Lanzarote, Canary Islands to
Martinique
CREW
Marc Bouriche, Skipper
(France)
Timothy Quartly-Watson,
First Mate (USA/UK)
Rulik
Perla, Second Mate (USA/Israel)
Susanne
Williamson (Quarter Master) (France/USA)
Francis
Poulain (Doctor) (USA/France)
Gail
Matthews (Cook) (USA)
Marieke
Furnee (Crew) (USA/Netherlands)
Peter Brattinga (Crew)
(Belgium)
11/16/03 the marina at
Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, aboard ANTHEA
It is a relief to rediscover the joy that accompanies waking up on a
sailboat. It does not come without some
inconvenience. What got me up and out
of my cabin was the need to use the bathroom.
Nothing particularly unusual about that, except that the loo, for the
moment at least, is about 300 yards off at a corner of the jetty. A splendidly clean loo, with showers to
boot.
I was the first one up, not only on the Anthea, but in the whole
marina, it seems. Nothing but the wind
whistling through the rigging and the sun shining up from below the horizon to
color the cloud puffs above a yellow-pink, a cloud color I have never seen
before. Hence the joy.
We’re a tad short of storage space.
I am glad I did not bring much.
And the heavy weather gear, which may or may not be needed, can be
stowed somewhere inconvenient. That is
my sole minor complaint – not much storage -- about this quiet, dignified,
experienced vessel. “ANTHEA” is her
name. She touches me in the way a 6 or
7 year old Stakes-winning mare does.
She has heart. She’s broad
around the middle and well-proportioned.
She’s an OVNI 455. Fifty
foot. A cutter, with four sails up
front (jib, genoa, storm jib, spinnaker) and the mainsail. She’s earned her keep. She’s crossed the Atlantic a half-dozen
times.
A light wind is coming up. Halyards
are clanging throughout the marina, the rigging whistling. Last night after the lights were out I came
up on deck to admire Anthea. A light
drizzle was falling and the wind blowing.
What I will henceforth call “the rigging ghosts” were out in full force. It might be eerie, were its source other
than the stuff of sailing vessels.
The sun is shining now on the eroded volcanic hills around us. The marina is waking up. A CD player somewhere near the jetty plays
Cajun guitar. A toddler calls out. The people across the way are up having
coffee. Our crew, except for me, are
still in their cabins.
Rulik and his wife, Marieke, arrived from California via London (where
a 7-hour layover allowed them a visit to the museums!) with Tim, our First
Mate. That was last evening. Francis (who called out to me at the
departure gate in Tenerife) and I were the first to arrive yesterday
afternoon. We found the boat easily but
could not board because engine repairs were in progress. This forced us into an uncharacteristic (for
either of us, both being hard-core A-types) afternoon of idle conversation over
an unhurried – leisurely actually
(not a word I often use) – lunch at the yacht club., and several strolls (another rarity) along the quay,
until the engine was fixed, put back in place and we could board. Marc and Susie will not arrive until
tomorrow.
Tim has emerged and is making tea.
Perhaps I will get my ass in gear as well. Perhaps.
My growing affection for Anthea reminds me of my attachment to my
horses. I can’t look at her
enough. Like at home, I go out in my
pajamas in the cold just to gaze and appreciate. I felt homesickness for my animals today. It is five days since I’ve gone, and I
wonder how Lillo is faring, whether he is wondering about about me. I want them to be happy and well during my
absence from home.
I find I need to touch the people around me to make up for my usual
tactile contact with animals, both my own – Lillo, Smokie, Moonglow, the horses
– Becky, Braidy, Hector and Lampo – as well as all the horses at the
racetrack. Many hours a week I am
touching and loving horses, a dog and two cats. Now I am loving my Friends and Anthea.
Breakfast (easy prototype)
baguettes (purchased at the marina), butter,
local cheeses hard and soft, jams, marmalades, apple butter,
peanut butter, coffee, teas, juice, Nutella
next day: (I’ve given up
keeping track of the date)
NIGHT, Puerto Calero, Lanzarote
It is hard to keep up with the activities. In brief: we food shopped
(about 900 Euros worth), the five of us.
I split the list up between us, we each went off with our carts, loaded
up the car twice, unloaded everything onto the boat, unpacked and inventoried
each item by weight, then cooked a quick supper in time for the arrival of
Captain, Mrs. Captain and Peter. I’m
beat. I forgot to mention safety
lessons from Tim. Wearing the harness,
putting out fires, launching the life boat (!), sending a distress signal,
man-overboard procedures. I did not enjoy
that part of our day.
Now that Marc and Susie have arrived and are occupying their cabin,
Francis is moving in . So now I am
sleeping with a married man. (for
the record, Julia, his wife, is my dear friend. These are strictly sleeping arrangements. J.)
NEXT DAY (night, just before
bed) Puerto Calero, Lanzarote
There was not a second to write today.
Immediately upon arising, I was met on deck by Peter and his provisions
list. After quickly getting into some
clothes and a quick breakfast, he, Susie and I met for a good four hours to
inventory yesterday’s purchases and decide upon today’s. Then Susie, Marieke and I split up the list
between us, stripped the shelves of one “hipermercado,” at which point Susie
and I took off to another to do the same.
We did not get back to the boat until 9:30PM. In the meantime Rulik and Tim shuttled the groceries back to
ANTHEA where they were unloaded, unpacked and stowed. The day ended with a fine meal at the yacht club.
11/17/03, Puerto Calero,
Lanzarote, NIGHT
We set sail tomorrow. We’ve
spent 475 X 8 Euros on food, a rental car (we won’t take it with us), fishing
supplies. We’re set to go.
Today we rested, for the most part.
As chef, I don’t do watches. Or
dishes. A relief on both counts. Tho’ now I feel tripley responsible for
providing great grub. So far it’s been
a pleasure. All has turned out well and
been appreciated. An exceptionally
happy moment doing prep for dinner while the five men sat at the table behind
me shooting the breeze and drinking a bit of whiskey.
Brunch - Tortilla Espagnol (serves 8)
16 eggs, beaten
1 sliced onion
t tbsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg potato
¼ tsp salt (from Lanzarote – made there, really good)
6 slices hard salami
1 tbsp pine nuts
1. saute onions and potato in olive oil over high heat until soft
2. add salt and rosemary
3. pour in beaten eggs
4. lower heat
5. place salami slices on top and sprinkle with pine nuts
6. cover and cook approx 15 min.
7. garnish with chopped cilantro
Mid-afternoon snack of cheese, crackers, tea
Late afternoon snack of nuts, chips, Talisker
Dinner - Lemon Chicken
6 lg boneless chicken breasts cut in quarters and pounded
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4c flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp tarragon (dried)
1 bunch chopped parsley
juice of 3 lemons
2 tbsp capers
½ pound mushrooms
¼ c water
salt to taste
1. heat olive oil in a dutch oven (underway we usually used the pressure cooker, clamped and bungeed to the gimbaled stovetop)
2. saute 1 clove garlic until soft. Remove from oil.
3. dredge chicken pieces in flour mixed with salt and tarragon.
4. brown chicken pieces lightly in oil and set aside.
5. saute mushroom in same oil
6. add lemon juice and 2 cloves garlic, chopped
7. add browned chicken pieces, capers, water and salt to taste
8. simmer until chicken is tender, about twenty minutes
serve over rice pilaf
Rice Pilaf
2 1/2c rice
5c water
½ tsp “baies roses” peppercorns
3 shallots, slice
¼ c almonds, chopped
2 tbsp veg oil
¼ tsp salt
1. heat olive oil in a large skillet
2. add peppercorns and shallots. saute until transparent
3. add rice. saute 1-2 minutes
4. add salt and toss
5. add water. bring to boil. cover and simmer until tender.
1 head of lettuce, washed, dried and broken into pieces
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
vinaigrette
1/8c wine vinegar
¼ c extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1. pour vinegar into small bowl
2. add salt
3. whisk in oil, oregano, mustard and garlic. whisk well.
4. pour over lettuce and tomatoes and toss just before serving
11/22/03 10:40 AM leaving Puerto Calero, Lanzarote
The mainsail’s up. Almost ready
for the jib. Boom-brake just got tested
and is working. Getting ready to come
about. We’re sailing.
11/23/03 before sunrise
We’ve had to motor ALL NIGHT.
(the wind had brought us down to 3 knts after a full day of 6-7
knts.) This means poor sleep for most
of the night, the motor housing being about one meter from my pillow. But that is not a complaint. On the contrary, I am full of delight just
the same, so happy to wake up on the Anthea, with these friends.
Francis and Rulik are still on watch, right outside the port to my
cabin. I can speak to them (over the
roar of the motor). Jupiter is high in
the sky, the moon a waning crescent, and maybe it is little Mercury over there
by the moon rising in the SE. All of us
were out on deck when darkness fell last night. The STARS. The moon was
still way below the horizon, and the sky above was cloudless. I have never, even on my hilltop at home,
seen so many stars. There were northern
constellations I’ve never even seen
for lack of visibility, and southern ones simply not there in my home sky. I don’t know what they are and do wish I’d
brought my star map (as well as my map of the world ocean floors.)
There were large swells yesterday and one of us was seasick. Most of us, actually, only one threw
up. I had to deal with nausea only when
I was below in the galley cooking and making tea. Fortunately there’s a port that opens right over the sink and
windows along both sides, so when it gets bad I just have to look out toward
the horizon, breathe in some fresh air, and the nausea lessens. Still, it is not very pleasant.
Yesterday’s menu’s:
Proto breakfast
bread, cheese, etc. no eggs, since we were hurrying to set sail
with one last engine repair (one of the alarms was not working).
Lunch
(under way)
Insalata
di Farfalle (pasta salad)
1kg farfalle (butterfly) pasta
¼ c olive oil
1/8 c wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp capers
20 cornichons (gherkins)
2 big cans tuna
2 tsp dried anise leaf
1 tbsp pine nuts
1. cook pasta in salted water til al dente
2. in the meantime, combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl
3. drain pasta when cooked. sprinkle with 1 tbsp addl olive oil
4. combine pasta with other ingredients
5. serve at room temperature or chilled
(Mind you, we’re in a sea with six-foot swells. Not enough to wear the harness that literally attaches me to the stove. But I did get some practice with the pot braces which hold things in place on top of the stove. I chose to make something bland, since we were most of us a bit queasy. And there was still a kilo of chicken breasts which had to be consumed immediately.)
Chicken with rice
1kg boneless chicken breasts
2c rice
1 tbsp dried anise leaf
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sunflower oil
2 lg onions
4c water
1. cut chicken breasts into strips
2. saute in olive oil about 3 minutes (in the pressure cooker, uncovered. skillets are almost impossible under sail. things spill out.)
3. add onions and saute til transparent.
4. add rice, anise, salt and saute briefly
5. add 4c water. stir well.
6. cover and simmer (not under pressure) until rice is cooked. Do not stir again until ready to serve.
Throughout the day we snacked on tea and biscuits. Ginger snaps and mint tea both help to
settle the stomach. I had cereal with
soy milk at my worst and that seemed to help.
We are still in the Canary Islands.
The archipelago covers more area than I’d thought. We will leave Tenerife behind today and one
more island to its west (Gomera, where Columbus set sail), and that will be the
last land we see until the Caribbean. I
will salute the Hotel San Roque as we pass.
I wish to go there again. It
will be my away-from-home safe haven. I
love it there.
Sunset, Las Gallettas,
Tenerife – The people of Lanzarote are almost faery-like in their
gentleness. We are now moored just off
the western tip of Tenerife. The wind
is gone, so we are staying put (while we still can!) until the wind decides to
blow for us. It is a good evening for
Gin & Tonics. The sunset is a
marvel. The top of Tenerife’s volcano
looms nearby. Now I get to see it from
the south. During my day in Garachico
and the Hotel San Roque and the Drago Millenario (the thousand year old tree
that Moana at Santa Anita told me about) I saw the volcano from the north. It is a large presence here.
As for recipes, today we had our first real breakfast underway. The usual proto-breakfast, as well as fried eggs and bacon to order, and a batch of hard-boiled eggs.
Also had to turn leftovers into meals. Yesterday’s chicken and rice became a rice salad with the addition of canned peas, capers, fresh parsley and a vinaigrette dressing.
The lemon chicken became a chicken salad with the addition of mayonnaise and dried tarragon.
And for dinner we had lamb stew and boiled potatoes.
Rub lamb joint with a dry marinade of onions, rosemary, cumin, black pepper. Let sit for several hours.
Trim meat from bone.
Stew with sliced carrots, onions and a whole head of garlic. Salt as needed. Cook under pressure for 20 minutes. Garnish with anise leaf.
Serve with boiled potatoes.
A couple of days later: (the day?
the date?)
24.58W
21.55N
Recipes first:
Lamb ragout with penne (pasta) (dinner)
1 ½ lamb joints, trimmed in chunks from the bone.
3 med cans peeled tomatoes
8 cloves garlic
small bunch fresh parsley
1 clove
3 small eggplants
3 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
2kg penne pasta
grated parmegiano cheese to garnish
1. saute garlic in olive oil
2. add lamb. saute til lightly browned
3. add tomatoes, parsley, clove and salt to taste
4. cook 20 minutes in pressure cooker.
5. cook penne in boiling, salted water. (be extremely careful around pots of boiling water and make sure everyone who passes is aware it’s there. clamp and bungee the pot to the stove top.)
6. ladle ragout of lamb over cooked pasta and sprinkle with fresh-grated parmegiano cheese.
Chickens in the Pot (dinner)
4 small frying chickens
1 package (500g) dried garbanzos, soaked overnight
1 bouquet garni
3 bay leaves
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1. brown fryers on all sides in olive oil and remove from pan (pressure cooker)
2. add bouquet garni, bay leaves, garbanzos and salt.
3. add enough water to cover half way
4. bring to boil, clamp cover onto pressure cooker and cook 20 minutes over moderate heat.
Dutch pancakes (breakfast)
(coached by the Dutch contingent)
6 eggs (one per person)
1 ½ c flour
1 ½ c milk
½ tsp salt
an assortment of jams
1. break 6 eggs into a bowl (warning: keep an eye on the bowl. eggs easily end all over the cabin. we learned by experience. we swore like a sailor.)
2. add flour and milk and salt.
3. whisk well
4. let stand 20 minutes
5. lightly grease a hot griddle (not possible to use a griddle in heavy seas)
6. ladle about ¼ c of batter onto griddle. Cook until set and lightly browned.
7. turn and cook other side until lightly browned.
8. serve with jam (OPTION: fill hot pancake with a grated hard cheese and roll)
NEXT DAY (Day before Thanksgiving, I believe)
DINNER:
Curried chicken salad
chicken pieces (off the bone, in chunks, about 6c)
½ c mayonnaise
3 tbsp mango chutney
1 tbsp curry powder
toss together
serve with cucumber & yogurt salad
1 ½ english cucumber
1 ½ c yogurt
1 tsp cumin seed
toss together
22.53N
26.33W
There’s some catching up to do here, recipes aside.
We passed south into the Tropic of Cancer last night. It feels it. The sun grows warmer as we go.
We are being carried by the Trade Winds. They come from the E/SE.
The cloud formations surrounding them are unmistakable. Low-lying cumulus puffs.
The last few days have been filled with adjustments: nautical, psychological, physical,
culinary. The wind forced us south,
with speed and varying degrees of seasickness.
A malaise took me over which, I think, has been as much a result of the
meeting place between my hectic life on land and these seemingly endless days
of nothing to do but keep one’s balance, not throw up, and cook. Reading is still touch and go. It’s hard to concentrate, with all this
movement. Reading at night (by flashlight
– we’re conserving our battery power for more urgent needs) is impossible. At this time of year the nights only grow
longer. I simply cannot sleep for all
the hours that I spend in my bunk at night (roughly from nightfall to
sun-up). So I have taken to
revery…which is not in the least unpleasant.
Appetites are growing. We’ve
used up our supply of fresh meat and have switched to fresh bean soups,
flavored with some nice Spanish sausages.
None of us are much for drinking alcohol, which is unusual for this
crew. Stomachs are still sensitive.
The mood among us, despite nausea, is one of great camaraderie. We are all in the mood to laugh and converse
or to be quiet together. Sometimes we
sing. Last night Rulik and Marieke
brought out their flutes and played Irish tunes.
My temper has flared twice, quickly, when someone has put their nose
into my business (both times food-related).
And I’m irritated by special food requests, which always come from the
two ladies. But this is far less
friction than I’d anticipated from such close living quarters with so many
people.
Peter is experimenting today with baking bread in the pressure
cooker. Marieke has done her laundry
off the back of the boat. And I am
experiencing relaxation for the first time since leaving home. It came while I was dangling my feet off the
back of the boat in an effort to soak my dirty feet clean.
We did, by the way, experience about 36 hours of quite rough
sailing. It was almost impossible to go
below. During that time I seriously
envied the men’s’ capacity to pee off the side of the boat. Penises are a good thing.
32.24.01N
29.36.31W
A whale is cruising along with us.
A WHALE.
And Peter has baked three loaves of bread in the pressure cooker, 1 whole
wheat and 2 raisin. We’ll have
bouillabaisse for dinner with the tuna caught this morning. Last night we had Sushi (tuna) and Talisker!
J
Susie (the other American on board, also from New Jersey – (Westfield)
– and I kept track of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I did the music and she did the baton
twirling.
21.18.94N
30.56.84W
7.7 knts
bearing 250
recipe catch-up
2 nights ago
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion
8 cloves garlic
8 cloves
1-2 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 tsp coriander seeds
1-2 tsp quatre epices (“four spices”)
1 tsp paprika
500g dried garbanzos, soaked overnight
5 bell peppers, cut in large pieces
1 parsnip
2 eggplants, cut in large pieces
500g couscous
water
1. In a pressure cooker, saute onion, garlic, garbanzos, peppers, eggplants in olive oil
2. add water to cover
3. bring to boil and simmer, covered (under pressure) for 20 minutes.
4. carefully open pressure cooker
5. add couscous and stir
6. cover and let sit for 5 minutes
7. serve
LAST NIGHT
(Thanksgiving)
Bouillabaisse
(fish soup)
1 freshly caught tuna (thank you Peter and Rulik) (small to moderate size), filleted and cut into large pieces
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
10 medium white potatoes, coarsely chopped
20 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
4 bay leaves
1 bouquet garni
1 chili pepper snapped in half
1. Saute (in pressure cooker) in olive oil, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, potatoes, until potatoes are a bit tender
2. add tomatoes
3. bring to boil, cover and simmer under pressure 10-15 minutes
4. carefully uncover
5. add fish and gently simmer five minutes (no pressure)
serve with
Bruschetta (grilled bread, in this case Peter’s “Pane
de Porto Santo” made by his own hands in our pressure cooker! Daily!)
8 slices bread
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1. brush bread with olive oil
2. rub with smashed clove of garlic
3. toast in oven until crisp and golden
1,750 miles to go. It’s our
ninth day at sea. It goes neither
slowly nor quickly. Night becomes day
and day turns into night. There is no
sense of monotony. The ocean is
constantly changing. The size and
direction of the waves. The play of
light on them. The angle of the sun. And the sky is never two moments the
same. The cloud formations, though
consistently cumulus, come and go, cover the face of the sun, expose it. At night theirs is a particular
presence. They hover above, like huge
Thanksgiving Day Parade floats, filtering, sometimes blocking completely, the
planets and stars.
Constantly there is so much to look at and feel. Rocking, rolling, pitching, occasionally
smashing. To do even the simplest act –
washing a fork – requires the balance of an acrobat and the stomach of a test
pilot. Each day it comes more
naturally. Each task is a project. Just getting out of bed takes planning and
attention.
The sea is smooth today.
Francis (a surgeon) cleaned the fish.
Susie is making banana bread. I
laundered the dish towels, made tea and oatmeal. Marc is at the helm.
Peter is waiting for the galley to clear to make yet more bread. Tim, Rulik and Marieke are asleep. Marieke has offered to cook dinner
tonight. I’m glad for the break.
1. Marinate dorado (freshly caught) fillets in chopped fresh ginger and Wild Turkey (bourbon whiskey)
2. Saute lightly in olive oil
1. Saute garlic in olive oil. Remove as it browns. Saute an onion until transparent. Add 2c rice. Add 2c tomato juice, 2c water and black olives. Cook until tender.
toss together chopped fresh pineapple, apple, cucumber and lemon juice.
Peanut Sauce (for the fish)
Add 5 tbsp peanut butter to fish marinade. Add almond milk until smooth.
And with the leftovers, the next day
Mexican rice salad
leftover Mexican rice
1 fresh pineapple
1 red onion
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 can corn
juice of a lemon
toss it all together.
combo of dried Spanish sausages
2 heads cabbage, cut in quarters
1 tbsp cumin seeds
6 large carrots
10 potatoes, halved
2 cans beer
Combine and cook under pressure for 10-15 minutes. Serve with mustard and beer.
whole new Canary Island (really tasty) potatoes, unpeeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp capers
1 tsp anise seeds
rasher of bacon, chopped
garlic
1. saute garlic and bacon
2. boil potatoes
3. add potatoes to cooked garlic and bacon
4. add other ingredients.
5. toss well
1. cut pumpernickel slices in half. butter bread on one side
2. stack cheese, fried bacon and sliced tomato onto unbuttered side of bread
3. cover with other half-slice of bread, butter side out.
4. grill until cheese melts (about 4 minutes)
Linguine a la Pesce (linguine in fish sauce)
2 tbsp olive oil
8 cloves garlic
3 tbsp capers
3 tbsp dried parsley
1 freshly caught mahi mahi, cut into fillets
½ bottle dry white wine
1kg linguine
addl 1/4c olive oil
1. In a saucepan saute in olive oil 8 cloves of garlic. Add 3 tbsp capers, 3 tbsp dried parsley, fish fillets (fresh caught mahi mahi) cut in half.
2. saute 2-3 minutes, turning fillets.
3. add about half a bottle of white wine
4. remove fish and simmer sauce until reduced by ¼
5. add sauted fillet to sauce.
6. cook 1kg linguine until al dente.
7. drain and toss with ¼ c olive oil
8. toss with ladleful of fish sauce
9. serve with fish sauce ladled over the top. Should be somewhat soupy. Serve with fork and soup spoon. (grated cheese not recommended)
10. serve with tomato-onion salad
Tomato-Onion Salad (by Susie)
10 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
Toss together with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Never mind the Paella recipe.
It was mostly canned ingredients, with one small, female fish (she had
eggs in her), who it makes me sad to think about. Susie and I had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (and tea)
instead. The others enjoyed the Paella.
somewhere around Day 13 or
14
I woke up smelling rank, not pleasant even in larger quarters. Whatever the temperature outside, it was
time for a bath. The operation involves
going out on deck, getting as naked as one’s modesty allows, putting on a
harness, clipping oneself to the boat and climbing out onto the stern where,
thankfully, there is a step. And a blue
bucket tied to the rail. I went with my
harness, a wash cloth, and two towels.
And sea soap, which foams up even in salt water.
The air was cool, the sun just appearing over the horizon, so the
prospect of getting wet was not pleasant.
On hot days you just fill the bucket and dump it over yourself and start
shampooing all over, another few dumps and you’re done. Today something less chilling was
required. So I used the wash cloth as a
sponge, soaked it in the bucket of sea water, and went zone by zone (starting
at the top of my head ) until my body had gotten used to the water and then
went ahead and splashed and dumped to my heart's content. Then laundered the towels in the same bucket
and dried myself off with the wrung out small one, like when you wash a
car. I am salty. And clean.
And fresh-smelling! J
later that day
15.43.37N
42.20.41W
Day 11 since Las Gallettas,
Tenerife
Day 13 since Puerto Calero,
Lanzarote
Two days ago I woke up with my head spinning so badly I thought we were
capsizing. We weren’t. The vertigo continued several times through
the day. Susie diagnosed it as
dehydration. I started drinking water
in earnest and am feeling better but still lousy. I want to go home. I am
tired of cooking, of keeping my balance, of being away from my animals. I want my tub, my kitchen which doesn’t
rock. My bed. My front porch and Lillo.
My hay shed, wheel barrow and the horses. My washing machine, dryer and Smokie and Moonglow. My Jeep.
The wood pile. The stove. Sweet water.
I am alright. Just continuously
uncomfortable. Mildly queasy. Headachy.
Accessibly grouchy.
We lost the wind last night. We
were flying along at 10-13 knts, covering 180 miles a day. Today we’re between 5-10 knots. And it’s (fucking) hot. I took a second bath of the day while doing
the laundry and have stayed below out of the sun for most of the day, which has
only added to my malaise.
15.27.72N
44.01.12 W
My aims today are to drink water and to keep my negativity to
myself. To remember Poseidon. To remember myself. My sense of identity is leaving me. Even looking forward to home is far. We still have 16 meridians to go (3 time
zone changes). Daydreams are no longer
a comfort, are in fact, not to be found.
My back hurts from the bunk. (I
hope it is not my kidneys.) My head
hurts from too much sleep. One of our
crew grates on my nerves. I have little
appetite, which means little desire to cook.
And I am the chef! Every fish
that is caught is emotional and instinctive misery for me (I am vegetarian). I can no longer cook fish. And the sun which is now peaking out from
behind the cloud cover, is torture.
(There is nowhere to go but the moment.)
I have lost my delight in pleasing those around me. I have lost my delight in
accomplishment. For the moment, there
is little to do but be here.
I want to cry.
15.28.75N
46.21.30W
Yesterday’s sea-blues did not last long. Shortly after my bout of tears (with back turned to the crew), I
prepared a very nice bacon and cheese Tortilla Espagnol for breakfast/brunch
for everyone, which sequed into guava, brie and crackers for lunch, which
segued into curried lentils and brown rice with raisins and almonds (and
chutney) for dinner.
This morning we are under sail again.
We made slow headway yesterday, then motored throughout the night. A few minutes ago the spinnaker went up and
we’re on a starboard tack (6.6 knts at the moment). We’re about 800 miles from our destination.
Actually, what inspired writing this morning is the spread of projects
on the table which require epoxy glue.
There is a toilet seat, as well as the pressure cooker, which I’ve just
learned cannot be fixed. It is always
an inspiration and a quiet joy to see capable men fixing things.
10 cloves garlic
2 fatty chunks of prosciutto ham*
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp bacon fat
1 tsp dried parsley
½ tsp dried lavender
1 tsp herbes de provence
1 tsp rosemary
2 lg cans peeled tomatoes
2 c dry red wine
1kg spaghetti
grated parmegiano
1.
Saute 10
cloves of garlic and 2 fatty prosciutto chunks in 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp
bacon fat.
2.
Add herbs –
parsley, anise leaf, lavender, herbes de provence, rosemary
3.
add 2 large
cans peeled tomatoes, 2c red wine (from Lanzarote).
4.
simmer,
loosely covered, for two hours.
5.
serve over
1kg spaghetti. sprinkle with grated
parmegiano
Serve after a first course of
Prosciutto and Melon.
*Note that we picked up a
whole prosciutto ham in Lanzarote for 71 Euros. A great buy. We have it
hanging in a corner of the galley beside Peter’s fresh-baked loaves with a
carving knife at the ready.
Seashell pasta with chickpeas
1kg cooked seashell pasta
¼ c olive oil
juice of two lemons
1 tsp herbes de provence
1 (our last) tomato
Toss and serve
Beer omelet
Like any omelet, but use beer instead of milk. Makes it light and fluffy.
Tortilla Espagnol (serves 8)
16 eggs, beaten
1 sliced onion
t tbsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg potato
¼ tsp salt (from Lanzarote – made there, really good)
slices hard salami
1. saute onions and potato in olive oil over high heat until soft
2. add salt and rosemary
3. pour in beaten eggs
4. lower heat
5. place salami slices on top and sprinkle with pine nuts
of grilled tuna marinated in ginger, sherry and garlic
served with potatoes roasted in butter and olive oil
and an orange/anise coleslaw
12/07/03 Sunday
16.23.13N
55.09.76W
360 nautical miles to go to
our destination, Martinique, at 14.27.061N/61.02.845W J
sacrifice: something of great value given up to
something of greater value.
Dec 9, Tues, ’03
3:30AM (what is this time zone called?)
It is the middle of the night.
I got up an hour or so ago, unable to sleep, and sat down at the table
in the main cabin with peanut butter, jelly and bread, my book (The Pregnant
Virgin), my eyeglasses and a flashlight to read by.
Finally we are under sail again after some 10 hours of motoring. Sleep was not easy to come by nor sweet
daydreamings. Hence my venturing out
into the cabin for more activity. And
there activity I found.
Left in peace in my corner by the chart table, reading, movement flowed
all around me. Peter got up to use the
bathroom, Tim poked around the bread and prosciutto, Susie got up to take over
the watch on deck, Francis searched for an apple beneath the cabin table and
Marieke sang at the helm. Only Marc and
Rulik remained in their bunks. At three
o’clock in the morning. This is living.
(from my reading:)
“Love consists in this, that
two solitudes protect, and touch and greet each other.” Rainer Maria Rilke
There is one elementary
truth – the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: The moment one definitely commits oneself,
then Providence moves too. All sorts of
things occur to help one that never otherwise would have occurred…
“Whatever you can do,
or dream you can do,
Begin it.
Boldness has genius, power
and magic in it.
Begin it now.” J.W. von Goethe
from D.H. Lawrence, “I Wish
I Knew a Woman”
“I wish I knew a woman
who was like a red fire on
the hearth
glowing after a day’s
restless draughts.
So that one could draw near
her
in the red stillness of the
dusk
and really take delight in
her
without having to make the
polite effort of loving her
or the mental effort of
making her acquaintance,
without having to take a
chill, talking to her.”
Spinach Fettuccine with
Salmon and Porcini Mushrooms
1kg spinach fettuccine
a handful of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in hot water
1/3 c olive oil
¼ lb butter
2 can salmon
juice of 5 lemons
1 tsp anise seed
1 tsp dried anise leaf
1 small onion, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs
1.
combine olive
oil, salmon, lemon juice, anise leaf.
Let marinate
2.
combine
soaked porcini’s, butter, anise seed, onion.
3.
simmer 10
minutes, until porcini are completely tender
4.
toss with
cooked fettuccine. Garnish with chopped
egg.
Curried potatoes
2 tbsp sunflower oil
¼ lb butter
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 head garlic, chopped
4 lg onions, chopped
4 cloves
10 potatoes, cut into cubes
4 turnips
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp powdered ginger
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Saute the above in oil and butter until fragrant.
Add
1 can beer
2c water
Pressure cook 15 minutes.
Allow to cool 10 minutes.
Add 1 can coconut milk.
Serve over white rice with mango chutney and hot sauce.
Serve with
Orange, onion and pomegranate
seed salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Ride your horse along the
edge of the sword
Hide yourself in the middle
of the flames
Blossoms of the fruit tree
will bloom in the fire
The sun rises in the evening
ZEN KOAN
12/10/03 1:30AM
14.19.79N
60.48.08 W
Land.
Martinique ahead.
Saint Lucia a bit to the south.
12/10/03, 4AM
Saint Anne Bay, Martinique
We are moored. There is the
sound of easy surf hitting the beach, crickets, two barking DOGS. Other sailboats are moored nearby. There was a human voice other than our
own. There are lights everywhere, even
at this hour. We saw one moving
vehicle, a truck of some kind, and there are new smells, in particular that of
bay water.
It is so good to have come to land.
I feel relaxed and sleepy for the first time in the 17 days and 18 hours
since we left Las Gallettas. I am glad
to be here.
The marina at Le Marin,
Martinique
at the gas pumps
The marina – a buffer zone between life at sea and life on land. Sailors everywhere, tanned, fit, rugged, men
and women alike.
12/11/03 pre-dawn, Le Marin,
Martinique
I spoke with Chrisie last night.
The animals – Lillo, Becky, Braidy, Lampo, Hector, Smokie, Moonglow –
are all fine, but missing me especially Lillo, who has started following
Chrisie’s truck when she leaves. And
the Siamese seems to have taken up residence, which is fine with me. And maybe there’ll be Gracie, too?
The church bell in Le Marin just struck six. The cocks have been crowing up a storm.
I am with my Friends. Today we
begin to disperse to our land homes.