Lanzarote
SV Jenny
Alan Franklin/Lynne Gane
Sat 15 Nov 2014 21:55
Well we are still here, getting ready for our transatlantic crossing. We have attended lectures with the world cruising guru, Jimmy Cornell. We have learnt some useful things, do’s and dont’s of long passages, sail trim and not least about provisioning for the crossing. Did you know that bay leaves in flour help to protect against bugs, eggs need to be covered with vaselin to help keep them fresh and not refrigerated, keep fresh vegetables in nets in the air, but separate tomatoes and of course bananas. Butter and cheese can be kept in brine without refrigeration. I have never had so many tinned dried and bottled fruit and vegetables, even some baked beans my least favourite! I now hope to make my own yoghurt on passage as well as bread. To avoid cockroaches, dont bring any cardboard aboard and decontaminate shoes as they are the devil to get rid of once aboard. Seasickness lasts about 3 days, ginger in any form is good for this and its best to have meals prepared in advance for at least the first few days. Apparently dog bowls are the perfect for eating meals whilst on passage, who could resist! So there you have it!
We are making preparations to return to Uk on Tuesday and looking forward to seeing Rebecca, Josh, James and Robert and many friends. Whilst last minute shopping in Arrecife, Christmas decorations have appeared in modest numbers, reindeer and Christmas trees, how uniquely odd here.
Our rally boats from the Ocean cruising Club are moving on, sadly one by one they have left to cruise the Canaries and beyond. We have said au revoir to so many lovely people, we have had such a great time with them. It’s been a week of hectic socialising as we all move on. We are the rally rump, another leaves tomorrow and then there were 4. We will return at the end of November for another lift out for work on the rubber bearings, a wash down and replacement of anodes. We hope to have taken delivery of a replacement rib, and to reinstall our gear box and chart plotters, all in all it will be very busy. We hope to start out on our own Atlantic crossing around the 2nd -3rd of December with plans for meeting some of our rally boats in Antigua for Christmas. I was asked whether we had a tree and lights, no but I can boast a blow up pirate chest and parrot, courtesy of my lovely Sutton friends!
Well I expect this will be the last post until our return on 28th November where it will be all hands for final preparations.
All our best to you,
Lynne and Alan