Friday for most people provides a chance to reflect on the events of the week and plan the gardening schedule for the weekend. At the end of the first week of our delivery trip the story reads more like an extract from a Tom Sharpe novel than a Boy’s Own Adventure.
Monday.. a protracted game of Eye Spy following a burst engine room pipe, which could have ended with a sinking had it happened at sea. We raise a glass to
Tuesday.. the ‘chums’ set sail a day late, accompanied by the mooring rope that decided it didn’t want to be left behind and clung to our propeller like a reluctant schoolboy on his first day at school. Funny how I’m the only one with a diving certificate at 5.30am.
Fishing with a Trago lure lands a Tuna which has had us eating fish for supper for three days and by Friday we are starting to waddle like Penguins. I wouldn’t be surprised to catch David Attenborough inspecting our droppings for fish bones!
Wednesday.. we struggle with light head winds which have us motoring most of the day, followed by an unscheduled stop in Puerto Colom,
Thursday.. “Zero to bitch in 20 seconds”.. Having motored, again, for most of the day the Mediterranean weather decides to keep us on our toes by blowing force 7/8 from nothing as we change watches at midnight. Torrential rain has us in full wet weather gear and harnessed to the rail. During the turbulence crewmember David Morley has an unwelcome encounter with the mountain bike which shares his cabin. One particularly large wave causes the bike to join him in his bunk and he receives a large lump on his eye-brow from the handle bars. The cruel crew member who remarked that he should think himself lucky.. “most men would give their right arm to be jumped on by the village bike whilst in bed..” was suitably rebuked. I didn’t fully understand the joke but laughed anyway to be polite.
To add insult to injury.. David then approached the first aid kit looking for sympathy, only to be attacked by the kit which jumped from the locker top and added to his facial bruising.
Friday.. Now three days behind schedule we have diverted to Alicanti to lick our wounds, do our washing, scrape the cornflakes off the ceiling and pack David off on a flight to the
Highlights of week one?.... Dolphins with us most days
Lowlights?…. Tuna and beans, flatulence like a fish eagle.
Stats so far:
Mileage: 286
Moving time: 63:03 hrs/mins
Moving avereage speed: 4.5knts
Pictures to follow.