Whale

Go East.(life is boring there)

Its never been a dream for me, to sail a shrimp trawler across the sea - Ros Woodward
 its never been a dream for me to sail BACK across the sea!

After the day of recovery from the now infamous Mount Gay Rum Party, we set off for St Martin, to put Rauni on a plane and then head home via the Azores. We immediately found our selves a lovely bar, with shower (only the one) internet, and cheap beer, out of date Fosters, drink before Jan 2001. A least during happy hour we could drink the other beers at the same price. There was also very good food at the bar (Lagoonies) provided by an insane Frenchman, usually drunk. On 2 occasions I tried to explain my favourite European union Joke to him "What's a Frenchman's worst nightmare???" answer "its a place where the English do the cooking and the Germans do the entertainment". Lagoonies book swap also had a copy Adolf Hitler My part in his Downfall. The highly inaccurate auto biography of Spike Millagan. How we won the war I don't know. All the boat has read it I think I will read it again. I will read it again cos I'm at 37°13.37'N 29°57.44'W or 98.3 nautical miles from Horta, on Faial in the Azores. Nothing interesting has happened in the last 17.2398578867353 Days. So re reading books no seems interesting. When I say nothing interesting has happened What I mean is. about 8 really boring ships have been seen its rained 7.5 boring times and one brilliant occasion it rained only slightly boring (and exceptionally wet, cats and dogs, and not Yorkies and Jelicals either. it rained Siberian Tigers and Timber wolfs - ON ME) We've seen some rubbish floating past (I even hit one bit) it was boring. We've drunk 7 cases of boring beer. Some boring wine... etc. On the other hand we've had no head winds and weve only been becalmed 3 times. And I shouldn't complain it usually rains on Matt! I have been looking forward to my mobile phone working again. So I can ring people up on the way home to UK.
 "RING RING, 'HELLO' 863.2 Nautical miles and I'm coming to get you...."
 "245.3 Nautical miles and I'm coming to get you....."
"[Deap Breaths] 127Miles........CLICK"
 "10 Miles and I'm getting closer....."
 "......EEERRRRRM I'm aground in Brighton marina entrance can you organize me a tow?......"
 The Highest mountain in Portugal is 7713ft high and its on Pico, the Azore next to the one were going to. Buy my marine calculations it should be visible from 102Nautical Miles away.

It isn't but then again it is raining... So much for the wonders of mathematics and marine navigation better make that 8.5 boring rains. If they put a mobile phone antenna on it I should be able to make threatening phone calls on it by now. No such luck either that the volcano's erupted again. No boom today, Boom tomorrow always boom tomorrow.

EUROPE

We arrived in Horta at 12:15 0n the 23rd of May 17 days and 21 hours 15 minutes and a indeterminate number of seconds. After a game of musical boats at the reception/fuel dock we came along side the marina wall, rafted out next to a great French boat. Also our friends from Roxi (swan 38) showed up and brought a crate of beer over along with the three French guys off the boat next door, and 2 young doctors who were on a boat called eagle wing. These 2 were very apologetic, at carnival these were the "Experts" I consulted with on VHF about Sam's damaged head. Apparently they felt guilty about not coming over and having a look at him. They'd been out on Jouvert night with the same Band! I felt worried, Rauni was hysterical about Sam, Eagle Wing felt quilty......In fact the only person who was un-phased and not the least bit worried was Sam, despite requiring 7 stitches.

We intended to go to the hot Rocks (not something sexual) which is a restaurant, with all of the impromptu party. How ever the impromptu party was so successful that the restaurant was full and had run out of food by the time we got there.

We took a tour of Pico the very impressive island across a narrow channel from Horata, being on a ferry seemed slightly strange, but mooring yachts in small fishing harbours open to Atlantic swells is not a good idea.

 I didn't miss the English humour

I will finish this page off when it happens. I have some photos suitably for this page. Unfortunately their all in the camera still. I have photos for "Mangrove Swamp " and " Rum Doo " coming as well. I'm rather looking forward to the rum do photos! I will add them In when I get Back home were Internet is cheap and I can scan for free. I will also clear up the mess this site is in. Sam's laptop is great but it is a 486sx and doing any global change of graphics work is painfully slow.