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Magic - salty sea dog Blog



Magic Dog Blog

Thursday and Friday 27 and 28th

 

The days are beginning to blur – but I am happy – I love looking out to sea and  spend time watching for Dolphins.  The feeders keep asking me about the weather; Tina even radioed Chris Tibbs on his boat Taistealai ( I like Chris  & Helen they were nice to me in Las Palmas) I wanted  to ask him if he needed my help with the weather!  When they ask me what the weather is going to be – I stop and think and sometimes I say ‘rough’ and that makes them all laugh! Funny feeders.

 

I have been talking to some of the animals I have met  - Storm Petrels, Turtles, Dolphins and whales – they seem very interested in me too. A very tiny bird landed on deck for a rest and we had a chat about living at sea.

 

The feeders had a crew meeting and ran though all the hazards and equipment in detail and everyone looked very serious – routines for fire and man over board were discussed at length – but no one mentioned DOB and that worried me a little.

 

The feeders are all working hard and every day they are up and happy and then stressed and down.  Today was a good example – we began the day with everyone having a happy breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup and Mango and then it all got very challenging – first we have a faulty flux gate compass ( get me with the technical language – not bad for a dog!)this means we have to hand steer on certain headings - then there notice two holes in the very big flappy white thing that were caused because we are apparently sailing down wind and the ends of the – things they call spreaders have rubbed holes.  Mark and Tina are sad because they bought sail repair gear but it was the wrong sail repair gear and the sticky tape they have is not strong enough.  This has caused some stress and anxiety in the team and I hate that my feeders feel they have let the team down – they did the best they could – I have watched them preparing and shopping and doing lists for a year. 

It turns out the big flappy thingy is called a Main Sail – I am learning a lot!

The boys took the Main sail down and did what they could to repair the holes. There was also a baton coming out so that was removed.

Now we are sailing by hand until we change course again tomorrow.  I hope that everyone will not be too tired – I will do my best to support them.

 

Gybing  and banging and squeeking makes me nervous I don’t like it at all and the feeders don’t like it now either as they are trying not to bang the sail.

 

But despite the holes in the Mainsail – the furler head not functioning, the batton missing, the flux gate not functioning, the watermaker not making water, the broken chart table and the stress in the team…

 

……..We are doing well ..we are talking it out and working together

The  wind has dropped and the Weather is great

Information on weather and routing from my friend Andrew is helping us a lot and it is lovely to know that friends and family are supporting us from a far

 

My main concern is that someone spilled coffee all over me, and the deck,  and then I got juice on my coat from a rotting pepper.  We all look a bit bedraggled!

 

John cheered us up at the end of the day by catching a very big Dorado and we are all having that for supper.

 

I hope today everyone is happier and supports each other more tomorrow.

 

Tina says the sailing is the easy part …. It is the repairs and the team work that are the greatest challenges

She says                           “The only way out is through”

 

 

My poor feeders are battling 



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