23/04/12 - Lord Nelson

23 April 2012 Hello all landlubbers! The hearty crew of LN811 are safely alongside in the pretty town of Cobh, and raring to get ashore!
We have sailed 1200 nautical miles from the Azores, and most of it at a cracking pace, on a Starboard tack. So we are a bit wobbly on terra firma, and feel as if we have one leg longer than the other!!
At present, the weather is cool, but dry, and John, a visually impaired crew member, is climbing to the top of the fore mast with BMs Nigel and Bill. The rest are taking a shower and heading out to explore Cobh, and Cork, fifteen minutes away by train. We are next to the Titanic museum, and berthed in the spot that Titanic left from a hundred years ago.
We left the Azores in warmth and sunshine, which continued the next day, and we were motoring initially, and sunbathing on deck... all very delightful...and short lived !
The weather got colder, and the winds increased, and sails were up and down like nobodys business! All good aerobic action, to counter balance the steady stream of calorific delights from Derek, and Colin. Plus two birthday cakes so far ,and two to come! The galley team have done an amazing job, staying upright and serving massive meals calmly, whilst crashing bodily into the serving hatch etc, and sporting many colourful bruises.
We have managed to totally shred the main t'gallant, and split the seams of the Main course, and fore topsail.. plenty of maintenance jobs!
Wind speeds reached a gust of 40 knots in a squall...one of many, and we had a maximum log speed of 11.4 knots under sail..all very exciting, but somewhat noisy at night, when waves slamming into us sounded like cars crashing!
So it was great to calm down yesterday as we approached Ireland, and land ahoy! We anchored last night in The Split, and very pretty scenery of colourful tall houses, built into the hill side.
We were treated to a fabulous fruity punch, engineered by Chipps and Marco, which preceded a delicious dinner.
Following this, Steve made a great auctioneer in the bar, and there was a very generous total of six hundred pounds raised, by selling the Ensign, the barograph reading and the chart of our passage voyage, thanks to you all.
This morning we had bacon and egg baps on deck, and got to harbour stations for the run into Cobh, escorted off the bar at Spike Island by a pod of dolphins!
So, here we are until 09.00 tomorrow, when another adventure begins and we head towards Southampton, via Cowes on Friday night, all being well.
All for now, Jane MP.