Stormy waters
Bardeau returns across Atlantic
Robert Bard
Fri 24 Aug 2012 14:23
Well the storm has abated: seas still very impressive and as Steve observed with his little boy smile of excitement... The saloon looks like its been tipped upside down. Debris strewn everywhere but worst of all amongst the litter lie the bread maker and the ice cream maker. I have kept this news hush from the crew. They are tired weary and if I have to listen to C.Dundee reading out another verse from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and the claptrap about albatrosses, omens, what the Aborigenis say and bad signs ... He will have an accident. A mysterious disappearing chef accident,
Meanwhile talking of accidents fireman Ian decided to do a fainting fit in the saloon earlier. He didn't have far to fall as the debris is up to waist height anyway. Mark and I stood and stared at the dead fireman on the floor. We looked at each other. 'thats a bu***r ' says Mark, we'll be one down on the next watch.... And I don't have a spare. I replied it was worse than that as an onboard morgue wasn't a Jeanneau option when I bought the yacht. Where would we store him. ? A helpful comment was made that if we stuck him in bed with Jill the GB she would never notice for reasons not expressable on a family blog but the words 'dead' and 'stiffs' comes into the conversation . As all this is going on our dead firemen sits up. 'ooops I fainted ' he says. Mark and I share looks of relief ... No nasty paperwork to fill in. Up he stands, I jest not, brushes himself down and refusing all ships medical aid from Mark and myself (very wisely) off he goes to join the rest of the shout... Sorry watch. Tis but a flesh wound he protests as he staggers up the stairs clips on and disappears into the biting wind and rain . Meanwhile there was no food at lunchtime ... I waited patiently until I had to eat. Made it to the fridge found a stash of hotdogs and stuck them in the microwave. I stuck several into my mouth then realised that fire watch could smell them upstairs. I could either quickly eat the remaining six or offer them up ....