Ramblings from a La Coruna Cafe

Ok I have found a cafe that allows you to use your own laptop on their WIFI network.

First things first...

Happy Birthday (love & cuddles) to Melody Crute and thankyou to Mr Crute for posting my position via twitter while I was 'out there'.

Mucho thanks Tom for sorting out the domain - C ya soon? Whats going on on planet Verizon - someone give me all the latest on what I'm missing as I havent heard from anyone! Not even the Vegas stories! Dave - you alive?

So whats new out here?...

Well I heard that Bruce had to 'run for cover' in Biscay and is now holed up on the Isle De Yeu just below Camaret after hitting 45kn winds and huge seas in the bay. Looks like we timed it perfectly and got very lucky with the weather for our crossing.

My 'neighbour' Jack, who is moored next to me, completed the same route as us across Biscay is a frequent writer for Yachting Monthly and wants 'my story' about selling up and setting sail ... watch this space!

Congratz to Kat for completing her ISAF courses - Ocean Safety, Sea Survival and Ocean First Aid. Lots of good advice for the 'big one' later in the year!

Kat has now booked a flight to Madeira for the 28th October, so this means the new plan is to forget going into the Med as time will be to short. Instead, the current thinking is to complete Portugal via a couple of stops, maybe Porto (~200nm) and Lisbon (~200nm), then on to Madeira (~500nm).

Sorry Stu looks like I wont be hooking up in Cannes after all.

Also Prav - likewise, sorry - the delays in N. France mean there is no way for me to get down south fast enough to see you. Looks like you both will have to come and see me in the Carribean?!?!?

Since arriving here, the weather has been terrible with rain and strong winds. Looks like the UK South Coast has had it bad as well. When the weather settles we will be making a move. It seems as if every place we arrive there is one sunny day before the storm clouds catch up with us!

Oh ... here is a clip of the Biscay Dolphins. I coudn't get it to upload from the dive of a CyberCafe I had to resort to previously.

And an example of Heidi doing her thing early on a Biscay morning... Not very exciting I know, but it gives you an idea of what the sailing was like across Biscay I guess.

Jobs that have been 'completed' since being here:

New bulbs for the Navigation lights - purchased a short while ago, not fitted yet.

Portugese courtesy flag purchased in preparation for the journey to come.

While giving 'my story' to Jack, the water pump fired up and water started leaking into the heads (bathroom to you land lubbers). Luckily, the burst hose was long enough to 'cut N shut' it. I have purchased a new length of hose to keep onboard, just incase.

Another yacht is having a nightmare with breakages and repairs. Luckily for me, some Spanish bloke who works for Selden Rigging was coming to see him in the marina, so I 'borrowed' him to get an opinion on my own rigging tension. Verdict, it's fine for 'normal' sailing. I may decide to just give the shrouds a little tighten just incase of stronger winds - better too tight than too loose - amen to that vicar!

It was rather amusing to watch as he didn't speak a word of English, so he called up a woman to translate via mobile phone. Somewhere along the line he wanted us to sail 2 hours around the coast to where they are based but for what I have no idea? - Neither did the woman on the phone!

The Selden guy did mention fixing my broken Genoa Pole but then it all got lost in translation, I decided not to pursue this topic!

I will also need some new mooring ropes soon as two have worn through due to the wind and swell in this marina, for now I'm being a sea Pikey and 'making do', but they are getting a bit short!

I fixed the 12v internal supply to allow me to have the Satphone turned on all the time so you folks can send me SMS messages from the Iridium website.

Nothing else to report at the moment but I will try and sample the surfing here and hopefully see the sun before we leave.