Blog 07/06/11

Susan Ayu
Peter Costalas
Tue 7 Jun 2011 12:58

Bernie’s Blog - Day 187 – Tuesday 7th June 2011

 

We were defeated. Yesterday’s bread mix did not work either. So, our final attempt is with a recently purchased French Bread – Pain Bio.  The instructions are in French which P2 has kindly translated. Watch this space.

 

We are still making excellent progress towards Horta in rather unpleasant weather – we could be off Cornwall on a summer’s day – it is damp, dank and loppy. However, with the end in sight we are all in good spirits and still thoroughly enjoying each other’s company so we have nothing to complain about. To celebrate our last night at sea this evening Rod is promising us his ‘famous. North Yorkshire ‘all day breakfast’ or even a Fray Bentos.

 

We have had many visits by pods of dolphins and several seabirds so we remain hopeful that in our last 24 hrs we might catch that elusive fish. The skipper is in charge of fishing tactics. The deep channel between Picos and Faial islands is renowned for it’s whales and we would hope that we see some of those before we enter port at Horta on Wednesday morning.

 

The Portuguese phrase book is out and we are practising all the important phrases eg Onde fica um bar (onde fica – where is?); cinco cervejas por pavor; um garafa de vinho tinto etc etc … and that phrase that should be known by every sailor in dozens of languages: o mio amigo vai pagar – “my friend will pay” !! Which will probably our good crewmate P2 – Peter Stonestreet – who at time of writing looks fairly certain of winning the arrival time sweepstake albeit the Skipper, we suspect, is trying hard ‘to fix’ our arrival in his own favour ie before 0859. Anytime after that it is P2’s

 

As were still in ‘roughers’ last evening’s supper was an excellent tined chilli con carne with rice and tortillas.

 

The Susan Ayu award winning (Ionian Sea – 1988) arrival cocktail (Bloody Mary) has been prepared and is ‘melding’ in a large flask. It takes 24 hours to ‘marry’ the ingredients that go to make the world’s most complex cocktail.

 

A final ‘on passage’ blog will be made tomorrow.

 

BS