Good day, landlubbers!
Those of you whose email is formatted to HTML may be wondering why this text is green. Well, that is because I'm a gal who likes to coordinate, and green is the prevailing 'hue' of a number of my fellow sailors today. Those of you formatted to 'plain text' emails don't know what you're missing!!
They tell me we're getting the last of Hurricane Gordon. First I heard of the last of this hurricane! If this is the last, then I don't wanna be first! Then, they tell me, we can look forward to the last of Hurricane Helene. I dunno, I am out of the hurricane loop these days. Seems there are a few on the go. Well, all I know is that she's blowin' GOOD out there today. It's sunny and everything, but this here tub is bouncing like a ball. It's amazing how something this big can rock and roll so fast. And the dips she takes make for a Disney-caliber ride! It's on days like this that I have to laugh at how much of my equipment and furniture here in the clinic is on wheels. Even my chair here at the desk. I'm sitting here typing, then all of a sudden I'm rolling away from the desk. I bang into the file cabinets behind me, then just wait a moment because I know I'll be rolling back to the desk again. Fun, 24 / 7!!!
However, the supply ship that's towing us, is just having an INSANE day! I was up on the bridge earlier, trying to get a little video clip of her bouncing and rolling and pitching and heaving. I got a clip, but no way does it do it justice. It was making me queasy just watching her. I have no idea how those fellas cope on those boats. On a dead calm day they rock and roll like crazy. She's going every which way but upside down today.
I've been trying to minimize the amount of time I'm spending in front of the computer, or reading, or writing, because it all contributes to making me want to woof. Here's an idea!! Get someone to stand behind your computer monitor as you try to read this, holding it up and swaying it up and down, side to side, and you will get my drift. Then, get your chair rolling back and forth, and the room swaying, and the walls creaking and the holds booming, and then you'll have the full effect!!
I gotta stop thinking about it…
We're not making a lot of progress mileage-wise. We're cruising along at about 4-5 knots, I don't think that's even enough to water-ski by. We made only about 60 nautical miles progress in 13 hours overnight. We were averaging one block on the map grid, more or less, but you can see on one of the maps that we've really slowed down lately. On the trip across, we averaged 8 – 10kt. They are now saying that instead of this being an 11-day voyage, it's likely to be more like 14 – 17. Good golly! You'll truly be tired of my ramblings if this goes on THAT long!! It doesn't matter to me, though, I don't get to go home until October 5 th anyway, but I'd sure like to see the guy who lost his sister get home sooner rather than later. He's doing as well as can be expected. He went back to work yesterday afternoon, more to keep his mind occupied than anything else. He's toying around with various non-safety-sensitive jobs, just trying to make the time pass. It's tough.
Well, today was another of those 26 hour days, two more time zone changes, so now, as of 1 pm Nfld time, we too are at 1 pm Nfld time!! It's grand to be back, even if it's just by the clock. It surprises me how much equipment I have in this clinic that has clocks built in. Various monitors and such. So, I've gone around and reset all the times this afternoon. I wasn't going to do that five times over the course of the trip, so now that we're back on track, I got it all done today.
Today is my nephew Gregory's 16th birthday. He doesn't get my newsletters, but I'm sure his Mom will tell him he got an honorable mention, and that his old auntie didn't forget. In typical "Auntie Margaret style", I don't have his gift yet, but I'll make it up to him, and William, and Thomas, and Christopher. I THINK Christine and Joseph are paid up, but I'd have to check. I used to be so good and organized about stuff like that. No more.
Anyway, all, that's it for today. I'm going to go have a cup of tea and go to bed, and congratulate myself that I got through the day with my guts intact!
See you tomorrow!
Margaret
The Sail Home Newsletter, Day 8, Special Edition
All,
The second of my usual two maps was late arriving today, but it just came now so here you go! We're half-way across the pond, but well over half-way from Rotterdam.
I was going to call this email "The Sail Home Newsletter, Day 8 Breaking News", but I didn't want to excite anyone, or lead you to believe something interesting actually happened today after all!!
Hehehe...
Until tomorrow,
Margaret
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