Blog 27th May

Susan Ayu
Peter Costalas
Fri 27 May 2011 15:34

Bernie’s Blog - Day 7 – 27 May

 

There is no wind. We have been motoring since 2200 last night and are likely to be motoring for some time as we enter an area of light and variable winds. We are pushing on in north east direction and hope to find some wind soon as we only have fuel enough for approx 600 miles of the 1500 remaining. If you look to the middle bottom of the screen of the BBC national forecast on TV you will spot the Azores islands and the weather that is to presently to the north of us. That may be some indication to you of what we are getting down here at latitude 25° north and 54° west

 

Last evening’s supper (prepared by Bernie) was Angus beef steaks (marinated in oil, garlic and black peppercorns, with pan-fried sliced potatoes, onions, mushrooms and sweetcorn. That is the last of the fresh meat onboard; however, we have plenty of cured and tinned meat to last the rest of the voyage. This is when imagination really takes hold; our own seaborne version of ‘Ready, Steady Cook’ !! This evening’s cook is Colin and he will be producing “Keith Richard’s Sausages and Mash”. More of that tomorrow. No snorting please!

 

You may have been wondering, but then maybe not, what happens to all our rubbish. In harbour or cruising a rubbish bag can take just a day or two to fill, as at home; but we have to reduce enormously as we would not have the storage space for large amounts of waste nor would it be hygienic in the these temperatures. (still 30°c onboard). So all food and vegetable waste, tins, glass, tissues, light cardboard etc goes to ‘Davy Jones Locker - the ocean here is several miles deep. All plastic bottles, washed milk and drink cartoons are cut into fine pieces and kept onboard until Azores. That way it takes almost a week to fill just one small rubbish bag. It is also good therapy! The equivalent in olden days of sailors ‘picking okem’

 

We are entering an area in the Atlantic named the Sargasso Sea – the large area in the middle in which large amounts of weed and flotsum collect. Still no fish caught on our line but a flying fish did land onboard.

 

Today’s P2 Speak addition to our new vocabulary:

A “ticky tock thingy that you put on your wrist” – a watch

 

We are all well in health and spirit, well fed and rested; and enjoying each other's company very much. We have lots of laughs.