He woke again just before dawn, but went back to his bunk until Brec emerged and like a typical single handed sailor that he is, started the engine and said he didn’t need help.
He hauled the anchor up by hand and by the time it was on deck our BBF was there dressed ready to take the helm.
Head East to the Sun the skipper said which was easy enough to do in the beginning. The men quoted Rudyard Kipling’s “On the Road to Mandalay”
“and the sun came up like thunder”! But our sun came up more like a damp squib as it stayed hidden behind the clouds all day.
Brec soon put sails up and Alan turned the engine off and they were sailing nicely. The Autopilot was also tasked with steering, so all Alan had to do was sit there and keep watch. Brec made breakfast consisting of cereals with raisins, milk powder and water! The day remained cloudy and cool and at one stage even cold so that the humans put on more warm garments. Generally though it was a good day sailing, chatting about old times, about Kids screen time, politics and generally setting the world to rights. When the tide turned against us and we could no longer maintain 4.5-5 knots the engine was put back on and we motored sailed the rest of the way.
After 49 NM we arrived off Fisher’s Island where Brec put Alan back on the helm and we made for the anchorage. Brec hauled the sails down and we found a nice spot between and in front of two Trawler Type Motor Boats. Alan then went below to cook an evening meal while Brec cleared up the deck.
As we write it has started to rain and according to the forecast will rain all day tomorrow! Such is a sailor’s life!
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