Life after retirement
Night Owl
Ed Hall
Wed 6 Sep 2006 21:19
Having retired from the Cascais Race we made for Dournenez and had a stunning dawn arrival to the port only to be met by the resident dolphin, whom we aptly named flipper. It brought beaming smiles to a tired crew and for some was their first encounter with a bottle nosed dolphin. True to it's nature Owl had a charming afternoon in the idyllic Breton port - a light beer for breakfast, re-fuel, a shower ( much needed ) , clothes wash ( even more needed ), food stock up and a general lift in spirits. The sun came out to greet us too and it was a scorching afternoon. The crew has said a farewell to our endeared skipper Ed and this afternoon made its way out of port and into the long stretch ahead across the Bay of Biscay.
Stocked with fine French wares we will no doubt eat and drink well for, well, at least a day or two before the dried pasta comes out.
Albeit not under race conditions the team are still in good form and are sailing downwind at a good speed under no motor - making way and progress . We expect to cross the the contintental shelf and into "deep sea" early tommorrow. Next destination is La Coruna, north-western Spain.
Your warm messages of support have been heartily received and welcomed by all and we are by no means at the end of the adventure. We pass congratulations to those that were bestowed by favourable winds and made it to or are nigh reaching Cascais and we may still greet them there and share a cerveza, or three, or five.
The Owl.
XXX
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Keep your eyes peeled for tommorrows entry as we post some charming poetry that the beauty of the sea has inspired!