I write this while under sail on our next leg down the coast from Bayona to Povao. The sun is out and we are somewhere mid fleet heading south. For the last two hours we have been sailing
in close formation with Flight of Time. The two yachts would not separate.
There was a great moment a few minutes ago when two much larger grey dolphins joined us for 10 minutes to play in the bow wave before racing off again.
The start today was a very low key affair with little or no wind and most drifted across the start line. Steve from Fair Isle took the opportunity to reassess his eta delaying
it by 12 hours before crossing the line to try and win the coveted most accurate arrival time. Instant disqualification I hope. I don’t think Mr Bishop CEO ARC was best pleased with the flippant RT.
Bayona and the marina turned out to be a great place, so much so that Peter skipper of Leonie tried all he could to avoid leaving the dockside going to great lengths to entangle
the lazy line in his bow thruster...!! I think the marina had seen enough of us though and were having none of it and promptly came out and cut the line sending him on his way. Just hope he does not get the trailing end caught in the prop when he starts the
engine at Povao..!
I am sailing with reduced crew since Caroline returned to the U.K. for business and so I am having to make sure daughter Ellie is fit and well rested. So last night it was an expensive
meal out and when she said she felt a cold coming on she retired to her bunk with a lemsip. However there is only so much a skipper can take to keep the crew happy, so when I suggested today we put up the asymmetric sail and could I have some help I was met
with the response from the sun bathing area. “Well, crack on then..”I had to bite my tongue especially after what we had been through on the last leg. She is too precious to lose and what does a bit of insolence matter. She is totally happy now as the coastal
sail means an uninterrupted 4G signal..!!!
There is a real sense of community building amongst the fleet as we spend more time together. As mentioned in the last blog Dave the skipper of Girolle and his right hand man Andy
are the leading party animals and they are picking up disciples en route. The latest being my daughter. I know she is being looked after and kept safe.....but a 4am return to boat. That’s some party. The boys are also finding time to give English language
lessons to Holger from the German yacht Tohuwabohu. It would seem that after 2 pints of San Miguel he is almost fluent in English.
Must close this as we approach Povao and 5 other yachts are all converging around me. My one and only crew has finished sunbathing and is now sleeping below deck. Guess I must
think about some navigation and get ready to do the fenders myself..!!
Rob Fletcher
Skipper Zafiro