The novice news from Zaurak
Having been invited to join the ARC Rally on Zaurak with Skipper Richard and his team of experienced ocean sailors, I had to gently remind them that my usual form of transport was a bicycle. I may have good knowledge of reading my GPS to get from A to B but if I were having to take into account tide and shipping lanes, then I would probably have cycled in the very wrong direction. Nonetheless, on Sunday 3rd June I woke up in a rocking cabin without gears or tires in sight.
Sunday 3rd June, day one: I sat at the saloon table on the assumption that in the lead up to leaving Plymouth port I would be best out the way of five experienced sailors. We arranged to leave at 8am. At around 7.45am, Skipper Richard walked past the table for the fourth time with a look of concern on his face. After meticulous planning and months of preparation at the eleventh hour the Skipper couldn't find some essential piece of kit. Finally, the hammock to hang the fruit up was located and the ARC Rally Portugal 2018 was back on.
At precisely midday I was surprised to find a couple of the crew choosing to complete a self-administered eye-sight test. Why they had to chose midday and why they were taking notes on the angle of their vision I've no idea. Somehow, after about three hours of pouring through a list of deviating degrees and Western minutes they reached a number which coincidentally matched with what the GPS had said 3 hours previously.
Monday 4th June, day two: At around 9.30am we received a VHF radio call from Beowulf. The Beowulf had somehow become a lone wulf as they had as of yet heard no communication from any other ARC boats. Zaurak and Beowulf had a good chat and all was resolved.
We're on a three hour rota, which I think means I should now go on deck and look out for dolphins.
More novice news tomorrow,
Alice of Team Zaurak