Saturday 26th January
ALMOST!
Last night I reshaped the Quasar mission statement that Sue Pelling wanted for Yachting World and left out the fun and frivolity bit which JB had written, which was a bit girly as it was supposed to come from 3 old chaps whose idea of a mission once upon a time in the days of Quasar 1 (1972-76) was more like 'birds and booze!'
Its still far from being polished enough, but hey my old employers threw about £10k in management consultant fees and involved every single manager in the company for 2 days to produce their mission statement - what a waste of time and money that was!
However last night Lori inspired by a sight of us in Quasar sweaters in Ireland 34 years ago has written:
From Quasar 1 to Quasar V
We built the dream, which now shapes our lives
A history rich, the vision strong
To sail the world on the high seas is where we belong!
We receive news that WARC yachts Tillymint (an Oyster 82) and 2 other yachts are involved in a rescue of a fishing boat, which caught on fire 80 miles off Aruba. Only one survivor had so far been reported.
The wind continues to be lightish and we are not making more than 6 knots average. Malcy was finishing off the fans and I was cleaning out the fridge (and hurting my back in the process!). Eventually its spinnaker time so we
get set up, spot a line of squalls and cancel the operation, then the wind drops we end up with a lash up bringing the main out (which is largely my fault) and a small tear towards the head! Then about 30 minutes motoring
before we resume sailing.
(Photo) Fisherpersons!
Lori and Bob are now testing out their fishing gear and there is great excitement when they have a big yellow fin tuna on one of their lines, but it was one of the one's that got away!
JB has been baking a cake and we all enjoyed large portions after a rather meagre dish of prawns and scallops by me, followed by JB's Panama quiz:
The Quasar V Panama Quiz Team Name.......
Total
points /64
1.. Panama borders which 2 countries? 4 points for each country
1........... 2..........(8pts) ( )
2.. What is the capital of Panama?
............. (4pts) ( )
3.. What is Panama's official language?
...................... (4pts) ( )
4.. Who is the president of Panama?
(a) Martin O'Neil
(b) Martin Bell
(c) Martin Fabrega
(d) Martin Torrijos
(4pts)( )
5.. Why is 28th November 1821 an important day for Panama?
(a) It declared it's independence from Spain
(b) It declared it's independence from Columbia
(c) It declared it's independence from the England
(d) It declared it's independence from the Netherlands
(4pts)( )
6.. Why is the 3rd November 1903 an important day for Panama?
(a) It declared it's independence from Spain
(b) It declared it's independence from Columbia
(c) It declared it's independence from the China
(d) It declared it's independence from the US
(4pts)( )
7.. The currency in Panama is the US dollar and what other currency?
.............. (4 pts)( )
8.. The time zone in Panama is:
(a) UTC -4,
(b) UTC -5,
(c) UTC -6
(d) UTC -7
(4pts)( )
9.. When was the Panama canal opened?
(a) 1894
(b) 1904
(c) 1914
(d) 1924
(4pts)( )
10.. The Torrijos-Carter Treaties set up a timetable for what?
(a) the building of a Disney world real life adventure park in the Darien
jungle by 2012
(b) the return of all canal related lands to Panama authorities by Dec
1999.
(c) The completion of the Pan-American Highway to go through the Darien
Gap between Panama and Columbia to create a complete road from Alaska to
Patagonia by 1995
(d) The widening of the Panama Canal by 2015.
(4pts)( )
11.. What is the highest point in Panama?
(a) Volcan Baru
(b) Ancon Hill
(c) The Colon Crater
(d) The billeria tree in the Darien jungle
(4pts)( )
12.. To the nearest half million what is the population of Panama?
(a) 2m
(b) 3m
(c) 4m
(d) 5m
(4pts)( )
13.. 14% of the Panamanian population is Amerindian/mixed west Indian, 10%
white and 6% Amerindian, but which people make up the majority of the
population (some 70%)?
(a) Amerindian, mixed Chinese
(b) Mestizo
(c) Embera
(d) Kuna
(4pts)( )
14.. Nearly 80% of Panamanians are:
(a) Protestants
(b) Islamists
(c) Buddhists
(d) Roman Catholics
(4pts)( )
15. What was the name of the first ocean going vessel to transit the Panama
Canal on 15th August 1914 and what was she carrying?
(a) Cristobal (cement)
(b) Columbia (beer)
(c) Clarissa (perfume)
(d) Clara of Colon (grain)
(4pts)( )
Total ....
Malcy was given a team of his own to handicap him (i.e. just him). Lindsey,
who had been reading Lonely Planet was teamed with Bob, and Lori and I
guessed virtually all the answers from a position of complete ignorance! We
battled into 3rd place, not by much difference, but Malcy was the clear
winner with an added bonus of 4 points for finishing first!
Everyone enjoyed the game, which will be repeated by JB for every country
visited. I went to bed soon afterwards and slept for at least 5 and a-half
hours. Even Bionic Bob managed a few hours; so at least the 2 of us are much
refreshed!
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