Wed 16th Update

tome

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28 Mar 2002
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Weds 16th 6am local 7 am BST

43deg 21.2N 21deg 00W, motorsailing 6 knots, cog56T. Barometer still up at 1030.8.

I wrecked the mint plant yesterday by giving it too much water. However, we've probably all had enough herbs and spices for the time being - para on cooking duty yesterday made a curry for lunch. He asked me if the curry powder was mild and I stupidly said yes, probably, so he put loads in with some chicken. Then for tea he cooked about a kilo of ginger, plus a few other ingredients. Do you cook much at home para? I asked. Oh yes, quite a lot, he says. Blimey. No need for much central heating chez para - I bet they have fire extinguishers on the table instead of salt and pepper, and daren't all talk at once in case the roof blows off.

Nice sunny afternoon, so we all showed Paddy how to play Bridge. His first hand had a massive 23 points (average is 10), but of course it was only sensible to play the hands open to show how the bidding works, ahem. LJS and I eventually won the first rubber, with almost no cheating at all.

Not seen today's forecast but the high pressure could be slower moving than earlier forecast showed. In any event, there doesn't seem much danger of violent winds that might blow our playing cards off the table just yet, so we may shortcut the waypoint at 46 degrees North later today/tomorrow and head direct for final destination in France. Sables d'olonnes is still 830nm distant and at this rate is around 5 days away, putting us there sometime on Monday. Maybe.
 

tome

New member
Joined
28 Mar 2002
Messages
8,201
Location
kprick
www.google.co.uk
eds 16th 9am local 10 am BST

43deg 31.2N 20deg 38W. Did I get the position wrong in last msg? Whatever.

I may have picked up a too-early (hence yesterday's) forecast so may as well send another text message. We send the message to the Mailsail weather service with the sat phone via data conversion thing, like on an ancient mobile phone, and the message title tells their computer which area and stuff we want back, and the forecast is automatically ready next time we pick up messages a few minutes later. But at the same time we can send text in the body of the email (ignored by the weather computer thing) and copy the same email to shore support people.

Which brings us to the serious issue of tome's sat phone message just now, suggesting that when holding a Bridge hand with 23points one should open the bidding with 4 No Trumps. Pah! Of course, the correct opening bid is a forcing bid (forces partner to respond regardless) of 2Clubs, inviting partner to show 4-card major (2H or 2S) or weakness under 4 points (2D) or strong slam potential (jump to 3S, 3H). Only with partner support - and perhaps via jump/splinter bids to 4-level indicating control with singleton aces or voids - which should only *then* trigger Blackwood convention of 4NT bid - asking partner how many aces held (response being 5C= 0 or 4, 5D=1, 5H=2, 5S=3) and perhaps then also 5NT - asking how many Kings. Compare this fab strategy with clumsy 4NT as opener which could spoil slam chances and - if no response -might easily not even make contract with weak partner. Back to the dancing classes for Tome, harumph.

Para has a full night sleep last night with no watches, as he was on slave duty yesterday. LJS up today, and currently considering whether para might like a bacon sandwich for breakfast? Or perhaps a curried bacon sandwich, with loads of ginger? Para must be sound asleep - pwc and I turned the engine off to check the oil just now and said things like "So, it's completely knackered then?" and "yes, it's had it!" very loudly, but he didn't move.

Engine fine - added 1 litre oil. We've done 148 hours on that port engine since St Martin! Not to worry - if we were doing the ARC pwc says that it's perfectly acceptable (tho *not*for him or zefender of course) to just round down the engine hours a bit to erm, zero.

Turned to destination waypoint 812 nm off to a few miles outside sables d'o, and the measly wind has lifted our speed to a ripping 7 knots, so Monday morning a very possible bet.

tcm
 
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