Return, 4th report 49:11.82N 14:12.15W
Ellatrout3
Thu 10 Jul 2008 11:21
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10th July 00:40
Dear readers,
From the desk of the AdC to the First Sea
Lord
Its me again, Paul, the below-deck diarist of HMS
Yacht Ella Trout III. For the purists amongst you who may think I am
being treasonable, I am, of course, referring to Her Majesty's Subject's Yacht
Ella Trout III.
Progress continues apace, we've been riding the low
I mentioned yesterday all day. The wind has been consistently
Force 5/6 but whereas yesterday, with torrential rain and closed-in grey skies,
was most unpleasant sailing; today, with similar winds and equally lively seas -
but with glorious hot sunshine - has been perfect . I don't
know if you ever remember watching those old films where people were in open
boats (life boats or life rafts) on the open sea in exceptionally bad weather
(The Cruel Sea comes to mind). I've always though have fake and naff the
special effects were..... wrong! When you are sat in an open cockpit, in a
Force 6 with lashing wind and battering torrential rain - when it feels cold
enought to freeze the balls off a Brass Monkey (children, mummy or daddy will
explain that old nautical term to you) - the sea is boiling from the wind, the
waves and the rain hitting it - it was very close to the pictures I
recall.
In the 24 hours up to 13:00 on Wednesday
9th we made another 150 miles exactly. As I
type I can see that the Chart Plotter is
indicating we have 425 miles to run for Pwllheli. The weather forecast for
tomorrow is Force 5 to 6 with moderate to rough seas - so that's OK, more of the
same! We're hoping that we can stick with this Low, we should be able to
use it all the way into the Irish Sea, provided it doesn't do anything
untoward....
We had another unexpected visitor again, what the
First Sea Lord (FSL) referred to in an earlier signal as a Giant Squid.
This time we have photographic evidence to prove our claim - he was indeed some
4 to 6 inches from the tip of his tail to the end of his tentacles, which
incidentally are very sticky.
Other news, the fleet photographer appeared this
morning and a full photo shoot was conducted, we even managed to
get a group photo of the entire crew. However, there was a little too
much frivolity for my liking with various crew members, including Officers,
messing about in a Force 6 on the foredeck; tsk tsk!!
Unfortunately I have to report that FSL has
succumbed again to a bout of 'poorly tummy', this isn't anything to do with the
sea and I don't think its the food. I only cook one 'choice' per meal so
the Wardroom has the same food as the Ratings Mess. I think it was too much
partying in the Azores with fellow JAC captains - and the resultant bug that did
the rounds. The main menu options have simplified now though: scrambled
egg, rice pudding and water (take it or leave it) but it does mean I am cooking
two choices - and eating the other one. We've got a cupboard full of
exotic items to get rid of before we make landfall . "Permanent
consumption" for the FSL over the last 18 hours has amounted to 2
ginger biscuits, a pot of yummy, a very small portion of muesli and a
bottle of water. Hopefully we are over the worst and simple dishes like
scrambled egg will hit the mark and stay there!
FSL asks me to apologise for not adding something
personal himself, he is very busy oncentrating at the moment (spelled
ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz!) but I believe a bit more sleep will help him back to top
form.
Got to go, need to take a sunsight or plot a
position or splice the mainbrace or something.
Regards to all.
Poppa/Dad/Roger and Paul.
ps Sending this at 11:15 on Thursday 9th and our
position now is some 270 miles south west of some rocks on the south-eastern tip
of Ireland (which we are intending to avoid - the rocks that is, not
Ireland). May try to do a further report later today to return to a
daily routine, on the day and the plot should be updated
then.
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