Monday 16th, Day 8
Gijon is now a distant memory as we motor towards Finisterre. Hopefully we have missed the worst of the weather but helpful Easterly winds enabled us to set the sails namely; the lower and upper topsails and the T’Gallants and we sailed for seven hours!! Of course the winds have changed to South Westerly now, so shortly after we came on watch at 8 last night the decision was made to hand the canvas and we are now back on the mechanical sails. It was a good warm up but we are used to that, the first watch saw more braces than on a gang of 70s skinheads
Due to changing winds I’m sure the masts were beginning to smoulder at the bottom like indian firelighters we were turning them so fast. The rest of the watch was quite pleasant, although the wind was rising, it was almost warm and there were plenty of lights and ships to identify. 2nd Mate Ali furnished us with a talk on the weather after smoko today, so we are all looking forward to seeing the isobars grow further apart!
Today half the watch spent an hour or so doing a comprehensive weather report to send to the Met Office but I could have saved a lot of time and Satellite costs by summing it up in one word – ‘‘orrible’.
It is hoped that the wind will veer northerly for the run down the Portuguese coast and the next stop is planned to be Cadiz. Someone suggested sending in a couple of burning doti boats first, to keep with tradition but I think the Cap’n will veto that in the name of diplomatic relations.
Gnasher328, Fwd Port Watch