16:23.91N 36:17.66W
Tioram 4
Tina & Tony
Tue 1 Dec 2009 12:21
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Sleep deprivation on the good shipTioram
You know that people are recovering from the sleep
deprivation of the watch system when the stories of the previous night reduce
the crew to hysterics.
At night we use red lights inside the boat to help keep
night vision for the crew inside and out. Moving around inside the boat in
daylight involves rushing from hand hold to hand hold. But at night picture a
washing machine on a wash that throws you from side to side with an irregular
rythym---you find youself with your face pressed up against bulkheads surounded
by swinging hammoocks of fruit and veg and the occassional low flying unsecured
missiles.
The joys of trying to escape from your bed at midnight or
4am watch change involves a leap of faith to try to coincide with the roll of
the boat----fine when you get it right painful and at best funny when you
miss the beat.
The dance that we all do by day light around the
cabin deteriorates at night to a drunken stagger usually ended by a
contorted straight jacket like motion to get into your lifejacket. Crew do the
dance together and sometimes break into all manner of break dancing---elbows,
faces clunking together to the beat of the Atlantic. Just when you think this
cant get any worse or funnier dependent on your stage of 'sleep deprivation',
someone will kindly hand you a cup of tea---- this usually improves your one
handed dance routine !!!!
Alisdair has described the joys of our forward cabin
amusement attraction which has left the rest of the crew considering taking
turns on the 'ride' if we have time to get bored.
His description of last nights 'ride' involves a soft
sleeping bag liner on top of another silky fabric sleeping bag. The boat rises
and falls quite steeply from bow/front to stern/back as well as an occassional
roll. We often surf down waves creating a head first bob sleigh ride
particularly in the bow. Picture the scene of poor Al asleep being catapulted
against the bulkhead one minute bashing his head and the next moment waking up
to find his legs dangling knee bent over the bottom of his bed---- he has
suggested leaving his clothes strategically placed to slip right into his
trousers for watch change ----just like the scene from Wallace and
Gromit.
Tony was finally defeated by our forward cabin 'ride' last
night. He moved into my bed in an aft/back cabin---it's called hot bunking on
boats where the crew share the same bunks on different
watches.
His sleep deprivation kicked in this morning when he tried
to escape from the bed for the 8am watch change. He found himself completely
tucked into his sheet and was convinced someone had done this to him during the
night. The twists and turns you do at night to brace yourself into your bunk
left him straight jacketed!! He had also kindly adjusted his lee cloth ( a
canvas side panel to keep you safely in your bunk) to narrowly avoid sharing
Moiras bunk
Mike has found a star shape brace position works well
combined with feet hooked around a panel at the end of his bed. Moira and
myself have resorted to ear plugs and extra pillows assuming all styles of brace
positions.
Pat slept quietly and calmly last night forced to
press his face against the bulkhead-------we have decided that more violent
movements on the helm will keep him firmly pressed against the wall with an
occasional head butt just to keep things quieter in the
cabin!!!!
We look forward to more 'rides' and dance routines
tonight------oh the joys of sleep deprivation !!!!
Today we pass the geographical half way mark between
Gran Canaria and St Lucia and have covered 1500nm through the water ---cause for
a small celebration.
The sun is out with a steady 18 to 25 knots of wind from
the East, sea state 3 to 4 meter swell and all is well.
Love to all our families and friends,
Tina ,Tony, Al, Mike, Moira and Pat.
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