Second daily log from Gipsy Moth IV

28th February 06

Location: Flamenco Marina, Armador, Panama
Weather: Hot, Sunny, No Wind (Sticky Weather!!!!)

Today I have been experiencing Gipsy Moth IV’s onboard Sauna…. whilst learning how to edit video to keep you all up to date with our escapades. Simon Hay, outgoing mate, kindly spent a few hours helping me get to grips with the coms systems, and guess what………., the computer says Noooooo.

Being part of the computer team on Gipsy Moth is far better than joining Weight Watchers……, I’m looking forward to getting out on deck this evening to see what the world looks like!! I’m so lucky to be helping on this leg, the group from The Ellen MacArthur Trust (Maria, Laura, Barbara, and Peter) are excellent fun, game for anything, and my Skipper Sam Connelly, whom I’ve known since 1991, is great too. Please Computer men fix our coms so we can go Sailing, the local Nera engineers have done a fantastic job so far, especially as they have given up part of the Panama Carnival (Panama stops during this event completely, Nobody works during the Carnival which continues until Thursday) to help Gipsy Moth IV. Thanks also to Flamenco Marina in Armador for their support and sponsorship of Gipsy Moth IV with her berthing here.

Jon Curtis (Mate)

Before we went for lunch at the Flamenco Garage, we had to sort out the lockers that housed all the food left on Gipsy Moth from the last crew. We numbered the lockers one through to six so that it will be easy to find the food for each meal such as breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also made a list of shopping we needed for the trip .Our new skipper Sam told us that it is really important to pack all the food away careful as we don’t want the food flying around down below while we are sailing. We then had lunch at went shopping.

Barbara Kennedy (Crew)

After lunch at the local restaurant Flamenco Garage which was fantastic, we made our way into town to find a large supermarket to buy all the groceries for our 15 day trip. The only problem was the taxi we booked did not arrive, so Sam taking his life into his own hands flagged the next taxi to past. Unbelievable as it might sound but Samuel L Jackson stepped out of the taxi Kangol(hat) at the ready. His driving was relaxed to say the least but I think that is part of the local culture, however I very decent guy who even helped the girls pack the trolley with all the groceries.

Peter Topping (Crew Leader)

After we arrived back from shopping some of the locals at the marina helped us with our shopping down the dock to Gipsy Moth. Unloading it all (15 days of food) was an ordeal as we had to remove all the wrapping of plastic and cardboard, because cockroaches lay their eggs and it is easy to transfer the eggs onto the yacht without even knowing. It was scary as I kept on thinking that a cockroach would jump out of the bag. The cockroach can lay it’s eggs two days after they are born so the boat could be infested very quickly. We washed the deck down and hoped that NOTHING got through.

Laura Walsh (Crew)

After lunch at the local restaurant on the port, we ordered a taxi to bring us t a large supermarket. Our skipper had mentioned to us the crew that when shopping if we could pick up some food that we were not use too. We all picked up a piece of food. The piece that I chose a Namia it’s a vegetable that can be put with soup. Laura picked a plantane piece of fruit it looks like a large banana and lastly Barbara chose another vegetable called an avocado. The rest of the shopping was very relaxing we bought enough food to do us for 15 days at sea. There were lovely, hansom boys at the counter packing our bags and then bringing them to our taxi, they were very pleasant and one in particular said to me that I was lovely. He was very hansom and when we were leaving he give me a wink. I became very flustered with joy (laugh out load) overall our day at the supermarket was adventurous and exciting. I enjoyed it very much wanted to stay partly because of the lovely Panama boys…. (Joking)
Maria Turner (Crew)

Sam Connelly

“Work’em hard play’em hard, feed’em up to the nines, and send’em to bed so tired that they are fast asleep before their heads hit the pillow!”
Day one on the gipsy moth boat, john and I are getting to know the crew, they are truly a fabulous bunch of people. All 3 of the kids are highly motivated, full of life and dance around as if they have had far too much sugar!

The Northern Ireland cancer fund for children were offered places by the Ellen Macarthur Trust who help children suffering from cancer giving them the opportunity to learn how to sail in a safe environment.
The magical resemblance is that Sir Francis Chichester got over his cancer at the age of 58 and then proceeded on his epic voyage to circum navigate the world, these kids are going to get to taste a small part of what he had to endure.

Tonight is carnival night and the girls are getting all “Blinged up” in the background I can hear “I ain’t got nuffink to wear!!” “wotchya doin!!” “Ah I look mingin, i’m gonna look a totally different person when I get back!”