Force 9 from Navaronne

Falmouth, 2nd September. 12 AM.

I guess Richard Burton would have taken the captain’s recent weather update, delivered to us all in the long room just a few minutes ago, well in his stride.

Apparently we can’t leave as scheduled at 12 noon because the wind is dead against us and the waves are so high that even with the engine’s motor on (it does have a motor, unlike the Beagle, of course) we could make no headway – just stay still.

“There’s no point exhausting the crew and getting no-where” said Richard.

Quite.

So we’ll leave tonight when the wind is expected to shift slightly westwards, when we can catch just enough to help push us on our way to Tenerife. By then the waves will be 6 metres high and the wind at least a Force 9. Oh my giddy….!

Bart, the ship’s chef, makes a terrific soup, which in this smooth harbour environment slips down beautifully.

I just don’t want to see it again later.....