Dont Mention The C Word!

The word is not capsize, we,ve seen plenty of those of the last few weeks.  No its another word that my dear hubbie hates.

Das captain, nearly had a coronary yesterday on awaking from his slumber.  We are land locked this weekend...........weather say no more so being the practical all action WI gal that I am, following a brief jaunt into town to get myself a well needed haircut I decided to make a start on.........Christmas cakes!

Das captains face was a picture on mentioning this might be my afternoon activity. So three chrinklemouse cakes made, more to follow as they are for charity and for good measure this morning the blackberry gin has been bottled (smells scrumptious, avoided tasting as it was only 8am!) and the sloe gin is on the mix.

Happy days............well for me but not for das captain! Lol

Three In A Bed

One is feeling somewhat jaded this morning and rueing the sleeping arrangements I signed up to yesterday!

As our roving reporters outlined despite the squally rain we had a great time up in the Hoe. The walk up was slightly tortuous with cries most of the way of...." are we there yet"!

The racing was just brilliant...excitement, twists and turns the whole way with Emirates New Zealand the eventual Plymouth matchplay champions. Our motley crew mutinied to the walk back, so after catching a cab it was back to the Marina for supper.

Fed and watered and in torrential rain we ran back to das bot, the plan was for a game of rummikub but with everyone knackered we headed for bed. Somehow I signed up to me and the kids sleeping in the front cabin and with me in the middle, I am squashed and deafened this morning...both kids slept like a log!


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Location:Mayflower Marina

E n G

Today we watched the America cup. It was really fun. I was a reporter and this man actually said that I was good at taking pictures!!!

The best bit of today was seeing a mans boat go capsize. It rained lots today and it was really windy but, when the sun shone me and george went to the beach. It was really fun today!!!

Eleanor and george

P.s. We have made a red snapper video of the races...Watch this space


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Location:Plymouth

Our Calm is About To Be Shattered

I have been away the latter part of this week at Lake Windermere once the work bit was done on the first day, I took the very short walk across the road to Lake Windermere to view the hundreds of boats and the amazing sunset. It was simply stunning, peaceful and serene. An amazing place to moor your boat, although the next day in howling winds it did not look so glamourous.

So now back home after a long train ride back we are pulling the kit together to wend our way down to das bot. There is no mad rush as the swailing conditions are a non starter but still going down to enable our occasional part time motley junior crew x two the opportunity to spend the weekend of their friend RedSnapper.

Our peace and tranquility will be shattered, but what fun it shall be, I can't wait to hear their voices as they see her on the pontoon for the first time and call out her name and the unmistakable faster walk to get to her!

Guess it will be more Americas Cup racing.....as it draws to it's conclusion this weekend, they,ll love that plus a final seasons fish to conclude their annual RedSnapper fishing competition. Despite the rubbish weather, we,ll have a blast.




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Location:Exeter

Three Capsizes & One Crazy Americas Cup Race

That was one crazy race up on the Hoe. The crowds came out again and whilst the sun shone the wind really gusted today which made for some unpredictable racing and pushed the boats to the max.

It was exhilarating again to watch and it wasn't long past the first mark that capsize one happened. So a total of three went over in the 45 min fleet race and Oracle nearly went over in the sprint series. No-one hurt, just a few bruised ego,s, torn sails and minor wing damage. They,ll be glad to be off for the next few days until racing resumes on Wednesday.

Great way to spend the last of our hols, there is a storm coming in tonight so let's hope behind it comes some decent weather for next weekend when the kids are down. They r going to love this.



























































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Location:Plymouth Hoe

Lean, Mean Swailing Machines

What a day, despite the blustery and rainy conditions we set off on foot to watch the Americas Cup.




Millbay has been the racing home for these boats over the last few weeks and was buzzing as we arrived to see them being craned into the water. Their mainsails are just amazing and it was great to see them so close up.

Nearing race time we headed to the Hoe and our vantage point at the Tinside Lido, the water was awash with support boats and the rest of the machine that makes up the Americas Cup.

As we left the Marina it was a hive of activity as the support and Tv boats that have been parked here started to wend their way out. Not many spectator boats out, our original plan was to watch from the water, but seeing the very few that did make it to the Drake island vantage point bounce up and down like yo yo,s we made the right decision.

So with a bottle of fizz and beers for the boys we settled down to watch the racing. It was exhilarating to watch, never a dull moment and the Hoe set a magical course for them to whizz across.

One near collision for Oracle with a very brave hurley 22 that was on the edge of the race boundary and a race retirement for Team Korea (only English captain aboard ) after their genoa wrapped itself in a very ungraceful way, but no capsizes for us today.

The last race of the day was a 500 metre time trial, a real opportunity for the crews to show off and obtain major bragging rights in the bar later. By this time the sun had finally come out, which was great , the helicopters were out so absolute noise and mayhem everywhere.

The time trial course was set right in front of us, so great viewing, three attempts for each boat. This was the absolute spectacular finale to day 1 of racing....these boats don't half move, the eventual winning time was 39 secs.

We arrived back to Red Snapper about six o,clock, enough time for a quick change and then off to the hog roast party here at the Marina. Fi and Simon left wearily at 7am this morning after a great evening. Das captain is still asleep, I am sat on deck in brilliant blue skies and looking forward to the second day of racing this afternoon.




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Location:Plymouth Hoe

Simply Awesome!

Just come back from watching the 1st day of the America,s Cup Swailing series....photos and all the action to follow tomorrow, we,re off to the party!

TGI Friday!

TGI Friday is the normal rallying call after a hard wk at work, knowing that as soon as the last meeting is had or email is sent we can wend our way down the A38 to some r n r on das bot. Well usually but this has not been a usual swailing season.

In fact it has been a soggy, windswept disaster.....and the worst we have had since I,ve known das captain.

If we wasn't for the fact that das bot went in the water on the 1st March and we racked up some good swails in March / April it could have been a complete nautical washout and both could be in strait jackets! (There is still time, I hear you say).

We,re taking das bot out of the water onto the hard in a few weeks time for the winter but hoping to get at least one decent trip out on her before then. We have the Eleanor and George with us next weekend so really hoping to get away and have a great season finale with them......nothing would be better. They are turning into great crew and provide amazing madness, mayhem and laughter.

As for this TGI Friday.......we are heading back down with some great friends Fi and Simon to watch the America,s Cup and all the madness and swailing mayhem that will bring.







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Location:Home

Nautical But Nice



Tasty

 So what do you do when you are landbound when you should be at sea and housebound coz the weather remains totally shocking...............well I make jam and chutney!

We arrived home bedraggled but well fed after lunch at JJ mid afternoon.  My father-in-law had deposited an enormous bag of homegrown green tomatoes.............so out came the trusted WI book and still swaying from das bot I chopped, stirred and two hrs later bottled a mean looking chutney.

Not content with that and still swaying, fruits and sugar for a muddled berry jam were prepped ready for today.

So up at the crack of dawn for me..........not swaying now and with das captain still asleep, I labelled yesterdays bounty and then got the muddled mixture on the boil.........the kitchen smelt delicious.

Its a miserable day outside again but I,ve had some good r n r doing this............the kitchen now is habitable again, the bounty boxed and stored, das captain is well rested after sleeping for blighty and I do believe it could have stopped raining.

Great news as we are off to the cinema later followed by a curry.

Tossed Sardines

Hmmmm, a tad weary this am after rocking and a rolling most of the night.

The winds hit a top eight here in the marina so not the best sleeping conditions. It's bleak here this morning, like a winters day.

The sea looks menacing and everywhere like a ghost town. Bar the clanging halyards and howling wind you could hear a pin drop.

This front is here to stay so das captain and I are abandoning ship to return home until this blows over.



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Location:Mayflower Marina

The America,s Cup Roadshow Has Rocked Into Town

The mega corporate machine aka America,s Cup sailing machine has well n truely rocked into town.

Mayflower Marina is awash with support boats now and has a mega crew that continually washes them clean even though they r emaculate!

The new fully clothed booted n suited security crew had a scare on their first watch on Friday when they thought a bot had gone missing to be told it had moved to A pontoon on a temp mission.... Lol

The VHF has been full of chat today on the force 6/7. The Long Rm has been busy with engine fires on HMS support vessels and the huge swell for peace those practicing boats for the BIG race this weekend!

We stopped off @ Millbay on the way out for supper this evening and saw the machine in full pelt.

Awnings up and covering the fab swailing machines that will be giving it rock all over the next two weekends, we shall return tomorrow with the full canon slr for photos.

So it's been a non swailing day for us, das captain woke up @ not so nearly mid day with the captains cry of ......" that has to be the worst nights sleep I have had on Red Snapper"!

I slept through and 'twas up @ early doors as normal to fab sunshine although blowey and read a book to the sound of wind rising and halyards clanging but over a cup of coffee who cares...on deck this morning it twas perfect.

So gale force winds r here until wed.... guess we can mooch around under the mass machine and amuse ourselves til then.








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Location:Plymouth

Deja Vu

Well what can I say?!! Packed up come rain or shine for all weathers we left late morning for das bot. We arrived to lovely sunshine, albeit windy , unpacked, prepped lunch and true to form it clouded over and the rain came in.

Stories on the pontoon were of very lump seas beyond the breakwater yesterday and we can well believe it with what we saw when we came into Plymouth .

The Marina in comparison to last monday is deserted as is the channel out to sea, I spent the afternoon in holiday reading mode whilst das captain snoozed.

We ventured up to Jolly Jacks for supper this evening as this gal does not want to cook on her first full day of holiday and enjoyed a lovely supper.

Boy had the temp dropped and wind picked up as we came back down the pontoons. It's blowing a bit now and the gribs aren,t looking good ...........so Deja Vu as the boat is gently rocking thus far but wind beginning to howl!

Guess we might be a floating caravan tomorrow and maybe the next.....I fancy going to see The InBetweeners tomorrow. Happy days.....

Off to the floating caravan

About to get packed and head off to das bot. It's dry and cloudy.......however guess what strong winds and rain are on their way. Hey ho...we,ll take our chance with our usual bullish Blighty spirit and see what happens. I can think of worse places to be.