Snork Maiden redux

So how do you keep warm and dry in the marine environment?  It's fairly well acknowledged that women tend to feel the cold more than men do, so that should give you some context for what follows. Outer kit MUSTO BR1 jacket and salopettes 2014 model (seen here) - also worn with SeaGo harness / self-inflating life jacket.  Next layer down - days and warmer nights PYD micro-fleece (supplied by company); cooler nights North Face Polartec jacket, both worn with lightweight capri length North Face trousers.  Next layer Icebreaker long sleeve merino vest & long pants over lightweight bra & pants.  Icebreakers 200 / everyday grade. Most nights I added a merino gilet - also Icebreaker 260. For the coldest nights (Atlantic) I added a 260 Icebreaker long sleeve merino or a Katmandu merino half zip top - also 260. Footwear - only able to take sea boots (Gill) worn with thick socks most days. Crocs on warm days but they can be a bit slippy for deck work - just all I had a...

  This cute little place is Muxia – a small Galicean town that turned out to be our last re-fuelling point for our Bay of Biscay crossing.   We first stopped at Camarinas – a cute town flanked by pines.   The pilot book (REEDS) and the iPad (software by Garmin Bluechart) were unanimous in their insistence that Camarinas marina had diesel fuel on tap.   Wrong.   They really don’t.   The marina – just a couple of pontoons really – is run by the yacht club and they seem to be in the process of constructing a new tank etc.   it didn’t look like it would be ready anytime soon.   My informant (Yacht club security chap, a bit embarrassed because he missed our arrival due to being in the café) told us that there was definitely fuel by tanker (camion) across the way at Muxia.    This turned out to be true, but at   first the harbour looked a bit unpromising with a few fishing boats and masses of empty pontoons and no obvious place...

Turkey - Gosport delivery - here are some trip stats: Crew: 3 Miles covered:        3372 Days on Board:    35 Night hours:    54 (each) Meals prepared: 22(each) Litres of olive oil consumed: 3 Places visited:  Marmaris, Turkey* Ios, Zakinthos - Greece Reggio Calabria* - Palermo*  - Sicily Porto Corallo, Carloforte, * Isola di San Pietro - Sardinia Palma* Majorca San Jose - Spain Gibraltar* Sines,  Penishe, Porto - Portugal Camarinas - Mugia *(Muxia) Dartmouth, Gosport Several of these were 'fuel hits'.  * overnights.  Most of these stop-overs were driven by the need to re-fuel ONO's rather small diesel tank.  The capacity was 138 litres - at 3 litres per hour just short of 2 days' motoring.  With many days of wind 'on the nose' we motor-sailed much of the way.  This enabled an optimal course and speed (average 5 knots) to be maintained.  Biscay was an exception - it took 5 days to g...

--> Wednesday, 7 May 14 THE ATLANTIC / BAY OF BISCAY Actually we are not even at the bay proper – we still have to make our way up the Portuguese coast.   It is not going to be a very pleasant run since the wind is ugly – quite a bit of it ‘on the nose’ as we say, so progress is mainly on the engine with a bit of assistance from a close hauled 2-reef main (just sailing stuff – pass over if you don’t understand).   I am off shift until 1800 so I have the ‘sunset watch’ until 2100 then off until 0300 (yes, that is the middle of the night, but on a long trip like this it’s how it has to be).   Unless there is anything complicated to do with sails, we are each on our own on the night watch.   The person who has come off watch is understandably keen to get back to bed,   after handing over the position, course, current and expected wind and pointing out any other vessels visible.   As many of you know, there is a set of complicated ‘rules of the road’ ...

May 3 2014 We go to the tiny port of San Jose for fuel.  I have never seen so many restaurants in one place!  There is a small port, a small beach, lots of holiday lets and about 100 small restaurants.  We had just had lunch so no sardines for me. Sunday and here we are in Gib after motoring pretty much since the last stop over night stop in Palma.  The genoa has been up a few times to assist the engine and keep up the speed.  This is a pit stop - we leave again tomorrow to get through the straits in light winds.  Next - the Atlantic.  We say goodbye to the Med. Forecast suggests we leave soon.  Wish us fair winds!

SLEEPING There is something absolutely soporific about the motion of this boat!   ONO makes it almost impossible to stay awake off watch.   I start to read or write and soon my eyes close and I am off again.   We have a 3-hours-on-6-hours-off watch system – so today I went off watch just after midnight, slept until 0520 when Richard knocks on my door and wakes me up for the 0600-0900.   This is the most social watch with the blokes up for breakfast, and the time I am least likely to go back to sleep.   With another 60 Miles or so to get to Palma, my next watch will be 1500.   At the moment we have virtually no wind and have been on the engine since we left Sardinia – the mainsail is up and gives a little drive from time to time but we are probably short of fuel to make it into Majorca.   We will be passing one of my favourite anchorages with KiwiStar – the small island of Cabrera, 30 M South of Palma.    Back to sleep – which...