts later I think both of them have completely passed out and we have just started the first four hour shift of the day, wind has calmed somewhat though let's hope not for long. So we finally found our northerly down the coast of Portugal, an awesome breeze and we are powering nicely towards Gib...
 
Ooh, just been spoilt by another gorgeous sunrise and Pink Floyd Shine on You Crazy Diamond has just come on the stereo. Roll on a warm sunny day!
 
Ps i found my mini ipod so thankfully we don't have to listen to the same 25 cd's over and over again. That should keep the delerium/cabin fever at bay for at least another day....
 
Lizzie