30/12/11 - Lord Nelson

Greetings from the afternoon watch as we continue our sail from this morning
at 9am. We are currently sailing Northeast of Tenerife, carefully guarding
our berth for tomorrow night's celebration to see in the New Year. We are
already comparing resolutions (and our success or not in keeping them in the
past!).

We all joined the ship 2 days ago. Few people knew each other but were
already up the rigging within 24 hours of joining the ship and working
really well together. The wind has been good during the day but very frisky
at night, so reluctantly took down the square sails in the dark. It was a
good test of how well we had been taught.

The sun is a bit shy but the air temperature pleasantly warm. There have
been no sightings of sea life yet but our watch is keeping an eager eye out.
Dave, our cook, and Maddie, cook's assistant, are doing a great job in
serving up delicious food with the promise of a BBQ on board for tomorrow
evening's celebrations. I still don't know who will be ringing out the New
Year - no one is letting on their age.

There's a warm post-lunch quiet on deck now; those of us on watch are
enjoying the zen calm of looking out at the horizon and baking in the
mid-day sun, while the rest of the voyage crew have scattered around the
ship, taking advantage of the peace by sitting back and chatting in the sun
or catching up on some sleep before an evening watch.

The Festive Season back in England, with sleet and rain making even the
shortest excursions barely tolerable, seems an age away already. Everyone's
enjoying the summery sun, and plans for a New Year's Day trip to the beach
in Santa Cruz are hot afoot...

Until then!
Malvena and Laura, forward starboard