Oriole leaves Lanzarote
Oriole
Sun 17 Nov 2002 17:19
26°46.1N15°04.7
Oriole is finally at sea again after a 5 week stay in Puerto Calero. Andrew
spent his time looking after Oriole and making lots of new friends,
particularly those on the super yachts! Most of these friends are also
heading off either to join the ARC in Las Palmas or off to cross to the
Caribbean independently. John and Chris went to the UK for 3 weeks, most of
the time was spent organising care for Chris's mother Doris who had become
unwell while we were away and visiting John's mother.
On our return to Lanzarote Oriole was lifted out of the water for a quick
bottom scrub and antifoul. The relaunching heralded three days of strong
winds and rain which delayed our departure until yesterday. The weather is
now fair and we are 150 miles on our way to the Cape Verde Islands, only 740
to go! We found that during our stay in Lanzarote the steering had
developed an irritating squeak which was in danger of starting our first
mutiny as the source of the noise, which in the middle of the night had a
doubtful diagnosis, was only a foot or so from the ear of our ever cheerful,
never moaning Andrew. An animated midnight conference with the skipper
postponed diagnoatic tests till day break. Andrew performed the initial
laparotomy and made the diagnosis but the consultant performed the intricate
dissection and final cure leaving Andrew to sew up the patient!!