Its here!!!!
Mustique
Fin McGurran
Tue 25 Sep 2007 10:33
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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
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