Day 7-How's the Crew getting on

Quesera
Sat 29 Nov 2008 12:19

Well, the crew  have been together a week now and all is well – at least that’s my opinion! In fact we are a well matched team, not in the way that we are good at the same things but our skills are complimentary and thus we play to our different strengths. So this is a longer blog than usual to expand on this!

 

For example, Mike is keen on Navigation both on the chart and with the electronics. He is always checking waypoints, direction, speed etc and monitoring our progress and then suggesting alternatives in the light of the weather reports. He has also made some excellent bread, the stuff we had on board having either been consumed or gone stale. It has a quite unique taste about it and given that we are approaching Cape Verde we have decided to take out a patent for ‘Pain de Verde’!  It’s actually very good

 

You’ve already seen pictures of ‘Jock – The Fish’ and results from ‘Jock – The Photo’ and, as he is our main foredeck crew being the youngest(!), he is also ‘Jock – The Para’ and because he sets the sail plan best and helms for hours, he is also ‘Jock - The Auto’, which is good as we now have 3 Autohelm systems!

 

And what you might ask of me?  Well, I just hang around and bark orders as usual. And as usual nobody listens. In fact, they have nicknamed me Barry Bucknall after the bloke who hosted a DIY programme in the sixties (or seventies?) and produced rather indifferent results. This is because I often have to do a significant amount of maintenance (drawers falling apart and breaking etc) and am often seen with drill in hand. I find this a completely monstrous lack of deference given my clear skills in this important area. If I didn’t need the crew to sail with I would chuck them over for fish food!

 

Actually I have become quite a dab hand in the galley knocking up various concoctions for my ungrateful crew.  Believe it or not, a couple of days ago I actually did breakfast, lunch and supper as well as preparing a delicacy for the following day, and all the washing up as well. It is an unbelievably small galley – thank goodness there are only three of us.             NB I do not intend to bring these skills home!    

 

Had a shower, then found we had no water to wash up with and watermaker failed to go into action again!          

 

Last nights sailing was good. We had a forecast for 18/20 kts (spot on as usual) and as we don’t want to carry the Parasail above 15/18, especially at night, we experimented with a goosewing arrangement and had the jib poled out on the other side to the main. Given this is not Que Sera’s favourite (indeed it is her least favourite) sailing position she has coped magnificently. It has led to a rather sea-saw night though!

 

           

 

A fine delicacy, No AGA here love!                       The most excellent Hydrovane doing its stuff               Goosewinged and poled into the sunset