Notes from the Nostromo
Fleck
Thu 15 Nov 2012 09:41
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Thursday, November 15th 12.30
Position 28:46S 46:29E
Still making good progress despite variable and at
times absent winds. Last night we motored for six hours through the darkness
before a brisk SE wind came in and got me up to rehoist the sails at 03.00 hrs.
Going well since then in 15kts of beam wind, for which a stugeron has been
prescribed! Poor Geoff has also started to exfoliate again, and we don't know
whether to blame the tinned mackeral for supper last night, or the latest
suncream. We (or rather my little radar gizzmo) see/s occasional shipping,
but not a great deal else. A pod of dolphins a couple of days ago came past us,
but didn't stay long enough for Geoff to capture on film. I, of course, pretend
to be bored by them, but it is not true: they are always a fascinating site.
Nice (do not bite) little flies about the boat: I wonder where they have hatched
from? This morning a grasshopper, nearly 2 inches long was sunning
itself on the sprayhood: wherever had he blown in from?
We chose our food and clothes unwisely: running out
of unsalty clothes already, and no rain to collect for cockpit washing. Also
concerned re lack of pesto sauce and chocolate biscuits: but we will not
starve!. I have not checked our noon position yet, but we are approaching
halfway. I would like to say that it will be all downhill from here,
but that is only true in a certain context: that the weather is likely to be a
little trickier!
We have made quite a detour to avoid an area of
notoriously rough weather off the tip of Madagascar, though according to our
forecasts, it has been fairly calm there: still better safe than
sorry.
We will keep you posted. Goeff is quite critical of
todays posting: he says that as we have been discussing creative writing all
morning he expected more than an epistle on exfoliation, and who can blame him.
Perhaps we could invade cyberspace and haul down an established writer to do
tomorrows piece: Joseph Conrad, Bill Bryson, Ian Banks?
R and G
PS We idly discuss the American General Election
result. But can anyone tell us what it was, and any other snips of news?
Remember the rules, short text only, no photos or
attachments!
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