Sunday 31st Jan 2010

We were woken in the night by one of our window shutters banging in the storm! The rain was lashing down and, with no guttering on the rooves, it was cascading down and sounded like we were under a waterfall. We have had a late breakfast and are now ensconced in the lounge as the weather is hardly any better. It is raining so hard you cannot tell where sea ends and land begins. No walking for us today and, being Sunday, there's not much going on outside. No wine tasting or sightseeing trips. I pity the new voyage crew on Stavros having to complete their training in this foul weather.

Sat 30th cont'd

Also caught sight of tourists braving the local tobogan run down the ordinary but steep road.

Saturday 30th

Today started off overcast but not cold. After a decent continental breakfast in the hotel we set off for the cable car. The walk down through Funchal took us past the indoor market and we Couldnt resist a look inside. It was fascinating with every type of fruit, veg, flower, herb and fish known to man! We took the cable car up to the Monte Tropical Gardens where we spent a very enjoyable 3 hours wandering round the steep paths which wound around between ponds, woodlands, Japanese sections with coi carp and white swans, waterfalls abounding! We then visited the impressive church of our Lady of Monte before setting off on a fairly steep levada walk to an impressive waterfall. The rain, which had been threatening all the time we were in the gardens settled into a steady moderate downpour while we were in the church so we put on our wet weather gear. It was a good, slightly strenuous walk and the rain stayed up the hillside as we decended in the cable car. Most of the shops had closed by the time we got back into Funchal but as it was such a pleasant early evening we walked through town to one of the gardens overlooking the marina before going for supper at a restaurant which was once a large yacht owned by The Beatles. The meal was adequate but not worth the 42 euro it cost (without wine or dessert).

Sat 30th

Day started off very over cast and grey but the clouds are now moving away and the sun beams are dancing on the sea. We intend going up the cable car to explore the botanical gardens today. Photos show our room and the view from our side window. Our other window overlooks the pool terrace.

Pond pool

Margaret and I have been out for some lunch and a walkabout. Now we are going to sit by the pool and relax in the sun.

Jumping ship.

I have now signed off and left the ship. I walked into town with A few of the guys and Gorgeous George (always smiling and with a laugh and a joke always ready!) bought us coffee and pastries - thanks George, much appreciated. Got a taxi up to the hotel and am now waiting for Margaret. Our room turns out to be a spacious 2 room suite with real wood block floors and windows on 2 sides. They are not double glazed and a bit draughty but give a good view down over the town and up into the hills. I have selected 3 walks from my walking book and I think we might do a couple of guided walks as well. Now to try to reprogram my GPS for Madeira - I wish I had brought the instruction book or a certain G Marek! :-)

Last morning on board.

Bags packed and ready to go. Sunny but breezy. Have the morning to myself before Margaret arrives at mid day.

Last night on board.

We had our washup with the captain and voyage crew. Only 4 of us for dinner tonight as everyone else has gone ashore to eat. I have done 17 voyages now and only once has a watch asked me to join them for their last get together. They ask the permanent crew and watch leaders to join their group photos, but rarely the cooks. 2 guys once bought the Assistant cook and me (I was 2nd cook on that voyage) a bottle of wine to have with our meal. And that was such a lovely surprise. The people are always very nice and it is lovely when they say, as they have on this trip, 'you are always so cheerful' or 'you are always polite and smiling' but it would be nice if, once in a while I got to go out for a meal with them instead of just serving them then being left to go out to eat on my own or stay on board. I dont want presents but at times I feel like Cinderella! Mind you, the people on this trip have been the best I have sailed with for a long time and we had such a laugh. I will be sorry to part from them tomorrow.

Afternoon in Madeira

I went out for a walk in the sunshine this afternoon to find out where our hotel is. I discovered that there are no flat bits on Madeira - it is all hills and steep! It is a good 10 minute walk downhill from the hotel to the main part of town, so going up with my bags tomorrow does not appeal ! The town of Funchal is pretty with parks, shops and all the usual including Pizza Hut, MacDonalds etc. Some nice bars and restaurants down by marina but cheaper in town. Lots to see and do but I cant say I found the locals cheerful or friendly. One or two drunks about even at 3pm. Banks close at 2pm daily. Only 4 of us on board for dinner tonight. Probably leave ship after breakfast.

Thursday in Madeira

Not yet light here but I am up and about to start breakfast. It rained in the night but dry now. More later. :-)

Evening in Madeira

It is almost 8pm, our meal is over, the dishes washed and everyone gone ashore. I am left doing the laundry! No, dont feel sorry for me, I probably wouldn't have gone anyway as I will have my sightseeing with Margaret in a couple of days. I am sat in the mess looking out at the hillside twinkling with thousands of lights and feeling a bit homesick, missing my little princess and kissing monkey! Tomorrow most of the crew will be sightseeing all afternoon and eating ashore in the evening. Now I am going to pamper myself with a hot shower, wash my hair and massage these bruises with some arnica and baby lotion. Good night friends. ;-)

Madeira

I am now a few hundred yards off Madeira. We have just done a Man Overboard drill in which I have to help lower the rescue rib. The sun is warm but it is still very breezy and there's a lot of cloud about - cool in the shade.

Wed 27th Jan am

Well it was so rough last night I had to use my lea-board. Even my bedding kept falling on the floor and I only narrowly missed ending up there myself a couple of times. This morning the broken clouds are still scudding across the sky but the wind is so strong even the sun has a scarf on. The herds of wild horses charging through the waves are tossing their white manes high in the air making new rainbows for the dreamers to chase. We now have only 45 miles to go so I should be able to send off this stack of waiting blogs at about 4.30 before we start serving supper.

Tue 26th pm

No photos today friends as I have been too busy trying to stay on my feet and have left my phone in my cabin for fear of it getting damaged in my pocket. I have bruises all over from knocking into things when the ship lurches. At the moment I am laying on my bunk waiting for the laundry to finish so I can put it in the tumble dryer and then go to bed where at least I do not have to hold on all the time. At times my porthole is under water and at other times the water crashing on the deck and into the side of the ship feel and sound as if we have colided with something solid. The captain, who still barely acknowledges my presence, says we will be in Funchal by late tomorrow night, which is one day early. Dont yet know why we are not calling in one of the lesser islands first. I think it might be to do with the cost of putting into port. Good night my friends. :-)

Rough seas

Well yesterday was interesting to say the least. We left our anchorage off Lanzarotte and the ship went from calm gentle bobbing about to the equivalent of riding a bucking bronco! 2 of my messmen and the 2nd cook were ill so I had to do all the washing up for 2 sittings myself for the evening meal. I had skipped lunch feeling rather tired and queasy but I was fine after a couple of hours on my bunk after lunch. I debated using my lea-board to stop me falling out of my top bunk but decided it was too difficult to get in and out of bed in the night if I did. I did manage to stay put but not with total comfort. It is now 10am here and still very rough. Many parts of the ship are posed off and out of bounds to stop anyone falling overboard, however we are just about to set some sails so the deckies have been aloft to loose the sails. We hope to get some sailing in the strong wine during daylight hours the back to engines and rough passage tonight. Looks like we will be in Madeira tomorrow night.

Monday early.

I missread my watch this morning. Got up, had my shower, dressed, got the galley washing from the laundry and took it up to the mess, only to realise it was still only 4.20am! Have had some tea and toast and am now waiting 4 Jan the cook to arrive to start breakfast.

Sunday evening

Well the voyage crew got their rowing in but conditions not good for swimming and too windy for a BBQ. Captain's inspection this morning so the galley and mess had an extra special clean with all corners getting scrubbed. Tonight there was a good sing song in the mess again - helped no doubt by the beer and wine the captain allowed to be consumed as we are at anchor. Tomorrow we set off for Madeira with rough seas and a heavy swelll. As we will be out of range of receivers the blog will sit in my out box for a couple of days and I wont be able to send any texts. Goodnight all. X :-)

Sunday morning

We went to anchor at midnight so I was woken up by watertight door alarms and anchor chains clanking down. Found it difficult to sleep after that and was up at 5am. Day is overcast but quite bright. Crew are going to do rowing in the long boats and possibly swimming. BBQ tonight so lots of salads etc to do.

Saturday 23rd

Woke up to grey cloud and rain but by the time the sun was up the sky was lighter and it was dry. Since then it has been a good sailing day and we have had the course, upper and lower tops'ls and the t'gallant on the foremast set and the tops'ls on the main. We are canted over to starboard a fair bit but the right way for me to stay in my bunk without the lee board. However that will probably mean I sleep in the parcel shelf again! We have been out of sight of land for over 24 hrs so I have not had a signal and Could not text or blog but we should be at anchor off Lanzarotte by midnight and, hopefully, coms will be restored. However once we set off for Madeira proper I will be incommunicado for several days. They say we will be able to swim off the ship tomorrow but the sea looks a mite cold to me and jumping in from the side is a long way down - I know I've done it before. I managed to get a bit of sunbathing in this afternoon. Love to Amber and Axel from Grandma. I love you more than you love me - no returns! To my girl, miss you lots. X x

Friday pm

Not an awful lot to report this time folks. It has been a blisteringly hot day with very little wind, just long low Atlantic rollers rocking the ship from side to side. We only have 3 staysails set, despite putting the topsails and t'galants in their gear ready to be set. Maybe they will come into play during the night if the promised wind arrives. I did some sunbathing on the afterdeck with my book during my standdown this afternoon. We had a full roast chicken dinner with rhubarb crumble so there was lots of washing up to do. Lovely red sky earlier. One of the voyage crew is now going to play his guitar for us in the mess, one has a mouth organ. One a penny whistle cod another is playing his accordian! Goodnight all. X x

Friday morning.

The sun is quite hot sitting here alongside in La Palma. We are due to sail in 45 minutes but the wind is against us for Madeira so we are planning to sail 300 miles eastward to Lanzarotte. That is expected to take us 30 hrs then we will anchor off and have a barbie in the waist - always a lot of work for the galley staff while others enjoy the food and booze!

Photos from Thursday

Thursday's Excursion

Left the ship at 11am and got on a bus which took us on a scenic tour of La Palma island. Visited this lovely old church then went to the National Park which was absolutely stunning. I would love more time to go trekking round those trails. It was so peaceful and cool. In the towns the spring flowers are out - oleander, hibiscus, Bougainvilla, bird of paradise growing like weeds everywhere. Had a set 4-course lunch:- goats cheese and parma ham with pesto and crusty bread; delicious ham and chick pea soup; beef and pork steaks with salt baked potatoes and a huge mixed salad then creamy local ice cream. This, including wine and bottled water was 15euro. Visited a black sand beach then back to ship in time to do all washing up! Now off for a shower and early bed - the wine will help me sleep.