Day 2 - Time to go sailing !
Mark
It’s been another beautiful day here in Crete. After the excitement of yesterdays celebrations it was up in reasonable time for a days sailing North towards the island of Spinalonga. John, the Skipper, did a most excellent job of getting Gipsy Moth off her mooring, including the nautical equivalent of a 3-point turn in a marina full of other Blue Water Rally boats. This might not sound too difficult but as those who have read Sir Francis Chichester’s thoughts on the subject will know, Gipsy Moth IV can be compared in the nicest possible way to ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher – “This Lady is not for turning !”
Then it was time to put into practice everything we’d learnt yesterday as we raised the Mainsail, Working Jib (the triangular sail at the front) and the Staysail (the one between the Mainsail and the Jib. This is ¾ of Gipsy Moth’s sailplan and in the 15knts of wind that we had she soon adopted her customary attitude of 30-40 degrees from the vertical ! With all the crew clipped on to the safety lines we sped through the crystal clear waters at 6 knots under glorious sunshine – life is good!
Rachel
Day 2 and things are going just as well as yesterday, we got up today to have breakfast where we had a good range of cereals. We went and had a shower this morning which was quite refreshing and the facilities are quite good too. The weather was a bit cooler than yesterday but the sun was almost as bright. We went sailing again today we decided to go earlier today, but first we had a few things to do. Larvell, Francis and I made a tour of the deck showing where all the safety equipment and all the masts and the sails and all the other important things you can find on the boat. We also had to prepare the boat to start sailing. We sailed for about five hours and passed two beautiful islands, john explained why the rocks were formed in the way they were and how rock is volcanic action helped create the island. It was absolutely beautiful to turn the engine off and let the power of the wind carry us along, of course we did have to do our fair share of work to keep the boat sailing we had to do a bit of tacking and I also ended up steering THE Gipsy Moth across the beautiful Greek seas. With the sun shining away above us. I had to go downstairs to sort out my stuff which had just fallen all over mine and Fran’s cabins so it took us a while as you can imagine to start putting all my stuff back when we started feeling sea sick, so we both had to clamber up the stairs to the deck and sort ourselves out with some medicine to help us feel better I feel so much better now. We are going to have some chicken casserole for dinner which today I am going to help cook today We were going to go swimming but we all agree that it is too cold and windy and we are all way too tired to swim in the sea today so we will try and do that tomorrow. I will update my log again tomorrow which will hopefully be as good as today just as today was as good as yesterday.
Larvell
This morning I woke up and about 5minutes later I went for a shower at the facilities next to the dock, when I got back from having my shower frank had got me, Fran, mark and Rachel a Cadburys crème eggs for Easter which was very nice of frank, after that I set up the breakfast table as I was the first person up and ready.
After breakfast we washed the pots me, Rachel and Fran, Rachel washed the pots, Fran dried the pots, and I pumped the water through so that Rachel could wash and rinse the pots. After doing all this hard work we got the sails ready and went sailing, we went around two different islands the boat was on its sides a few times so you had to go to the opposite side so that you don’t fall in the water it was quiet fun, we went a long way and saw the place where we are going to go tomorrow for lunch, today for lunch we had sandwiches with different snacks and fruit. When we was sailing bank to the docks Fran and Rachel felt sea sick so they when below deck and when to bed we got back the time when I wrote this is at 5pm tonight I think we are going to play card games and Uno, we might go swimming if we are lucky
Photo Credit © Mark Lamble
Frank
I LIKE Crete, good wind, stunning coast and beautiful blue clear water.
I LIKE sailing with John, Mark, Frances, Rachel and Larvell great company, good times and happy people
I LIKE Gipsy Moth IV whatever anyone says when she digs picks up her petticoats and and leans over she is exhilarating and exciting
So all in all a very good day. IT was worth all the time this project took.
Hello to everyone at home particularly Justine, James and Rebecca Happy Easter and thanks for the card and eggs!
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