No Sailing Today

Saturday 26 May : A momentous decision has been made. We are just too kn***ered to go sailing today.

Not that we slept badly our first night on Nara. We were delighted to find sheets and duvets provided. I cannot bear being cocooned in a horrid nylon bag that twists and wriggles all night until it achieves its aim of digging the end of its zip into my ribs, just as I’ve managed to nod off. I sleep superbly well on boats if there’s a spot of bobbing, but the night was calm and the berth totally sheltered. Be careful what you wish for, I know.

Ted found his stateroom to be quite satisfactory

Getting up was a bit of a struggle nevertheless, but we got ourselves organized and waited (some time) for a technician from the charter company to come and explain everything to us. We did our best to take it all in. When the chap had left, the Skipper directed an unfocussed gaze at the jammers, and you could see the analytical process hadn’t progressed much beyond “string, coloured string”.

Furthermore, the weather was gloomy – not stormy, but drizzly and certainly not up to the challenge of inspiring us to take to the seas. We decided to do some planning (yes, I know, you thought we did all that months ago), have a stroll around, a leisurely siesta, a spot of supper on the boat and an early night.

The 60-mile passage business had by now been definitively abandoned. I don’t like wimping out, but what the Skipper really needed was a relaxing holiday, and not to get back to the office more exhausted that when he had left.  It became clear that it’s not charts you need to prepare for a sailing holiday, but rather a very firm line with anyone trying to cram your diary with trips and meetings the week before you go!

Not going sailing does have the advantage that the day actually goes to plan, and a pleasant day’s pottering ensued. A visit to a ship’s chandlers is something of a novelty when you live 400km from the sea. We needed absolutely nothing, but managed to make a few modest purchases nonetheless. We were both pleased to sample our favourite Breton delicacies at lunchtime in a quayside brasserie (crêpes for him, cider for me).

I love cooking, and never more so than in strange or difficult circumstances: tiny holiday flats, picnics, unexpected power cuts - all adds to the fun. I am still learning about cooking on boats, but I have a pretty good system of lists now, a large plastic crate and a coolbox, and a suitable repertoire of hearty meals for hungry sailors. (You do have to like curry, though...) Nara's galley is pretty posh - double sink and a proper waste bin. Well fed, we tucked ourselves in early - perhaps tomorrow we can finally get our sailing holiday started!