Date24 January at 2212

PositionS 49° 2’/W 130° 12′

‘Some have meat and cannot eat.

Some cannot eat that want it:

But we have meat and we can eat,

Sae let the Lord be thankit.’

Well, a very different day indeed today. Clear nighttime skies clouded over and found the drizzle again as the wind slowly died and started changing direction every five minutes. I needed all the patience I could muster just to keep Aviva moving.

This continued all day long until the early evening when the wind although still light settled from the north-west. At least then we could go in the right direction and just adjust course slightly to keep the light winds working for us.

It was a strange feeling and the sky was void of all emotion, the cloud was just a blank canvas, no angry clusters or signs of sunlight from beyond. I knew we were heading towards a frontal system that was forecast to bring with it lots of rain and strong gusts of wind. I was almost sailing in the lull before the storm. Here we go again!

I was feeling quite tired as the night of shifty light airs stops you actually getting any sleep as you are constantly adjusting course to avoid Aviva stopping. However, I had a supper to prepare for:

The Burns Supper Menu

Cock-a-leekie soup

Haggis, mashed neaps, tatties and whisky gravy

Creamed rice

Cheese

Oat Cakes

Shortbread and chocolates

‘Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,

Great Chieftan o’the puddin-race!

Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe or thairm:

Weel are ye wordy of a grace

As lang’s my arm.

Robert Burns (1759 – 1796)

Although a new comer to Haggis and a firm believer of don’t knock it, ’til you try it. I can safely say it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I am not sure I would try it again. It is a fantastic excuse for a party and some great food. I definitely need to practise my Scottish accent though. Otherwise my ‘Tam O’Shanter’ poem will not sound so good.

A wee dram later and a good fill, Aviva and I are doing well.

Dee and Aviva