Mercury Rising
Mercury-rising
Sun 4 Dec 2005 12:19
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All in good spirits, especially as we start to
recover some of the ground we lost when, along with several other boats,
we turned back upwind in response to Caliso's plight. It was a good
feeling, last night, to be sailing in company again, and even passing one or
two.
Had free fresh water showers in
the overnight squalls, so crew reasonably presentable and odourless,
with the exception of Stowaway, who obviously has something to
hide.
DwD keen to film spinnaker this morning, and
decided the best vantage point was lying prone on the cockpit floor, bracing
himself like a gynaecological examinee. It should be borne in mind that DwD has
adopted Skipper's predilection for sarongs, worn "commando". FM, meanwhile, was
planning his morning shave, in the mirror immediately above the hatch window to
the cockpit. Having evidently mistaken the view through the hatch for the
mirror image of his face, FM appeared on deck, swathed in bandages, claiming to
have metamorphosed into Elephant Man. This prompted a cheerful game of "Who am
I?" until skipper realised that FM was genuinely in need of help. Skipper
disappeared for reference material in the medical library; having soon given up
the search for enlightenment, his attention returned to his habitual passtime of
fish gutting. FM cured of affliction at sight of Skipper returning, armed
with filleting knife......
Skipper continues to land daily supplies of fish.
All were assembled on deck last night to witness and film the mother of all
battles between Skipper and " the biggest sonofabitch yet". Ninety minutes, a
roll of film, and several beers later, DwD observed that Skipper's eye bulging,
muscle popping battle was, in fact, being waged against the Hydrovane, on which
the line had evidently been snagged from the outset. Some found it difficult to
convincingly deny prior knowledge .......
DwD has now become a film director ( artistic, no
family hols stuff) .The heads of Skipper's latest catches seem to feature
prominently in the latest project. (Is there a Freudian link between this
behavour pattern and DwD's dissapointments of the last few days?) These grisly
exhibits are arranged, for best filming angle, along the stanchions ( please
God, don't let us meet another ARC boat just yet). FM, recovering from the
morning's trauma, felt strong enough to pull back the curtains to let
daylight into his sanctuary, to be greeted by the skull of DwD's 40lb.
dorado grinning back it him. DwD and FM called in for reconcilliation and
counselling ......
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