Day 5

Friday afternoon at sea saw the sails go up and the Lord Nelson start travelling north to the upper region of Tasmania. She passed St Helens at dusk with misty sea sky hiding a picturesque sunset. Life on board involved giving the Lord Nelson a lick of paint in anticipation of our grand arrival in Sydney in 6 days’ time. The crew were taught the finer art of tying knots and after a few faulty attempts, soon became efficient at the simple reef knot. With a “2,6, heave..” the sheets were hauled up in preparation of the increase in winds overnight. Dinner was a delicious curry and bread and butter pudding, although not all of the crew were partaking of the delicate cuisine!! As night came and the weather changed, life on-board the ship started to come a little less like a cruise and more like a she elements with cold winds, large seas, and relentless rolling of the ship testing even the most seasoned sailor. Saturday morning saw the weather turn sour, with 30-35 knot winds, large rolling seas and a 3-4 metre swell making standing still more like an adventure sport. Slippery wooden floors and socks don’t match as one sailor discovered when she inadvertently landed on the floor during one large roll- needle say the sneakers shall be worn 24/7!! For those lying in bed suffering from seasickness, even the simple task of rolling over was becoming a challenge and many of the beds now have safety nets firmly in place for the next 24 hours. With blue skies fooling the reality of life at sea on the Lord Nelson, the run across Bass Strait into Eden tomorrow evening surely looks like a ride that even Cpt Cook would have been seriously reconsidering. Roll on Eden……

Aft Starboard