The whole Rally set off for Smir – Restinga Marina – 35.45N 05.20W yesterday morning at 8.00am. We had been watching the weather as it had been unpleasant for a few days but in the event around 30 yachts set off in a force 5 with very lumpy seas – I dutifully swallowed my Sturgeron and wasn’t seen again until we reached Morrocco!!

The Rally had organised a sight seeing trip but as we had been to Morrocco twice the year before we declined but made our own way into Tetouan to buy some groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, and look around the market.  We all bought a loud shirt each for a relevant future event…..

That evening the Rugby final, England v South Africa was shown on a huge cinema size screen in a nearby hotel and we were all invited.  Great atmosphere with everyone there.

The trip back today was great – sunny with a cracking sail across the straights.  I managed to stay upright the whole way and even made a minestrone soup for us all from scratch on route.  Some of the troubles we have had with the ‘Easyreef’ (not)  main sail were ironed out too.  We have had four inches taken off the main and the boom lifted which seems to done the trick……….

Bly, one of our fellow yachts approaching the Rock of Gibraltar on our way back.

Since our arrival on the night of the 14^th I think it would be fair to say we haven’t stopped….. briefings most mornings, securing all the lockers, getting the iridium phone working,  connecting the SSB and programming in the required numbers, odd jobs around the boat, tidying up, food shopping, stowing away, final connections for instruments, securing floorboards so they don’t fly across the boat if it gets rough etc. 

Our crew is now down to 5 as Vic has decided to stay in Spain.  Paul walked with him to the bus stop early one morning to get the coach back –  sad for us - but he is very happy with the prospect of his new life ahead with his girlfriend. 

Oscar and I went on a survival course all day which was very enlightening - theory all morning and then 8 of us rescuing each other in a pool, getting into a life raft with all our wet clothing and inflated life jackets having been in cold water, righting the life raft which becomes inverted and generally getting the gist of what life might be like all hugger mugger together. Cold water was hosed through the partially open doorway and the raft bumped up and down.  If the raft capsizes, you must undo the door ties – all swim out and lash on to each other whilst one person rights the craft – then you all have to attempt to get back in again (in a 40 foot swell?)  I assure you we got the gist very quickly.  I think the aim of the day was to put us all off the thought of abandoning our boat unless 100% necessary – and it definitely worked. 

We have 6 days left before our week long sail to Lanzarote – the first time our crew will have done a long distance sail together – Bennett would like the dawn watch – we are still working out the other shifts.  Lots more food shopping to do –  briefings to attend – invitations to cocktail parties and send offs….. the daily pattern is so totally different to anything we have ever experienced or could have imagined…. There literally doesn’t seem to be a minute to oneself – a constant merry go round of meeting new people, questions, answers, information to assimilate and jobs to get done quickly - even a trip to the showers is a luxury these days!  I am beginning to be consciously unconscious in the learning cycle I mentioned at the beginning – now I am starting to know what I don’t know!  Well we said we wanted a challenge…………………..