In The Money

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Thu 24 Sep 2009 12:14
Noon Position: 33 57.2 N 007 32.2 W
Course Southeast Speed 4 knots
Wind: South, gentle breeze .
Weather: Sunny and warm
Day's Run: 87 miles

We had a slow night last night. By 7 p.m. the wind had deserted us completely, we were rolling around slightly in the small swell so I dropped sails, closed the exhaust valve (this prevents water making its way up the exhaust pipe and into the engine) and drifted. An hour later the wind returned, now from the south so back up went the sails close hauled on the port tack heading out to sea. By this time I was thinking on giving up on visiting Morocco, down to little more than a few coppers I felt, knowing myself as one does after living with oneself for a few years, that the stress wouldn't be worth it, and I had resigned myself to a nice sail to the Canary Islands.

This morning I had also given up on fixing my old digital camera and was looking for a place to stow it, not quite ready t give it the old heave ho yet. "This locker will do for now," I thought, opened it up and cleared out some space for the camera. "Hello, I wonder what is in this lunch box? Ah, the old change box, I wondered where that had gotten to." I opened it up and not only was there all the loose change left over from various port visits there also was my emergency stash I had placed there some time ago and forgotten about. If I husband this wisely it should see me through to Brazil comfortably. Sometimes having a bad memory pays dividends. I thought I had some money somewhere but had given up on it thinking I must have used it in some other emergency and not topped it up again. Undourtedly if I had found it earlier it woudl be sognificantly less by now.

So now we have tacked and are heading for Mahammedia just north of Casablanca. We should get there late this afternoon.

Happy Birthday Mary. Love You.

All is well.

Bob Cat:

Can you eat money, does it make a good pillow, does it keep one warm on a cold night, does it keep one cool on hot day, does it give one a scratch behind the ear, does it provide a lap for one to curl up in a ball and sleep on, can it brush one's coat, does it love you? I don't know but I reckon if I had enough of the stuff I could probably hire a skipper to catch some nice fresh tuna for me. And I haven't tried eating it but it can't taste too much worse than the hard tack I have thrust upon me each day. As for a pillow and blanket, it might work, and love - well hey, I'm a cat, you wnat love go get a puppy. But for now we are grateful for that which we have, Happy Birthday Mary . . . Zzzzzzz.