Thursday 6th December 2007

Stormy Night.

Well what can I say? A bit of a dramatic night here last night. As I said yesterday the waves were huge but as night drew in they just got bigger and bigger. Then there was stormforce winds rain, bucket loads of it and then, just for fun thunder and lightening as well. I'm sure Mark said it was going to be bikini weather when I signed up for this. Becci and I are considering mutiny! Seriously though it was a bit on the scary side. Lightening is not funny when you've go a huge mast sticking up into the sky just begging to be hit. As a precaution all the emergency electrical safety and communications equipment was stashed in the oven last night as it makes the best makeshift Faridays cage. We escaped a direct hit though and lived to tell the tale.  Poor George this morning, when he came off watch, looked like a drowned rat. He was soaked to the skin to the extent that his hands and feet had gone prune-like as though he'd been in the bath too long. We've hung all the dripping clothing in the head to dry and sent George back to bed to warm up again.  The good news though is that the strong winds (gusting to 38 knots) are pushing us swiftly in the right direction and we have been making 8 knots on the main (with two reefs) alone!

Poor Pugwash fell in the bilge this morning. He escaped serious injury, except to his pride. He's taking a short break from helping Becci on watch to aid me in writing this this morning. We're both of the opinion though that we'd better get back up deck soon as being below decks too long in these conditions makes you feel decidedly queasy.

Till tomorrow then.

Justine Queasy and Pugwash Damp