Sunday 18th November
Well, we left Morocco. A fair bit of fun first, waiting for passports and ships papers and then a comedy of errors trying to buy exactly 2800 dirhams worth of fuel from 2 local lads who had no English. Shouts of 'stop' and '3 more litres' and so on rang around the pontoons. Then we ended up a few dirhams short. Louise went off to change some Euros, but only had coins and nowhere would take them.
We eventually got away around midday. I nervously helmed Chelone out of the marins over a bar showing just 8 feet. Chelone draws 6. It was lively outside so we reefed the main and set off into the swells and Westerly F5. Ross and John, the professionals on our crew ducked below, grinning, as Louise, Susie and myself took a few soakings from waves over the top, and over the gunwhales into the cockpit.
The routine then settled in once more. The wind eased, and veered into the NE, the sea calmed and took on the more oceanic blue hue as we clawed off the North African coast. Night watches came and went, and reefs were shaken out.
Louise had a bout of seasickness. It seems to affect her for the first day or so of the more lively passages, but she stands her watches as anyone who knows her knows she would. A strong lady in so many ways.
The wind died and died. 2 knots by afternon. Engine on and we motored in towards Pta Calero, Lanzarote at 04:00.
