Bye Bye Bingland Bello Bbbbiscay

For all you Face Jacker fans out there you will get the title (lol) if not then please ignore. 

Departure

The last hours on British soil were spent on a  lovely train down to Falmouth. Upon arrival Lady Mariposa was there to greet us...

With a few navigational issues on board the time was spent giving her a good old polish ready for the notorious Biscay crossing...

After a smashing evening pizza at the Stable, the crew rose at 5am for final preparations to slip lines ready for the crossing to Palma de Mallorca...

First few hours were a little choppy with some pale faces however the dolphins brightened up the day. Day one done to the breast of Biscay and a beautiful sun set to close it off...

Not much else to note, just cruising along and smashing out a casual 200 nm in the first 24 hours. The first mid-night watch saw another impressive show by the dolphins and lit up plankton. 

Day 2 - Biscay

The sun rose, wind dropped and slightly less swell. Engines on for a tad of motor sailing. Followed by cruising at nine knots over ground and a relitivly mild wind of 15 knots true wind speed. 

Selfie time at the bow a third of the way through Biscay...

Now sailing with the lines out in hope for some tuna sashimi for lunch. Waters pretty deep at 4,770metres. Yes that's metres, not feet.

As night fell the dolphins came to play with the whales not far in the distance, not too shabby!

T bone for dinner, can't complain...

A quick 2 hour snooze before hitting up the graveyard night shift, sitting on night watch 10-2am...

What happens on night watch:

Maybe catch a boat on radar 20 miles away if lucky. 

Watch out into sheer darkness

Coffee

Music/enthusiastically learn Spanish 

Snack

Watch out into sheer darkness

Coffee

Music/try to learn Spanish 

Fridge

Watch out into sheer darkness

Coffee

Music/give up on Spanish 

Day two, Biscay done. Coast of Portugal next. 

Off to sleep for four hours for the 6-9 watch. 

Day 3 - Portugal

The night was spent on a serious slant, having got to know the cupboard to the side of the bed very well it was time to get the blinds out to see what this fuss was about...

The majority of the evening was evidently spent below sea level as the starboard side sunk down. Around breakfast time the boat eased up to Portugal whilst going past explosives dumping grounds and sea mountains (underwater land masses that went from being 4,000m deep to a meer 30m). You can know see why the option of a fried egg was out the window...

What you would you like sir, scrambled egg or scrambled egg?

Day 4 - Portuguese fun!

This was the first time in the boat's 19,000 mile history that she's had to pull over for safety. 

Being woken up by a fan and a plum flying across the cabin and being held in all night by a sail was pretty fun. 

Top wind speeds of 63 knots was also fun. With the bow leaking and the tender almost snapping free amongst the almighty waves.

Pulled into an interesting industrial port for the night, equipt with a luxury private beach. Night. 

Day 5 - Mad Chilling

Still in the harbour, unable to get to land. Od jobs and repairs on board etc. 

Fact of the day:

The word "posh" was derived from the early cruise ship days whilst crossing to the Carib... "Port Out, Starboard Home"

Cruise ships, for the newly wed, over fead and the nearly dead.