Standards !
Samaritan
Tim Vaughan
Thu 27 Jun 2019 19:31
Before I go any furetger, I’m, typing this’d wedged into my nav table with my feet on the sink worktop, the boat is ploughing it’s way through some lovely big waves so apologiesa for any typos. It took me 4vattekmprs too put the address in the email. (All genuine typos by the way).
I have to report that on board standards have fallen below the acceptable level for the first time. I make no apologies for eating my dinner out of the sink with my arse wedged against the cooker but I have to confess eating my rather tasty tin of pea and ham soup straight out of the saucepan, I’d already had to leave lunch to go and put in a second reef so I just needed to get it down my neck, just please don’t tell the grandkids. At least I still used a spoon.....
At this point in my musings, I had to leave typing altogether and go and helm for 4 hours. The lovely big waves we were ploughing through at the start of this blog had become horrible big waves and Samaritan was jumping off them and slamming hard on the way down. All easily sorted by wiggling through them all afternoon but I was glad when things died down around 18:00.
These two days upwind have been a hard slog, you really have to fight for every degree of course in the right direction as the big winds and waves push you away from where you want to go. You also have to fight to keep your speed up against the waves so it’s a constant battle. I don’t think I won it either but I’m determined to get north of this particular wind system and pick up something more favourable for the last stage.
I had lots to tell you earlier but I’ve forgotten most of it now.
One thing though - I’ve seen loads of young gannets today, they’re one of our favourite sea birds. These were young ones, honing their flying skills in the troughs of rather big waves, a great sight which signals I’m getting closer to home.
Also Loads of fishing boats and merchant ships. The Isles of Scilly are a cross roads for shipping some of which will be coming this way so no over sleeping now.
Oh and the fog eventually cleared but all that happened is the fog was replaced by a grey horizon of clouds - still a grey old day
I’m actually rather excited to be approaching home by coming under the Isles of Scilly. When I first dreamed of doing the AZAB, I always imagined a passage home bending well north’s of the line and under the Isles, mine and Mandy’s favourite sailing destination. Shame about the rest of the route but let’s hope the wind are kind to me on the last stage.
Note to self: remember to go to Falmouth on way back and not forget, and go straight on home to Dartmouth!
That’s enough ramblings for now, you can tell I’ve had 9 days on my own!