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Nyaminyami II - Blog Friday 13.12.13 - 1200hrs



The crew of Nyaminyami2


Nyaminyami II Blog Friday 13.12.13 - 1200hrs

 

By Chris Haworth & the Crew of Nyaminyami II

 

Blog subject today: What have we got out of this trip?

 

Another brilliant days sailing yesterday in an Easterly 15/20Kts sea state still lots of rolling in particular, probably my last night watch  between 0200 and 0600 wind and sea state the same as during the day so savoured the stars and all the marvellous things I have described about being out here! – Another good 24 hr run of 175 miles, now only 75 miles to go yeooooo! This morning we have the spinnaker up in 15/20kts heading straight for Rodney Bay and the finish! ETA unchanged at either late to day or early hours tomorrow GMT probably 2000/2200 local time – were going clubbing West Indies style!

 

I neglected to give you the menu for Wednesday night dinner so for the record.. It was beef casserole with mash potatoes and peas, followed by cherries and cream, coffee prepared to your preference!

Last night, following an unfortunate email from Gabbie Lyne, where she referred to ‘having got fed up with cooking for the blokes so left them to it ‘(on a recent trip from Fiji to Nelson), we had a mutiny in the galley..so we didn’t eat! ....Thanks very much Gabbie!

...Actually to be honest Jane has been feeling a bit rough today, with all the rolling around, so we had some pre-prepared Fray Bentos pies, mash and tinned peas followed by tinned pineapple and cream..and coffee to personal preference. Jane has said she will make it up to us tomorrow night and has held back supplies for a celebratory meal, menu is as follows:

 

Glass of celebratory Champagne(Bollinger)

Lobster bisque

Fresh asparagus with a hollandaise sauce

Gravalax with caviar accompanied by a light dill dressing

Roast Partridge with roasties and fresh vegetables

Fresh strawberry pavlova

Cheese Board (Sharpham Brie, Rockfort, Quickies Cheddar, Goats Cheese)

Coffee (and an eighties touch..) mint chocolate matchmakers

 

Wines prepared and supplied by Fra are as follows:

A chilled Burgundy

New Zealand Pinot Noir

With Pudding: A bottle of Tokai

With Cheese: A vintage Taylors Nyaminyami Port

With Coffee: Brandy and a Cuban Cigar

 

OK Gabbie all is forgiven ...I trust you did the same for your blokes on their arrival in Nelson!

 

So thoughts turn to what have we got out of the Trip? what will we take from the experience? will it just be something we all did, a personal achievement that drifts off into the annals of our own ‘time’ or is there something else, something that will endure? Will we ever be the same people again?

I discussed these very same questions with the crew this afternoon as we relaxed in the cockpit, Fra giving it Robin Knox Johnson on the helm Graham and I sunning ourselves, Jane preparing dinner in the galley!

In a practical sense we will have ‘delivered’ Nyaminyami II to the Caribbean so that Fra and Jane can enjoy some cruising over the next month and hopefully on future occasions over the next 2/3 yrs. For Jane & Graham and I, there is undoubtedly a sense of achievement in making the trip, because we have never before achieved such a feat. For Fra, because he openly admits since his diagnosis of prostate cancer he has lost a certain surety and confidence about the future, (and is more aware of the ageing process and his own mortality), completing the journey a second time, for him, is affirmation he is still more than capable of doing so. At the same time it is in some ways an emotional journey as the last time he was here was with Karen. I suspect we are all on some kind of personal journey, I have already described the fulfilment of a childhood dream for me, but also the discovery that I am very happy and at home out on the open Ocean day and night, and have not only loved both the journey but also just being out here. For Jane she says it has been an adventure but I suspect it is all part of her developing relationship with Fra, she will also have the knowledge and satisfaction that she has successfully victualled the boat for the crossing and produced fantastic catering. For Graham he says he’s pleased to be able to say he has ‘done it’ and proved to himself (and some of the family!) that he is still capable of what is no small undertaking. I notice both Graham and Fra are conscious of their age and I have a feeling that they probably don’t think they will be doing this in 10yrs time. However, from my perspective it wouldn’t surprise me if, should they have the inclination to do so, at 80 they both could! They are incredibly fit for 69/70 yr olds and show very little sign of any ageing. Of course one has to be realistic but we will all age at different rates and none of us knows what life has in store for us!  On present form these two guys will be capable at 90! I just hope I will be as good as they are then! Certainly I hope that next time Fra and Jane are crossing an Ocean, whether that be to Cape Town via Ascension Island and St. Helena (I have been reading my book and suggested that would be a great trip!) or simply to return home perhaps via the Azores and Madeira? They will invite us along I have greatly enjoyed their company....Graham too! Besides the obvious and well documented physical and natural experiences our blogs have referred to, we have of course got to know each other a lot better than we did before.  Jane and I are old and close friends having known each other for many years, we have shared family holidays together, kids growing up, happiness’s and sadness’s and all manner of things, it has therefore been especially enjoyable to get to know Francis. Graham likewise, since although we have known each other for many years we have not spent any long periods together. We have all had a lot of fun together on this trip and, in a small way, through this shared experience, will have formed a bond, which I have no doubt will stay with us and endure. I shall look forward to reminiscing about in years to come and will have a special affection towards my crew mates which I hope they will also share.

 

Final Blog Tomorrow!

 

Love and best wishes to all from all the crew (all now looking forward to getting there!) of Nyaminyami II

 

 

 

 


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