Brrr-muda and the Portrugese Boys of War

Last night I had to wear trousers! This may not seem strange to you but its the first time I have been seen without shorts or sarong since August of last year. I heard on Bermuda radio that the nightime temperature was 18 degrees C – so I guess that makes me a wimp , even if we were going to windward in 15 knots . How I will cope with “normal” European temperatures I dont know!

By midnight the wind died and we have been motoring ever since. The fuel guage still reads full, so I unscrewed the fuel tank hatch and found that it was indeed 3/4 full after 36 hours . I know that once the sender begins to fall from “full” we have 80 litres left . We have always worked on the principle that like us , the engine is getting on a bit – but unlike us does not feel better if it is worked hard – so we sail and use so little diesel it has never been an issue before! In the light of this experience it now looks that with our two extra jerrycans we have the capability to motor for 350 miles , which is comforting.

Bermuda was not originally on our itinery , but the combination of wind direction and steering clunk make it sensible to stop. Besides which , I am intrigued to visit the pint sized clump of coral that has given the world baggy shorts , pointy sails , a mythical triangle AND , most importantly of all , the Cunningham Hole. Any non sailing readers who are still with us will just have to take my word that this simple invention did for sailboat racing what elasticated waists did for men with paunches . Yes, THAT important!

Oh , and another observation on sailing jellies. This morning the water is so calm and clear we could see their tentacles , and far from being 10 metres long they are thin straggly and short like an adolescants beard. Could they be juveniles , and what size do they grow to? At present the sail is indeed the size of a Cornish pasty so if it grows as much as their alleged tentacles it would indeed be a fearsome beast. .

Postscript . The wind got up late but blew us in to Bermuda under kite at maximum speed. Time for a sleep !

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