Housekeeping
The change of plan to find a safe haven means we arrived early (and safely) at Dartmouth. This allowed all day for the boat to be thoroughly cleaned, inside and out. Other jobs included deflating the dinghy, rinsing sea water out of the outboard, lowering code 0, refilling water tanks, and returning batteries to the correct location. Phew!
Fact of nature
A seagull lands on top of the pontoon pole and faces northwest. It is a well-known fact that seagulls will face into the wind whilst sitting on a pole! The weather vane was checked, and no surprise to find it was also facing northwest. Point proven. Perhaps an air traffic controller will collaborate and offer an explanation.
Odds
Yes, it’s that time when all good things come to an end! Meals have become a little more inventive nowadays because the larder is almost empty.
Meals on board are prepared from scratch using whole ingredients. The challenge is to cook while at sea, the stove swinging and the boat rocking. But mostly at anchor when conditions are calm. The onboard freezer stores prepared meals (thanks Annie) and perishable ingredients. With only two gas rings, single pan cooking is easy (and popular). Four pan cooking is not so!
Onboard chef
Finishing off now with a few odds, and ends: video clips unpublished taken during the cruise, and photos as we transition back to a land-based life.
Ends
Standing on solid ground and the earth starts to rock. We are so used to moving constantly it is a weird sensation. And a solid flat surface where nothing slides off! Cupboards without locks, cookers that don’t swing, cushions not clipped on, listening on radio channel 16, horizontal souls (floors), and not washing (just joking).
Liquid Asset was firmly attached to the home-based pontoon. The Steam Packet beckons for supper as the galley and cooker was pristine clean. The first floor gallery offers a magnificent view over the marina.
I spy … Something beginning with ‘M’
Yes, we did find it, eventually.
And finally…
Each morning whilst out at sea, the yacht is dressed with an ensign depicting our nationality: a red flag with Union Jack. It will have been noticed from several video clips over the last week. And each evening, at 21:00, it is customary to lower the ensign. So for the last time on this cruise, the flag is lowered.
Zzzz
Experience Sailing 