24:23S 024:54W
ratCATcher
Andre and Alison Stroebel
Sun 30 Jan 2011 08:26
I have found a place on earth where time stands peacefully still...well it seems to; days melt and blend into each other until one has no idea of how much time has passed or what happened when. If it were not for cell phones and computer having a date reading it would be extremely difficult to work out where we are day wise.
So as it stands we are on our 15th day at sea but it feels like 3 or 4 and yet also feels like we have done this forever.
To give you an idea; my day starts at 0600 when I do the morning watch and I am on till 0900. We then chat and sometimes do the previous evenings dishes have some breakfast or coffee and then at about 1000 I go back to bed for a while. To wake again at about 1130 - 1200. If we haven't had breakfast earlier we often then have brunch. Then its small chores like doing some washing and then read and chat until about 1300. Usually Rob and Kev go down for a sleep and Andre and I lie in the sun, take our showers (every 2nd or 3rd day) and read. I am on watch again from 1400 to 1700.
We usually have "happy hour" between 1700 and dinner time which is ready at about 1830 or 1900. "Happy hour" consists of 2 drinks each.We listen to music chat and have diner together. The at about 2000 I go to bed as I am up again at 2200 for my watch until 0100 when Kevin takes over and I go back to bed till 0600. So you can see how days can easily melt together.
Its awesome at sea. So relaxed, no stress, you can actually see everyone's "stress wrinkles" frowns and harassed looks melting off their faces.
I have been trying to think of a way to describe the "constant exercise" effect of the boat. Every second of every day you are counteracting the movement of the boat. Its kinda like being on a slow travelator which is balanced on a large ball! The first few days you could feel the muscles long since used being brought into action. Any work on deck changing sails or whatever involves a major balancing act no matter how slow the boat is going.
If it sounds like I am complaining: definitely not, just trying to describe to those armchair sailors what life aboard is like.
At present we are in very light winds and used up some of our allocated engine time last night.
We woke to another magnificent sunrise and beautiful day.
Thinking of you all.
the rat catchers.