Voyage Day 12 - Sunday 30 November 2025
🌦️Sunny spells, strong north westerly winds, 16°c, heavy seas.
Not a good night! The ship was rolling a lot, which happens when there is a large swell and we are running before the wind (wind behind us). The seas are quite big 3-4m swell but the wind last night decreased. We had the Topsail, Mainsail, Forestay Sail and the Inner Jib set. Later the wind turned to the North and we set the Main, both Topsails and the Course after lunch. I went on deck a couple of times to check the weather and the sails. I tried to help put up the Course but there were too many hands on deck so I just watched. During the afternoon I caught up on these notes, played solitaire, read my book. Nico, one of the Dutch guests on board is from a dairy farming family and brought some of his farm produced cheese for us to try. His family have been farming in the Netherlands for 135 years. The cheese was very nice, tasty with a mature bite, it had small holes and a Gouda-like texture. I am also reading quickly through my last book, the Richard Osman one. The Captain told us we will be in Madeira on 3rd December, which is when I can update my blog. (I am pleased to report that my photo book ‘Arctic Norway’ is still aboard in the bookcase and after three and a half years, it is in one piece, although the  hard cover is slightly worn. Testament to the glue and stitching I did on the binding. It has also completed a circumnavigation which is noteworthy 😊). No photos from on deck today.