I awoke sometime after midnight and went to the galley to get a glass of water, then checked up top. My new neighbour was conspicuously absent. I’m not surprised, those few feet made the difference between Zanshin‘s acceptable rolling motion and their wild motion. The winds and waves had picked up significantly. I assume they went to anchor off Hillsborough and I think they made a good decision. So it is mixed blessings – a wondrous location but an uncomfortable rolling aboard.
Sometime around 2AM I woke because of a very bright flash. I started counting seconds in my head and waited for the delicate sound of thunder. After about 15 seconds I heard that ominous bass rumble. OK, so the strike was about 5KM away. I waited a couple of minutes for the next flash and repeated my counting. This was a couple of seconds further away. So I went back to sleep.
Morning
Rolling around is no fun today. If I let my mouse go while the occasional rolls set in, it moves around. The monitor base is glued down, and the keyboard won’t slide. Making coffee just now was a lengthy process as I couldn’t fill up the filter more than halfway. Even then, I had to hold things down. And now that I’ve typed these two sentences, the boat is once again stable. But in a couple of minutes there will be another cycle of rolling.
If only my current anchor set weren’t so solid, I’d try to anchor a bit further inshore. It looks like Sea Life is rolling a lot less than Zanshin, and they are about 2 boat lengths further inshore.
I don’t get seasick or generally bothered by vertigo, but I did notice today that this rolling has set me on edge. I’m frustrated at work, and even a bit short with my colleagues on video calls. Either the cause was just not getting a full night of sleep or this rolling is actually getting to me. Of course, it could just be me turning into a grumpy old man :).
Noon
It is still rolling, but getting better. I have some more work to do, then I’m off for the day. I’ve been invited over to another boat for some sunset drinks, along with Marjorie and Mark; that should be a welcome diversion. And it will be my first time aboard an Aluminium yacht as well.
Mixed blessings indeed. I don’t know what I did yesterday, but I managed to either sprain or break my 2nd left toe. It hurt during the night and was quite swollen this morning and the swelling remains – plus it is quite tender to the touch and immobile. I’ll tape it up once I finish my office work and start moving around the boat. The mixed blessing of a great view and temperature and an uncomfortable rolling makes it tough to decided if the day, overall, was a good or bad one.
It is funny how looking at websites for advice on broken toes give such different answers. The NHS and German sites only recommend visiting a doctor if there are bones poking out or the toe is pointed in the wrong direction. The US sites all immediately say that you must consult a medical professional. I wonder if they are just afraid of getting sued, or they really believe that. I’m taped up, just as would have happened at a doctor’s office, but at much lower expense.
Afternoon
I had to cool down and get away from the incessant rolling, so I donned fins and mask and went snorkelling. The bound toe didn’t work too well, but there’s no current so one-footed worked well enough. I saw more life today than before – small rays, lots of brightly coloured Chromis and other fish, and my first octopus. That one blended so well that even close up with the camera it was hard to detect.
Happy Hour
Marjorie, Mark and I dinghied across to Razorbill, where Angela and John hosted us for some drinks and a very tasty focaccia/pizza. We talked at length about gliding, boring Marjorie and Mark – both of them are ex-glider pilots as well. It was a good coda to a day of mixed blessings – and the rolling wasn’t evident upon my return to Zanshin, either!