Starting to stress has forced me to stop and sit down for a bit.  There’s so much to think about doing, and I’m away in just two days for the Tenacious Voyage.  So I made a cuppa, because that’s always helpful.  I think the process of boiling the jug, making the tea, waiting for it to brew, and then pouring yourself a cup, has it’s own calming effect.  Sitting down with it, still in my walking gear, nearly lunchtime, I thought ‘I haven’t written my blog for two weeks!’

Right so I’d better catch you up.  A couple of Fridays ago, the six of us who are sailing as ‘Team Tenacious’ sponsored by the Bermuda Sailors Home, met each other at a press conference.  We weren’t really prepared for how big it was, and lots of people in the small room, with lots of noise, but it went extremely well.  We met lots of people who helped with the planning, donating, and organising for it all to happen, and lots who had sailed on the Tenacious or the Lord Nelson before.  I even met a man who helped build the ship, and I’ve since met another lady who had a hand in it too. It was a really interesting afternoon.  There were sandwiches too so that helped!  We didn’t get the chance to ask questions, so last week the three of us support people had a meeting and compared notes.  As with any trip there were a few gaps, so we just had our last meeting this week and filled those in.  Now we feel fairly organised to tackle this challenge with our differently abled team mates in tow.  

Here’s the link to a news article from Bermuda Broadcasting. If you watch to the end you will see a couple of glimpses of me! Tap it to start or stop playing:

So how am I feeling?  There’s a few conflicting emotions going on in my terribly, often too busy brain.  My main concern is this damn new Covid-19 virus.  I can’t accept that a 30 year old healthy doctor can die of it, when the reports all along have been only people who are aged, infirmed or otherwise compromised.  It doesn’t add up.  But with sensationalist reporting, social media blowing things out of proportion, articles about Chinese imported goods being refused entry to countries, and people starting to be rude to people of Asian decent; it really has to be kept in perspective.  Today the Royal Carribean Anthem cruise liner came into Dockyards, which had a quarantine scare.  Zane DeSilva, the Minister of Tourism and Transport actually went out with the pilot ship and boarded the cruise liner before it docked, to show people there was no alarm.  Tourism is a big industry for Bermuda and it would be devastating for the economy here if ships were refused entry.  It does happen from time to time for the weather though, and not very often. I could see this ship docked at the other end of the Island on my walk today, so they’re here safely.

Here’s the article from the Royal Gazette:

http://mobile.royalgazette.com/news/article/20200212/ship-docks-after-coronavirus-scare&template=mobileart

Never the less, I’m flying through America, to the Carribean, and even though those areas are not yet affected, I’ll be taking my hand sanitiser and wet wipes and trying to stay away from coughing sneezing people. 

My other concern is: what if it goes pear shaped? What I mean by that, is not on the ship as we will be very well looked after indeed, but when in transit over the four days getting there and back.  We now have a contingency plan and emergency numbers to contact if we need them.  I’m absolutely sure we won’t , but best to have them at hand for reassurance if nothing else. The role of the supporter is to make sure the people we are in charge of have the best experience they possibly can. We certainly want that to happen. The Bermuda Sailors Home have been wonderful with all the work they have done to make this a success.

So in the last week or so I’ve learned that the sharp part of the boat is the bow (where I would put a ‘bow’ on it, at the front!) and the blunt part at the back is the stern (it’s blunt so therefore ‘stern’).  I now know port is left and starboard is right, but I can’t imagine this will help me at all since I’ve always mixed them up.  My first driving lesson stopped abruptly when Mum said ‘Indicate and turn left here’, so I indicated, checked for traffic, and turned right.  I remembered being so shocked when my mother burst out panic stricken yelling at me to pull over, and it was just that: ‘over’!  I guess I got it wrong there too, and had to wait many years for my next lesson. I still get my left and right mixed up, but only when I’m very stressed.  I am looking forward to hopefully having my own experiences like getting to climb the rigging and go out on the yard arm, seeing pods of dolphins or whales, and experiencing some of the islands we dock at.  If you would like to follow my voyage you can track the ship at this link, which is very cool.  It’s already docked in Antigua and waiting for us. I hope they’re stocking up on my favourite chippies and dairy free snacks!

You can copy and paste this link to Track the Tenacious: https://jst.org.uk/ship-tracking/

Meanwhile here in Bermuda the weather has started to warm up again, and the waters becoming bluer as the sea settles down.  I was walking yesterday and accidentally stepped in a puddle because it was so clear I didn’t realise it was water!  I feel like when I leave a country, even for a short time, I try to take everything in before I go. Almost like I’m afraid I’ll forget it with my brain overloading with all the new information it will have to process soon.  I’m looking forward to ‘going off’ island, in this more professional capacity, but I never ever enjoy the separation part from my lovely husband.  At least it’s only two weeks this time but of course it’s when the weather just starts to come right! I asked ‘What do you want me to bring you back?’, and he replied ‘A Tee-shirt’. ‘Okay, from which Island?’ – ‘All of them!’

I don’t expect to be able to post blogs while on my trip, but If I get WiFi, and some down time, I’ll do my best to keep you all informed.  

More soon – Sally