ARC Leg 1 051203 1200 Positions 217 17.55N 38.07W

December 3 & 4

The day of the ‘half way party’ dawned in rather a dull fashion but by 10am the sun was out. We started at noon and Nemo, the auto pilot was invited to take the helm for the duration. We cracked a bottle of Champagne, very enjoyable. The entrants for the Rubbish Challenge were revealed and the results are: 1st Pinocchio, a delightful string puppet, sporting a very fine striped outfit, designed by AM & L. 2nd Ballassa, a sea creature, with an extremely long serrated tail, designed by B & A. 3rd The Jolly Roger, complete with two sailors made from oranges designed by S & A 4th A tank designed by S & L This caused many laughs

We had a lunch consisting of goodies including pate foie de gras, asparagus etc. Giddy heights were achieved with the addition of diet coke and lemonade! The ‘Bad Taste’ competition was truly that and some fine works of art illustrated designs never to be seen again. 3rd was DS who took us back to the 60’s in bright green and baggy white leggings. 2nd was B sporting lycra leopard print jumpsuit a la Rod Stewart. 1st was S a vision in silver lame, fishnets and the bearer of fur. For further info on any of the above ensembles please contact the writer! Somersaults on the trampoline were compulsory but fortunately S was helming and A disappeared!

We really did not need supper and went to bed replete and a quiet night. Late evening we were visited by a flock of egrets, one of whom decided to stay. He spent the night moving around the boat and has settled in the dinghy. He has eaten some parma ham and seems quite at ease. A moment of excitement when he crept through the aft hatch into A’s cabin, where she was dozing. S caught him and he was put back in the dinghy where even he is looking upset and ruffled. We all now skirt around the aft of the boat cautiously lest we disturb him. We have yet to discuss a daily rate with him!

Girls for Sail