ARC 2001 - Kate's Journal

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DAY 2
FIRST DAY AT SEA
November 26th 2001

Right, can't stay long as am pretending not to be seasick. I am beginning to wonder if my hopes are not too high? Perhaps it's normal to feel queasy all the time, and I will always have an in-cabin restriction of about 7 minutes, before I need to race for more fresh air?

Everything going well. I think. I mean really, how would I know? People keep asking me if I slept well? Wasn't bounced around too much...etc?

How would I know? I've got nothing to compare it to really. Is it normal to be smashed from side to side every 3 or 4 seconds while off-watch? Is there some kind of quota that everyone else knows. I'll let you know.

This is nothing like I expected. What did I expect? Hot, sunny weather. Almost no wind. Us ghosting along to the Caribbean: tanning, reading, hanging out...and drifting into port after 14 days.

It's been blowing between 15 - 35 knots since we got out here. The waves are big enough that I keep thinking I see people's faces in them, or that there is suddenly a boat over my left shoulder.

Valhalla is a beautiful BEAUTIFUL boat. At 55 feet, she does a nice job of handling these swells (better than me) and she has that kind of fat beauty I associate with nice boats - wide around the sides and an elegant taper to the bow. So far it's been just over 24 hours. I am amazed by how much smashing there can be inside and all the vegetables, books, cups and people are all still in place.

Bangers and Mash for dinner and an entire flat of tomatoes I think - since They're about to go off. I dunno how to stock a boat for 3 weeks with good veggies so our attitude is to gorge ourselves while supplies last.

Must go, am clogging up the computer.
Love to you all.

Address:
Kate Gower
aboard Valhalla Swan

And you can email me here! But No Graphics Please.
Also you can text message me as per below.

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kate.gower@valhallayachting.com
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Tel: 00 8816 314 47757
Or (more effective - since it comes up on the phone's little screen), send a short text message from:

http://messaging.iridium.com

I'm off. All my best thoughts to all of you. It's so beautiful here now: sunny, windy and the Atlantic is like this huge road ahead of us.
xxxxx XX Me

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Valhalla Yachting
Boat Phone: +8816 314 47757
Or, send a short text message from:
http://messaging.iridium.com
t: +44 (0)1483 566200         f: +44 (0)1483 566206
Valhalla Yachting Ltd, 1 Wey Court, Mary Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4QU, United Kingdom