After the beautiful sunny weather we enjoyed when sampling the delights of Tallinn, today started wet and miserable. We departed the berth at Tallinn at 9am and headed out to sea. Some retail therapy was indulged in during the morning, a good opportunity to keep out of the rain. After lunch we set some sail but as it was blowing a 7 we were limited to just the topsails and some fore and afters to steady the ship. The permanent crew then took part in a fire drill after smoko, much to the surprise of some members of the voyage crew who were peacefully asleep until we started closing the watertight doors next to their bunks, setting the alarms ringing.
We then had a somewhat abbreviated happy hour owing to the pitching and rolling of the ship. Although, according to Captain Clare the ship was perfectly still. Having recorded a record distance in 24 hours a few days ago we are pleased to announce a new record (are you reading this George?) has been broken today. In our opinion the largest wave we have ever seen broke over the ship. Higher than the deckhouses this monster wave travelled the length of the ship, even wetting those on the bridge. Steph, Ali and Sarah (in her pyjamas) were completely engulfed by the wave. A third change of clothes today was called for.
Happy hour was mercifully cut short by having to wear ship (the opposite to tacking, where the stern is put through the wind). Dinner was attended by nearly all the crew, with some preferring the al fresco option. Gerry the cook's efforts at getting ahead for tomorrow were thwarted when a 48 portion lasagne decided to go on an excursion around the oven and galley floor. Sadly, it was only suitable to be enjoyed by Charlie the Hoover. Despite Gerry's Charlie cleaning efforts the pervading smell in the fo’c’sle is now of Bolognese sauce. An industrial injury nearly occurred during the cleaning up after dinner when Alice nearly got her tongue stuck in a chocolate sauce covered whisk, having been handed it as a perk of the job.
We handed the topsails following clearing up and are now being dragged out of the bar by Marcin the bosun to tack ship as we are on a collision course with Estonia, which is unlikely to move out of our way.
Steph and Alice, Bosun's Mates