A great Friday night was spent on shore sampling Guiness in various pubs in Dunleary! I personally decided it was time to leave when we started singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot with a local jamming session! The people here were very friendly and they made us all feel really welcome. One voyage crew member Peter was really getting in with the band, with more than a little encouragement from Tracy our beautiful cook's assistant.
We didn't think we'd get on shore at all at one point due to rough weather making it impossible for the crew to safely get Nelly alongside the berth.
Ali, the cook did a great job keeping up everyone's spirits, however with a fine pork, gravy, runner beans and potato dinner whipped up at very short notice as we had been expecting to eat on shore.
Whilst we were waiting alongside, quite a few voyage crew joined in on a sing song in the lower mess with a great rendition of "Let it Be"
reverberating around the ship! I have great video footage on my phone of voyage crew member Dianne singing away looking like a real star in her hair rollers! Maybe she should go on X-factor with the hair roller look, it was great!
At the moment, the voyage crew are being helped by the bosuns with assisted climbs and wheelchairs aloft, then it's smoko (tea and cake) before we set sail for Cardiff. The weather is looking quite calm at the moment and the sun is out, as can be evidenced in our crew photo where we are all squinting because of the sun! Not complaining however because a bit of sun is very pleasant, especially for the guys and gals who are going aloft. I think I recall last time I wrote a blog I was moaning about the fog in Scotland so the sun in Ireland is a definite improvement.
Right, I must go and tidy up my cabin now which also serves as the sick bay because at 7 this morning I got out and unclipped nearly every plastic box in there looking for a dressing for a lady. The lady was very appreciative but not so the crew members who were, up until that point soundly sleeping in cabins near by ie Jon mate and BM Jenny who must of thought what on earth is she doing in there clattering about at this time in the morning...!
Actually they were fine about it when I asked. Jon said he didn't notice and Jenny said she did have a vague awareness of some kind of bizaar activity going on in there when I explained to her what I had been doing!
Right, back to work now. I need to give out photo forms to all the watches so they can have a copy of us all squinting if they wish!
Marilyn MP