Docked

Finally we have stopped. I got to take down the fiddle that goes across the stove and my pots were free, but they didn't move, they stayed still, nothing moved. Coming in was a really tight squeeze, maneuvering around a bunch of sail boats. It's great to not be moving with the fear of butter attacking me every time I need something from the port refrigerator.

Time to relax.

Today was amazing, after we cleared into customs, Brooke, passenger Don and I went to the post office to exchange money for the boat and a bit for crew members and ourselves. We found a few good places that I then went back to, an oriental market where Jesse and I bought some snacks and I’ll want to go back to later and a Thai restaurant that we went to for dinner.

After dinner we walked around a little and ran into Chris, ended up looking for a pub and went into The Dolphin, an amazing find. While talking to a guy who owns a café and said he’d give us free breakfast I saw a sign of Morris Dancing and realized that today was indeed Wednesday and they’d be arriving in 15 minutes, so we waited.

The dancers were amazing, an accordion played while the clacked their sticks together and jingled the bells on theirs knees as the skipped around. Later they brought our scarves and cutlasses. As you do we ended up talking to them and they asked to dance on the boat, which was easily done; that’s when the rest of the crew came out of the Navy pub to watch. They did a few dances, there was even a big rat costume and then they sang us a song, afterwards Brooke went up to hug them and they stole her away! Made her be part of one of their dances, the dance of the roses or something. She stood in the middle while they all danced around her and once in awhile she did a little step, then they all lined up to give her a kiss on the cheek.

The dancers went back to the bar to sing some more and Jesse and I joined them for the night singing sea shanties and talking.

Richard.

Crowded around the helm.

Plymouth, UK.

Tin lock ahead.

Brooke standing by with a fender.

Chris and Tino.

Squeezing through the lock.

Ryan.

Mitch.

Moriss dancers.

Swords.

Rat!

They stole Brooke.

Land Ho!

Land was spotted this morning between the watch changes. England, after 38 days at sea, minus the time in Bermuda. I ended up starting 5 different batches of bread this morning, rustic Italian for lunch, cinnamon raisin and honey whole wheat to be baked today, and sourdough and rye in about 2 days. The plan for getting in to port tomorrow is to work, everyone gets the day off on Saturday, then another day here or there and one on the weekend.

Chris.

Brooke.

Tino.

Henrietta.

Womp

Last night Jesse fell down the forward companion way, just missed the hand rail and the boat took a roll and took him with it. He’s sore but surprisingly not bruised. This morning Tenley fell and her thumb didn’t come with her so that’s two members on C watch down. I’m finally getting a little tired of cooking and for the past few days I haven’t made any bread because I’m sick of it.

Beautifully oiled hatches.

Broken spars.

Winds to Ireland

I could have swore today was Monday for most of the day, but apparently it’s not. Since we’ll be arrive in port any day now I had the 12-4 watch help me clean up the galley a little more, Marcia had mentioned that last time they went to England the galley was inspected.

The wind is pushing us to Ireland, but the boat wants to go to England.

C watch and Dan.

Laura and Tenley.

Sourdough bread.

Tuesday for land?

This morning was beautiful, going about 5 knots on a port tack, just gorgeous. Then it got all bumpy and roily after the watch change. At capstan Robin said that we could possibly go into Plymouth Tuesday morning, there is a lock to go through at 9 am. Then each watch would get 2 days off, so they could have the chance to go somewhere. For the weekend it would be port and starboard watches like last year with all hands Sunday and hopefully leave around 1700 for Belgium.

A swallow was following us around today and playing on the boat, she landed in the nav shack for a while and we all took pictures. It was really beautiful with it’s forked tail and blue feathers.

Dan sewing.

A swallow in the nav shack.

Mitch's Birthday

Today was Mitch’s birthday so I cooked his favorite foods. Strangest of all he asked for a cake with pudding in it, a little messy trying to put it together, but in the end amazing. The spanker is finally all sewn and back in her rightful place. Grant noticed in the customs form about not being able to bring in gunpowder, that means we’ll be blowing something up in the next few days before we get in to Plymouth.

Jesse sewing.

Dan tarring straps.

Baron.

Mexican day

In honor of it being Cinco de Mayo I made Mexican food all day, breakfast burritos, tortilla soup with taquitos and tacos for dinner. Jesse continued on sail repair this morning and in the afternoon Brooke and Drew sanded more grates for the hatches while Mitch was aloft continuing Laura’s work sewing a clew on the topsail.

Drew and Brooke sanding.

Brooke.