Farewell to Masher

Peejay
Paul and Pat Marriage
Sat 13 Mar 2010 18:00

 

17:03.96N 61:53.09W

 

Take one 60 year old woman – take her out of her comfort zone – and what do you get? After 8 months on a yacht and 6,000 nautical miles – you get a different person. New skills – new confidence – and a fantastic flair for bringing the skipper tea and biscuits in bed!

 

A few statistics.

 

1,000 miles in the Mediterranean – Sicily to Gibraltar

4,000 miles crossing the Atlantic – Gibraltar to St Lucia via Madeira and Gran Canaria

1,000 miles cruising round the Caribbean

 

8 National boundaries – Italy, Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, St Lucia, The Grenadines, Antigua, France

 

22 Islands – Sicily, Menorca, Formentera, Porto Santo, Madeira, Desertas Grande, Selvagem Grande, Gran Canaria, St Lucia, Bequia, Union Island, Petit St Vincent, Petit St Martinique, Palm Island,  Baradal Island, Petit Bateau, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, Martinique, Terre-de-Haut, Barbuda.

 

Swam in mid ocean – over 1,000 miles from anywhere. Over 2 miles deep.

 

Seen whales, dolphins, turtles and the biggest frigate bird colony in the world. Eaten sea urchins.

 

Can now identify several stars and constellations and survived a volcano trying to bury her.

 

But now she’s moving on to pastures new and I’ll have to bring Peejay back across the Atlantic without her.

 

Congratulations Masher. It was a tough test but you came through with flying colours.

 

I guess I’ll just have to train someone else to make the skipper his tea!

 

Enjoy the memories below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masher - before leaving Sicily

 

 

Time for some serious reading off the Spanish coast

 

 

 

Sunset – Spanish Coast

 

 

 

Shortly after leaving Gibraltar as dusk approaches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Between Gibraltar and Porto Santo – long Atlantic swells

 

 

Calm seas between Porto Santo and Madeira

 

 

Enjoying the scenery in Madeira

 

 

 

Looking round the Islas Desertas

 

 

Leaving Islas Desertas – bound for the Savage Islands

 

 

Exploring the Savage Islands

 

 

 

 

One very large Baileys in Las Palmas

 

 

 

Some women will do anything to get 2 drinks!

 

 

At the start of ARC 2009 – about to cross the Atlantic

 

 

 

Mid Atlantic Rainbow

 

 

 

 

Last night on the Atlantic – just before the dawn finish

 

 

Opening Presents – Christmas Day in St Lucia

 

 

Compulsory swim – Christmas Day – St Lucia

 

 

 

 

Rain forest zip-lining – St Lucia

 

 

 

 

The turtle beach – Baradel Island

 

 

 

On top of Petit Bateau – Tobago Cays

 

 

Melini’s – Antigua - our favourite restaurant?

 

 

 

 

River Walk – Deshaies - Guadeloupe

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day – Point-a-Pitre - Guadeloupe

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring Fort Napoleon in Islas des Saintes

 

 

Masher - scrubbing up to go partying –again. The genie’s out of the bottle!