In the meantime, two more sailors have reported to the boat.
Their names are Solanki and Balvant. While the former is and ND rating, the latter is an ordnance sailor.
I plan to take them out sailing as often as I can. Better they are trained at least in methods of rope handling and reefing.
Look! What have we done to our oceans. There is all sort of much in water these days. Here is the picture of flotsam that entangled in my rudder and prop blades. Luckily, I checked if the engine was clutching in OK just before I cast off the lines.
Imagine casting off and realising that the engines wont work, nor would the rudder.
"There is a witchery in the sea, its songs and stories, and in the mere sight
of a ship...which has done more to man navies and fill merchantmen
than all the pressgangs of Europe." -Richard Henry Dana
Capt Sharma Calls Me Jim. This despite my correcting him at each instance which is quite often.
It does not annoy me one bit though for Capt Sharma, now CLOGO SNC, is a person who has kept his promise.
He had made an appearance on board the boat during one of his visits to Mandovi on a tour of inspection. It impressed him much- the boat, her voyages and her stories of solo sailing- that he promised to do something.Within days of returning to Kochi, he parcelled a bag of meals developed by DFRL for me to test and use in the improbable circumnavigation.
May his numbers multiply even as they call me Jim or by any other name.
On the flip side a rat had taken up temporary residence in the boat unknown to me. By about two in the morning today it had started on it's nightly prowl and I had to act. In a Spartan boat as the Mhadei it was not an impossible task. But having located it, it was becoming quiet impossible to lead the rodent out. Half an hour later, and concerned by the possiblility of wrecking havoc on the electricals, I took the call to kill it.
Which is what I did.
I have been feeling pretty terrible all day long. One must never look into the eyes of something that has death written on it.
