We’ve shoved an emergency can opener in the insulating piping that
criss-crosses the roof of the cabin just in case we have a ‘can’t
open the can of fruit salad’ disaster. We’ve also stuffed good
luck cards and a couple of Christmas cards (from the last attempt)
in there too. Farley has found a snug little spot up behind the
VHF radio - or the walkie-talkie, as Mum likes to call it.
There are two net baskets along one side of the wall overflowing
with bits and bobs. One contains flares, a foghorn, torches and
other technical stuff; the other, sun creams, painkillers, cotton
buds, tweezers … basically a typical girls’ bathroom. With every
delving into the medi-cupboard, out comes another pill or potion
to cure our sunburnt, spotty flesh or our aching knees and bums.
I lie on a Canary Islands towel and Mum has decided to turn her
orange grub inside out. We’re constantly finding fish scales either
in our bedding or stuck to various parts of our bodies, and salt
crystals make their way into the soft cotton. We’re just like two
princesses with our respective peas.
We have a very sophisticated weather station up on the wall beside the
cupboard door, which has automatically changed its time setting six times
now. It currently says 18.29 when it’s actually 16.29, but tomorrow it
could say pretty much any time it likes. It also shows various weather
conditions, which tend to be nothing like the weather we have, will have
or are experiencing. We suspect it’s confused by the microclimate inside
the cabin; needless to say it will be cloudy with rain in the cupboard
by tomorrow evening. The flashing pictures are pretty cool though.
The electric boxes with their many buttons are mounted on the wall
opposite the nets and our GPS is stuck with gaffer to the top of one of
them. This outdoor piece of kit began to corrode just three weeks into
the trip so we brought it indoors and we like it where it is now. We can
watch the minutes tick away even whilst in bed.
The pelicase containing the laptop is mounted on the same side as the
electrics. This huge yellow case is bombproof, floats, is pressurised and
will basically arrive in Venezuela well before we do if the boat ever
sinks, which is quite reassuring really.
Underneath our mattresses are our ‘understairs cupboards’. A long
one runs practically the length of the cabin and hides an abundance
of chilli con carne, extra drinking water and our canned treats. Two
other waterproof hatches contain our medi-kit and our electrical items:
cables, batteries, chargers, that sort of thing. Two other hatches
contain personal odds and sods like books, T-shirts and the other pair
of 100 per cent-cotton men’s boxer shorts from M&S (large), ready to
In the cupboard (top) and wearing nothing but
come out and wreak havoc on the boat. suncream ...
All in all, our cupboard has the spaciousness of a three-bed semi and
the mod cons of a modern naval submarine. What more could two girlies
want on their Atlantic safari? Thank God we’re only small!
Tales from the aquarium
Well, no new fish to report I’m afraid, although we were visited very
briefly by five dolphins. As soon as I dived in for the camera they had
gone. Such has been the experience with practically every animal so far.
I think the only creatures I have successfully captured on film are the
barnacles currently hitching a ride on our rudder.
We have had an abundance of bird life, though. The usual petrels dart
about amongst the waves and the glorious white tropical birds with their
long feathery tails soar high above us, taking a quick look to see what
we’re up to. Now the Magnificent Frigate has joined them, a fantastic, if
somewhat frightening-looking black bird with a huge wingspan. The wings
are shaped like a bat’s, angular and vampire-esque. We looked them up
in our book, they frighten smaller birds into regurgitating their kill
and then the scary bird eats the vomit. Grim! Andy and Faye on Bluebell
(from the last race) described them as pterodactyls and they do look
just like them, black dinosaur birds.
Right, going to end here if that’s ok? Somewhat abrupt I know but I fear
I may lose all my body fluids through sweating it’s so hot in here … 36˚
today! Mum may find a big puddle rather than her eldest daughter, and
that wouldn’t make for a successful trip, would it?
For signed and dedicated copies go to
S & S n
www.sallykettle.com.
MARCH 2009 YACHTWORLD.COM 39
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