Photographs can be deceptive. Maria might look as if she is just staring idly across the sea towards distant shores. But no. She is performing an important everyday function: holding the satellite phone aerial level to get a good signal so that we can download the weather forecast. There’s none of this £400 plus permanent antenna malarkey for us frugal folks, this is a car mount (that came with the phone) and a baking tray that came from Poundland. And it works very well when coupled with Maria’s steady hand.
The weather forecast suggests not much change. There might be a slight increase in wind speed on Friday, fortunately from the same direction. And that might increase boat speed sufficiently for us to arrive in Bridgetown early enough to complete clearance on Friday, but we shall see. With 209 miles to go, we will need to average 6.5 knots to get there before closing time.
In the meantime, today’s main jobs are to top up the diesel tank from the Jerry cans, and tidy up our unruly hair. I will be taking care of mine with the sheep shears and Maria will be attempting to trim her fringe without sticking the scissors in one of her eyeballs.
It’s been a good day for wildlife spotting so far. Dolphins paid a fleeting visit and for the last hour we have watched a seabird hunt for fish, each time circling Lady Jane before making another attempt. Who needs television when you have this eh?
Has Chris walked the plank? or have you and Maria turned cannibal? no mention of him for weeks
He’s still alive and back in Blighty. Chris sailed with us from the Canaries to Cape Verde, then left for a brief soujourn in Portugal before going back home.
I am really enjoying reading your blog. Where do you expect to spend Christmas?
Thank you very much. We are thinking Christmas in Bequia.