Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

Zaurak's Bimbling BlogThursday 12th December 2019Nearing the finish lineAs we near the finish line, we are asking the crew their hopes and dreams for St Lucia, their potential nostalgia for the journey and any gripes that they will be pleased to leave behind. What are you most looking forward to in St Lucia? Claire: Most looking forward to seeing Momo, Nono and Mum. Pete: Seeing the baby. Getting away from Claire. Eating ice cream. Richard: Being able to relax. Alice: Stretching my legs, swimming and chatting to Tim. Caroline: seeing Charlotte, Mike and Toby.Adrian: being on a stable platform, a non-moving platform. What will you miss about being on the boat? Claire: The moon rises, I really like the moon rises. Pete: The ambience. Richard: The sea and the sky. Alice: Orion's belt and. read more...

Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

Zaurak's Bimbling BlogFriday 13th December 2019The finishing line estimatesWe are expecting to arrive sometime tomorrow morning so we have put in our guesses for an arrival time. Bearing in mind that those on watch have control of speed and direction for three hours at a go, this is both competitive and contentious. This time refers to ropes tied up on the pontoon: Richard: 7.00amClaire: 8.30am Pete: 8.31amCaroline: 8.45amAlice: 9.23amAdrian: 11.00am. read more...

Zaurak - Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

Zaurak's Bimbling BlogWednesday 11th December 2019 Looking forward to St LuciaWe are now able to estimate our arrival to within a twelve hour period, which puts us arriving sometime on Saturday morning if conditions continue as they are. That said, we just gybed, including an elegant 360 degree turn, carefully wrapping our fishing line around the generator blades and potentially the rudder. This kind of excitement may slow us down and certainly precludes a fresh tuna dinner. We are starting to think about winding down the resources on the boat. This includes gradually using up the port water tank, the emergency backup, so that it is empty when sitting on the docks in St Lucia for a few months. That task was easier said than done. After three years of two working water tanks, the port. read more...

Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

Zaurak's Bimbling BlogTuesday 10th December 2019Skipper RichardRunning a successful trip across the high seas requires a great deal of leadership and teamwork. This is headed up by the skipper, Richard Walsh. The crew are made of family and lifelong friends, so we should know our leader at sea quite well. We posed a few questions to the crew then checked in with the skipper the see how close our dead reckonings were on the Richard Walsh chart. QUESTION 1: what is skipper's hot drink of choice and how should it be prepared? All crew: instant coffee with many sugars and milk. Claire: this, at any time of day and night and regardless of how many coffees he has had already. Skipper Richard: coffee, as you know. Two sugars and milk. Everyone tries to skimp on the sugars, I have noted.. read more...

Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

Zaurak's Bimbling BlogMonday 9th December 2019 The mood on the boat is sleepy today. We're thundering along at a reasonable 7 to 8 knots, but skipper and crew are somewhat docile. Shift sleeping for 16 days and corkscrew waves since Tuesday has sent us into an ocean daze. Number of tuna: zero. Some creature bit off the hook. Number of whales sightings: zeroAmount of sargasso weed sighted: a lot. Climate change evidenced.. read more...