We are just passing south of Barbados and our excitement is building. We have reached the Caribbean! We have just 130 miles to go and at current speeds we will be in Grenada by early afternoon tomorrow. Six of the Vikings’ 50ft plus catamarans and monohulls have already arrived, but the smaller boats will be arriving over the next few days. As one of the smaller monohulls we are still flying along.
A few people who have completed the crossing have said that they are sad that it’s over and they wish that they could have continued. I wonder why they didn’t, they could have kept going like Bernard Moitessier!
For us, we are really looking forward to landfall, to being able to stand upright without being thrown across the boat, to have a drink that can be put down between sips, to opening a cupboard without the contents flying out, to cooking without fear of boiling water tipping over us, to eating off a plate rather than trying to corral our supper in a bowl, to shower standing up, to being able to use both hands to pull on shorts and to sleep in a bed that’s not rocking and requiring a lee cloth and pillows to stop us falling to the floor.
But if those are the negatives there are many more positives, being greeted by new friends as we arrive in Port Louis, the vibrant colours of the buildings, the lush greens of the landscape, people and music and dancing, the golden sand of the beaches, swimming in azure blue crystal clear water and of course a cold beer or two.
Lovely. Well done you two.
Land ahoy! Great going, and far from the last in the pack. You are both amazing. X
Wooohooooo! Congratulations to you both and well done little Merryn
Xxx
Thanks! I thought you’d appreciate knowing what the night watches are like. Remember the old days of weekends on call for the ICU? Before we split them. Imagine Friday night, 3am, just got to bed when there is a call: a child in Casualty. You know there will be no sleep. The same Saturday night, the same Sunday night. Err… the same every night (and day) for 14 nights! Welcome to our world!
I can only imagine a level of borderline hysteria veering between giggles and tears! I’m so pleased you e been able to enjoy the beautiful moments too. I hope cold beers have been sunk and you’ve sunk into exhausted uninterrupted slumber. Xxx
It sounds rather like your experience in Tibet but what an experience, never mind the beer toast your success with champagn!