Week 2 – Get set...

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” 

Charles Darwin

And that was week 1 over in the flick of a whale’s tail... Week 2, my golden girl Tina arrived, corks started popping, laughter bubbled and together (a force to be reckoned with) we tackled the nuts, and bolts, rust, installed a solar regulator and battery monitor, fitted the bilge pump, serviced the winches… and a bottle of port… ;)

 

Miss Tina

Sparkling on the dock of the bay

Row row row your boat...

There's nothing like a fresh air and exercise...

I had begun to settle into my new life, like a hermit crab finding a new shell home; I had conquered the galley (well, the little patch of floor in front of the rocking stoves that I enjoyed lording over), ...

...I successfully dodged ferries when sent on rowing missions - thanks to my time on the canal at the end of our garden at home…ah home, all those millions of miles away, I’m coming back to you!... If the wind will allow! - ...

Rowing in style

...and I got a kick out of being halfway to the shops and realising that I’m not wearing shoes... take that society! The other strange realisation which began to dawn on me was that after having spent most of my life dreading opening my eyes in the morning (especially if the clock hour was still in single figures), that I had started to find it one of the times I looked forward to most; that moment when I poke my head out of the hatch to be greeted with the million-dollar view of the sun rising over the bay, boats bobbing in the surrounding silky water. My eyes surrendering to the notion of revealing themselves to watch as the sky changes from purple through all the shades of blue until resting upon one bright enough to wash away all of yesterdays worries… with a cup of Earl Grey and cigarette in hand… There’s nothing like waking up on the water…

That is not to say that my affection for time spent after the sinking of the sun has diminished. Far from it. Evenings aboard have a magical quality, wrapped up inside this cocoon of light and warmth, bobbing and cooking, cooking and bobbing, stirring it up with Bob Marley, reading, writing, card playing, wine drinking… whilst the rest of the world lives on in the darkness outside. Rowing at night has a special quality too, gliding through the water under the moon and the star shine, surrounded by the glimmering lights of the millionaire houses that will surely be yours one fine day…

And of course time still exists in between these mornings of awe and nights of wander; those moments spent stitching sails on the deck soaking up the last rays that the day had to offer, rowing around the boat in the dingy to wash it clean whilst singing along to '80's tunes, being locked in the cockpit locker to check for leaks.

Paul changing the mast light

Or there were the occasional days when my skipper would wake up on the right side of the cabin and unleash me from duties to enable me to participate in the now almost foreign activity of actual sailing…

 

Adrian, aka our guardian angel

...and of course there were the more frequent occurrences of socialising on yachts, wining and dining, entertaining the champagne lifestyle on beer budget. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always easy, and it is definitely a life stripped of comforts. Joints complain after sleeping on a sliver of sponge barely covering a wooden plank with my head resting on my fur coat stuffed into a pillow case shivering my way through the night (we need to head north!). Fingers moan after sanding until they bleed, nose sulks after de-blocking the toilet pump. Whole body whimpers after being soaking wet, freezing cold, covered in barnacle juice and having to complete a half hour row in that state to reach the showers. Mind frets when not able to check Facebook every 30 seconds… and taste buds can only dream of the phrase “skinny cap with one”, a now distant memory…

One thing is for sure though; I have spilled a lot of laughter all over this boat. According to Paul I’m always either laughing or singing, which I think is a really nice reflection. Let’s hope these good vibes provide some protection once we’re out on the ocean...