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Writer's pictureJock Hamilton

Starter for Ten, Main course for One




Having repaired the sail and re set it we had a peaceful afternoon pottering North East at about 3 knots, Noon to noon yesterday was 79 miles.

I had curried neap for dinner yesterday, a vegetarian meal, I feel the Julies approval. I’ve not tried currying swede before but it actually works very well, you’d hardly know it was only swede, well I put some red cabbage through it too. The only thing that I find with it is that, it sticks a bit to the bottom of the pressure cooker but not badly and it comes off easily enough with enthusiastic stirring with a wooden spoon.

Katharine sent me a recipe for Butternut curry which I may try to do tomorrow but don’t have many of the ingredients, I’m hoping I have a tin of coconut milk, I believe I do but need to rummage around in my locker full of tins to see. Some tins I wrote in black marker on the lid what they were in case the labels came off, others I didn’t, it’ll be one without marker on it. If I don’t have any then I don’t think even the basics of the recipe will be worth trying to adapt but we’ll see. In fact, hang on a minute, I’m sure you’re all keen to learn so I’ll have a look now..........

Sadly, no, I have evaporated milk but no coconut milk, I suspect that Katharine’s recipe may not work as well as hoped, well not that one anyway I’m going to attempt a Hungarian dish tonight which I think should work.


Having looked through my tins stash I really need to go on a longer voyage I’ve loads of them, tins of soup, ravioli, beans, chlli, tomatoes etc. Also a couple of tins of fruit salad and evaporated milk.

Katharine was asking a few questions yesterday things like what do I now wish I’d brought with me, I’d said to her nothing much other than more music, I didn’t download enough, but lentils and tins of coconut milk could be added to the list.


Here’s her list of questions:

1. Given all the bumpy seas you have endured, how have you managed to keep fresh eggs unbroken.

2. Do you managed go sleep at night, or are you just napping, working, napping, all the time.

3. Do you keep a strict ‘watch’ whereby you regularly check everything on deck at regular intervals through the night.

4. Apart from garlic, is there anything else that you wish you had brought with you, other than a spare mast!

5. What are you most looking forward to when you get home. What do you miss?

6. Has the boats handling been as you expected (bar the loss of the mast).

Answers:

1. They are in egg boxes, 2 one jammed in with milk in a locker and the other in a locker which opens from the top and has stuff piled up in it with the eggs sort of secure in that, they can’t fall down.

2. I’m sleeping more now that we’re not racing, well longer at a time that is. With the current sail set up there’s less need to alter sail area. For the last couple of nights I’ve slept through apart from having to get up for pee. When I was racing I’d be up more, not so much because of racing because we’d keep needing to put up more or reduce sail or change course a little. That was a pain because we were nearly always going into the weather so it was wet on deck necessitating oilskins prior to emerging from the cabin..

3. No, just if things feel or sound wrong.

4. Garlic, more music, possibly podcasts but I’ve never downloaded any, lentils, coconut milk.

5. A bath, company, a home that’s not moving around jerkily all the time necessitating holding on all the time. A fire.

6. Freya’s handling has been great, she’s very strong, (well, apart from the deck fitting which broke when the mast came down!) I found when sailing with the proper mast that reefing early was good, it didn’t slow us down, sometimes it increased speeds. At 20 knots true wind speed three reefs and the No1 staysail was more than enough to make good speed.



My repair of the Navtex worked, I’m now getting navigational warnings and weather on it which is good, it’s more useful around the UK actually as the shipping forecast comes through on it along with the coastal forecasts which means I don’t have to remember to write it down off the radio. I’m not sure If I’m particularly useless but I often find, listening to the forecast, that I tune in, get the beginning then zone out as it goes through viking, forties, cromarty etc. I often find I then zone in again at around Bailey and find that I’ve completely missed the one that I was supposed to be listening for. Very annoying. Luckily the coastguard around the uk transmit it every three hours along with updates on new gale warnings so it’s difficult to be completely ignorant of the met offices more alarming prognostications.


Well it’s almost time for a cup of coffee and slice of cake. Thanks for the cake at the moment going, I think, to Patrick and Sally a fruity, malty loaf. Very good.

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10 Comments


scurrie2011
Jun 03, 2021

Seems I have to login :)

Greetings from a breezy Kyles - loving your inspiring blogs 'from our man on Freya somewhere in the North Atlantic'....

Kintyre beckons you on - Helen & i just back from great wee trip with overnight in Carradale, a swim at beautiful Torrisdale beach the sea now a balmy 12'C. Kintyre 66 is being promoted as the new 'must drive' - no doubt you've cycled it both ways and all before an early GnT! Good to see folks around and things opening up. You'll see a change. A few clear jelly fish coming in but hardly any gannets tho we did see large mink who'd been raiding the pots on Carradale pier. Maybe ganne…

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Jock Hamilton
Jock Hamilton
Jun 08, 2021
Replying to

Thanks Sheena, not sure of the Kintyre 66 but Graham and I cycled across the ferry, to Campbeltown down the East side and back up the West a couple of months ago, that’s probably it is it? I was flagging towards the end, it was prior to a G and T certainly but possibly not before breakfast, we weren’t sure if we’d make the last ferry but in fact had time for a coffee at Tarbert before the penultimate ferry. Sea temperature here a boiling 12.5C. I’ve refrained from jumping in however.

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scurrie2011
Jun 03, 2021

Hi Jock - this is a 'test' . I've written a few messages but not sure if they are posting .... more soon

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Jock Hamilton
Jock Hamilton
Jun 08, 2021
Replying to

This arrived and the next one.

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julie.coldwell
Jun 02, 2021

I'm loving the Blog posts, a real treat, dropping into my inbox every day! Thank you, Jock. Are they going to be compiled into a book one day?!


Your onboard culinary talents are impressive. I could never have imagined, so many lovely meals could be prepared at the same time as sailing alone.! The aroma of freshly baked bread is pretty special. Homely and uplifting.

We used to make bread each day with the Kindergarten children for morning tea. Spread with butter and honey! Always hungrily devoured in moments.


Great news about the huge variety of cans in the store cupboard. I'm looking forward to hearing about their use!


All sounds good with Freya, and the miles to home seem…


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Jock Hamilton
Jock Hamilton
Jun 08, 2021
Replying to

Thanks Julie, I’ve worked out who’s who, the email addresses appear. Suspect I’ll not use too many cans, and end up with a stash in the larder for another cruise!

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idbids
idbids
Jun 02, 2021

Re tin labelling - refer to page 21 in The Restless Wind for future trips. Perhaps my mother’s methodology might be an improvement on your current one!!

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Jock Hamilton
Jock Hamilton
Jun 08, 2021
Replying to

With green p’s being peaches!

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Ronn Ballantyne
Ronn Ballantyne
Jun 02, 2021

Hats off to you Jock.

Chilled Out Master Mariner !!

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Jock Hamilton
Jock Hamilton
Jun 08, 2021
Replying to

Cheers Ronn,

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