Another early start with the sun rising and a promise of another glorious day! I was greeted by John who asked me what time I rolled in! I said “I was a good girl dad and got back by 11” and he gave me an approving look and told me he had missed me last night!
What have I done to deserve such a lovely sailing companion. I have just spent a lovely week on a boat, alone with a complete strange – but I already feel like John is a real friend. He seems to have made it his mission to help me get through my yacht master and tests me at every occasion. In fact, as I write this, he has just shouted over to me “have you got your cards there, are you learning them?”
The day started well, and I caught the end of the rugby match with Wales giving Fiji and absolute hammering and bringing themselves into the quarter finals. We then had to watch the Ireland V’s Italy game of course, and I couldn’t help cheering Italy on, as the winning team will be facing us next weekend and I really wanted it to be Italy. Alas, my support didn’t make a jot of difference and Ireland have now scared Welsh supporters witless, as we are to meet them in the quarter finals next week!
I’m a multi-tasker and whilst watching the rugby, produced a long shopping list correlated with a complete menu for the next 6 days. We have Alan, our instructor, joining us this evening, along with a guy called Tim who is flying in from somewhere – France, Spain – who knows? I know nothing else about either – but hope Tim isn’t French as he might be a little disappointed at the menu I have planned for the coming week! But he is in the same boat as me (literally!) as he is flying in to do his yacht master prep and complete the exam!
My washing is now hanging along the guard rails of the boat and drying nicely in the morning sunshine.
Time for shopping!
Its the end of the day now – I’ve dragged John around the Tesco Extra in Brixham and have everything in stock for our week on the boat. I did some close quarters maneuvering and now feel happier reversing! I got funny looks from some of the boat owners as they sat in the marina sunning themselves as I steered Nashira around, spinning her in circles and reversing up and down pontoons until I made John dizzy. Then it was time to pick up buoys for a while! That done, we headed out into Torbay and tried to work some magic with the 2 knots of wind, but ended up just trying to enjoy the sunshine – its 2nd October and as hot as you would hope during the summer – its amazing.
I brought the boat back onto the pontoon, reversing into its position and careful not to damage the half a million pound Princess power boat in front along my way!
Such a beautiful day, so finished it sitting on the bow with my “Flip Cards” trying to learn lights on different vessels and wondering what “shooting nets” and “hauling nets” meant and why there were so many types of tows and why on earth they allow ships on our sea which are “not under command”!! Just as I sat there looking like a good little student, our yacht master prep instructor, Alan arrived. I did tell him I had been sitting there for hours with the cards waiting for him to arrive and view the studious scene! It seems he too has a great sense of humour, so I’m in luck!
Alan is a lovely guy, vastly experienced and is a good teacher.
Whilst dinner was bubbling away on the stove, Tim, our other crew member and yacht master candidate arrived. Tim has flown in from Palma, he is working on a super yacht and Nashira is a mere dinghy compared to the craft he is used to.
The team now complete, we ate dinner and the yacht master prep began in earnest! Alan set us a quick task asking us to calculate the best time to sail to Salcombe tomorrow so Tim and I set about planning it and coming up with our answers. I got it completely right, but failed to appreciate it wasn’t just an academic exercise, and my plan would have seen us slip the lines at 3am – so, slight adjustments, and we will be doing it in the afternoon instead!
I’m now in bed and wondering why I’m putting myself through all this stress! For it is alot of work and stress, and I’m flying out to Australia in 3 weeks time! Writing this blog might prove difficult for the next week as I’m put through my paces, so it might turn into an occasional update, so watch this space!
Goodnight!
