Trip Update - 3rd June 2009 Falmouth-Portsmouth, UK
Position: 50:30:36N 02:05:04W
Well, 24 hrs after leaving We left The water has been very mucky – a
lot of rubbish and an oily scum on the surface. I hope we have just been unlucky and the
whole channel is not like this. The
motion is very different – we feel like a cork bobbing around – very jerky
movement – compared to the long, ponderous rolls that we’ve had in the ocean
swells. Those make the boat feel a
lot heavier, but the motion is easier within the boat. I have not managed to sleep up in the
forepeak on my last off-watch as it is too bumpy. While we were off Portland Bill, a
warship (HMS Sutherland) stationed itself 1 mile to the south, then announced on
Ch16 that it was about to commence live gunnery firing! Rather than broadcast a pitiful plea to
be spared, we trusted that they had spotted us and would not use us for target
practice – they didn’t. I spent my off watch fixing another
leak in the forepeak, with all the cushions outside in the sun, and scrubbing
the galley in preparation for inspection.
Because we’ve been using seawater for washing up, everything made of
metal – even stainless – is rusting so I’ve washed and scrubbed the rust marks
off everything in fresh water. All
exciting stuff! Nice to be back in familiar
waters. That’s all for
now. |