Birthday at Sea

Whitemeadow
Phil Pascoe
Tue 16 Jun 2009 10:25
47:22.4N 13:05.6W
08.00h 16 June 2009.  Less than 400 miles to go.
Not a lot to say really, we're still out here surrounded by a blue-grey Ocean with a few shearwaters for company.  Yesterday was my Birthday and marked the end of the first year of my five year Sabbatical.  My current philosophy is to enjoy myself (to the max) until I'm 60, then I might return to work - I might need to return to work to supplement the pension, or fund such a hedonistic lifestyle. 
The great day began by getting up for the 5-8 am watch, it was cold and the sun was just threatening to show itself, but sailing at this time of day is quite pleasant - at least the body-clock is saying it's time to be awake.  The day passed without excitement, a couple of e-mails came through (highlight of the day usually), a beer before lunch, and a piece of Paula's cake for dessert (first cake for ages, yum, yum).  In the evening the wind deserted us for the first time on this leg and we had to resort to the engine.  This wrecked my idea of watching the only DVD I haven't already seen, with a glass (or two) of red wine, before I went to bed - it's too noisy with the engine on, I can't hear the soundtrack properly.  In fact I have trouble hearing most of the actor's mumbles these days - Pardon?  I'll have to learn to lip read.
We are speculating on when we might arrive back in the Yealm and whether it will be at a sociable time.  Hopefully we will now make it on Friday sometime, but we do have just under 400 miles still to go - that's four Channel crossings, so there's a wide margin of error in any ETAs.  We will update you as we get closer.  It'll be nice when we start to see land, particularly land we recognize.
 
Enough for now - will blog again tomorrow.
Phil, Robin & Chris
 
Pics:   Chris on watch - Obviously not that warm!  Birthday beer, then cake - I never eat on an empty stomach.