4 days down 4 to go...

Life at sea... hmmm what to say?

Well I would have to start this story on Wednesday, the day our boat was leaving sunny Bremen in Germany (it easily could have been a Melbourne winters day)... I was feeling excited to be finally leaving Germany for the sunny seas of the Med, even got up a 5:45am to get out for a run on the last bit of land I would be seeing for a while... Make a note, that is the earliest I have woken up in quite a long time!

Day was going along well with all the crew making the final checks to make sure everything was good to go. Given one last task of returning a set of keys to the Lurssen office seemed harmless enough. So I ran onto land dropped off the keys, only to be asked what our plans were regarding the 12 empty slabs of beer sitting on the dock which we had failed to take to recycling in time..

Not entirely sure what was happening on board at this stage as my radio had been switched on the wrong channel didnt help; however I was nice enough to move all these empties around into the carpark behind the office as the Lurssen lady was happy enough to take care of the rest, harmless right?

Well not really... making my way back to the dock, I saw all the Lurssen workers waving at my crew goodbye?? Shit ok well this isnt good.. Once they spotted me they started yelling as to what in the world I was doing.. As I didnt particuarly feel like being left in Bremen by myself, it meant a leap of faith off the lauching ramp onto the boat was undertaked and all I could say is that I was extremely lucky that I made it back on the boat in time... Crisis number one averted, just...

So now as I write this the boat is currently somewhere off the western coast of france, and the plan is to make it to Gibraltar by Monday morning.. land will be a nice change.. After starting out in the North Sea moving the sea changed drimatically from the calm waters of the river I had become accustomed to in Bremen..

With winds at 35 knots, the boat was certaintly moving a fair amount. Now sea sickness I believe is only in the mind, and I managed to put up with the movement for the majority of the day, untill I walked into my room only hear the sounds of someone else vomitting.. not fun.. Determined to push through I made it to dinner, only to take one mouthful and then I had a make a quick bathroom stop.. There went lunch.. But afterwards sat down and finished my meal.. Interesting to say the least, but gladly I think I have got my sea legs by now.. Others aboard are still struggling so I'm happy that I'm ok...

The next drama happened yesterday afternoon.. there I was watching 'Titanic' on Sky (I didnt choose for it to be on, someone left it on the TV and I sat down to watch a bit) Well this is one thing that you dont want to watch when you are out to sea, is a boat taking on water as you end up jinxing the boat... Withing minutes of the sinking part of the movie underway, an emergency call went over the internal radios saying there was a massive amont of water in the main salon..

Before anyone jumps to any conclusions, the boat is structurally fine so it wont sink; but somehow the captains bathroom plumbing has burst causing water to run down to the room below.. a bit of panic set in, not because of the potential for us to go under, but for the thousands and thousands of euros worth of carpet that has been ruined.... silk carpets dont really respond to water too well just incase you consider getting some put in your house.. So we did our best to contain the water damage but still I dont think I'm going to watch anymore boat tragedy movies anytime soon!!

Besides this its been pretty smooth sailing to say the least.. I'll attempt to get some photos up, but sadly the internet is deadly slow so I'm sure that can last till I make it to Antibes! Cant wait to get back to France and have a beer with all those I left behind!!

Untill then, lets hope I make it there in one peice...