Bernie’s Blog - Day 10 – Tuesday 2^nd  August 2011

Leg Five: Azores to Dartmouth

We have had a very bumpy and uncomfortable 24 hours but we awoke to a new dawn of a calmer sea and the sun is shining but the wind is in the wrong direction to get us home, so we are under the ‘iron sail’ – the engine. And as we have the water making plant on at the moment we are taking the opportunity to have a good shower and do our washing. We are also airing our wet sailing clothes and our bedding. Having just had a round of bacon sandwiches it really does feel like a new day…..which, of course, it is.

However well accustomed are your sea legs, a persistent long period of bumpy seas and squally weather always lays you slightly low. Sleep is fitful and you lose your appetite …and you ask yourself: “What the hell am I doing here?” It certainly makes you appreciate the comforts of home when you return. P2 and Colin, crew of our last leg from Caribbean to Horta, will be pleased to know that it is I who occupy the ‘pointy end’ of the boat which was aptly described by them as like being in a tumble drier. I agree! This time the far more comfortable ‘honeymoon suite’ down aft, previously occupied by Rod and me, is occupied by Christine and Andy. Peter is in the lounge and Darrel has the side cabin.

We are sill quite alone out here well to the west of Biscay. No yachts but one small cargo ship within 2 miles during the night. We do expect a huge increase in shipping as we near the Western Approaches. There will be converging and diverging traffic entering and leaving the English Channel as well as lots of fishing vessels and, at this time of year, lots of yachts. Traffic will literally be in all directions. We will have to keep our ‘eyes skinned’ and our wits about us. We do have aids to help us (a radar and an electronic gizmo AIS) but it is hard to beat ‘the Mk 1 eyeball’.

We have just checked the condition of our fresh stores - the apples, oranges and cabbage – and they are still in good shape so we should return without scurvy. From where I am sitting it looks like we might be having for lunch today, a red cabbage coleslaw with possibly cheese and/or ham. But before that I see that ‘elevenses’ of tea and muffins is being prepared

We have 430 miles to Dartmouth and 400 miles to Fowey.

So, its goodbye from us.  More tomorrow when we will have placed ourselves on UK time by advancing our clocks by one hour.