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Imagine of Plymouth
Arthur
Sat 1 Dec 2007 15:00
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Hello all Blog followers.
Today, Saturday Dec 1st, your blog editor
is Mark.
This is due to Rudy being on detention.
Why, you ask!
Well..... let me tell
you.....
Yesturday afternoon, while obviously
feeling a tad peckish, Rudy was galloping up the companion way with hands full
of crisps, dip and peanuts for a little afternoon snack for everyone. Hands
full, you say. Not one hand for yourself and one for the boat. No!
So, the inevitable happened. The boat was
slapped on it's butt by a wave, causing the normally agile Rudy to piroette
across the cockpit, narrowly missing the Admiral (lying in his customary
position on his 'chez longe'), but sitting squarely on his nice, titanium specs,
thus breaking them. Ooopps. So, after working out that thin titanium specs,
and superglue do not go together, he has to, as his punishment, sit on the
end of the Admirals bed for 1 hour and read bedtime stories to him, aahhh! ( 5
men, too long at sea I hear you say, hmmm).
So, anyway. Yesturday's events. Well, you
heard from Rudy, early in the morning with the previous nights events, so I am
here to add the rest of yesturdays events, aswell as adding a few other moments
from the last few days. Yup, it has been amusing to say the least trying to
sleep on here, although I think chris and Robert now have it down to
a T..... Chris puts in his ear plugs, wedges himself in, and bob's your
uncle, moves nowhere, hears no-one, including those trying to wake him to tell
him he's late for his watch. An hour late! The other night it felt to me like we
were in Michael Schumacher's car, screaming around a chicane as, on one
bend I face planted into 1 side, and then we went round the next corner,
and as I flew thru the air, twisting, I face planted into the other side
(remember, I am in the V shaped forepeak), followed by being hit in the back by
my flying computer. Don't worry, that stopped working b4 we left Las Palmas.
This forepeak bed, I might add, is about 5 1/2 ft long, where as I am 6ft 2, so
my feet hang off the end of the bed, or alternatively, I would need
to stick my head thru to the anchor locker. Not sure about that
one!
After a lot of laughing about Rudy and
the Admiral Chris, a leak in one of the starboard side window's was noticed.
This was the one that was fixed in Las Palmas by that great company from
Lymington!!! Not.
So, with a bit of Sunsail logic, and
a bodge it 'n' fix it for now attitude, Arthur clung over the side to Gaffer
tape the window. Not really good to have sea water pissing in, while you're in
Mid Atlantic. Then to find that the screws on the inside were not even tightly
done up!!! It never ends. So, nearly half a tube of sicker flex and a screw
driver later.... We've also noticed another little hole in the sail, just above
the other hole that the sail makers in Las Palmas didn't bother to fix, but
charged us for anyway. So, solution... furl a bit in, for now.
Anyway, on with friday's happenings.....
After such a hectic day of Spinnaker work and handling by Arthur, Rudy and
Myself, ably watched by the Admiral Chris and the Vice Admiral Robert, we
decided that it was the turn of George, the wind watching auto pilot, to have
his go. So, the Admiral and vice Admiral took up their customary positions on
their 'chez longes', while the minions sat back in the cattle class and cheap
seats to observe the day. Vice Admiral Robert, cant comprehend why he can
see no other boats about, when 240 odd started from the same place, are going to
the same place, but we cant see them!!!... anywhere!!!
He also wants to know when we get to half
way. This, as we pointed out, is hard to tell, as we dont know how many miles we
are sailing. We can guess, but not accurately, obviously, because we cant sail
in a straight line there. The wind direction has a little bit to do with it.
Hmmm, is the answer.
Meanwhile, Admiral Chris is napping on
his 'chez longe'.
Fishing..... Now this has come as a bit
of a sore point, as the 1st line that disappeard was up to 75KG. It snapped. How
big was the bloody fish. The 2nd had a fish, which was promptly knicked by a
dolphin in front of our eyes. Vice Admiral is making a valant effort with string
and leur, and fishing rod now. We're all sceptical!! So, we've had smoked
salmon, from a packet, and tuna, from a tin!!!
Meanwhile, the Admiral is napping on his
'chez longe'.
Then, we turn our selves to dinner. With
the valant effort of the Admiral from the day b4 nearly going from microwave to
floor, via chopping board and Chris's pinney, and just being saved in time,
spilling only a tad down himself, this time it was Captain Arthur's turn to
conger up..... Burger and chips with corn on the cob. Yum, you say. Yup, was
good, although Cap'n Arthur wasn't too well during the night, and slooped away
from his watch to hug his 'Renate' bucket for the remainder of the night (never
good when the chef is ill from his own food, or was it a ploy to get out of this
duty next time, hmmm), leaving Rudy to the rest of Arthur's watch, his own and
of course an hour of the Admirals watch while he dreamed of merry things, with
ear plugs.
The night was a mixture of fast sailing,
squalls, a very confused sea, to say the least, certainly from the way I
skiied around my cabin during the night clinging to whatever I could, it was a
very choppy night.
I'm glad to say, I finally fell asleep
about 3.20am, only to get up at 3.50 for my 4am watch. I am smiling, don't
worry.
Today's been a mixed morning so far.
Quite a big swell, loads of wind, but we are on our rhumb line and doing good.
Keeping up the 8 odd knot mark, but of course, being thrown all around the place
in the process. We passed 2 Pilot whales earlier, who were lazing on the
surface, but had the decentcy to wave as we passed, how nice.
It looks like we are in 64th place just
now, so we're all happy. That should put us in the top 20 at the moment.
Brilliant!! Oooo. have just had an update on positions, sounds like we are in
15th place just now... Interesting, we'll have to see later.
And now...
I save the best comment for
last:
I'm f.....g bored, I've only seen 2
planes, 2 whales and a lot of f.....g water........ and I cant see any f.....g
boats!!!!!!
I'll keep the identity quiet, but it gave
us a damn good giggle, I tell you...
So, sorry for boring you with this epic
of ....1 day, but I just thought you might want a laugh.
On a personal note, I would like to pass
on my congrats to Sarah and Mike for their wedding anniversary today. TC, could
you do these honors for me. Love you loads.
Take care all, and don't forget to tune
in same time, next time for the next episode of the epic adventure of 'IMAGINE
OF PLYMOUTH' and her comic crew.
Adois for now.
All the best - Mark, Arthur, Rudy Admiral
Chris and Vice Admiral Robert.
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