Thursday 3rd May 2007 3am
The computer screen shines brightly in the darkness. My eyes will never get their night vision back. It’s 3am and Tedd has just woken me from really deep sleep. I was asleep in the cockpit and I hadn’t a clue where I was when I woke.
Ush, age 12, did his first really responsible night watch last night. From 7pm till 11pm. He was fantastic. It was quite scary because we are travelling along in a ship traffic separation zone, we are just to the east of the north bound ships lane and there were enormous metal structures lining the middle of the 14 mile wide passage of water…really hard to see in the night and they loom up from the darkness, looking like something out of Star Wars. Cian and I sat out the front of the boat wrapped in blankets doing lookout for Ush. It was a really black night, with a fine mist up ahead. Cian and I started by playing guessing games but I was too tired and lay down, snoozing in a muddle of blankets. Cian asked me every so often to “just check Mum, I’m sure there’s nothing out there, but just check.” Nothing. Cian did a brilliant job too.
Now Tedd has done his 4 hours and it’s my turn.
I’m totally awake now having had to use our new toilet as soon as I woke. The loo on the boat is blocked so we’ve having to use our blue bucket. Next time I buy a bucket I’ll check to make sure the rim is smooth and there are no sharp bits where the handles attach to the rim. I realize now I hadn’t a clue what were the most important features in a bucket when I bought this one in a Turkish market last summer. I looked for strong and sturdy and one with the handle strongly attached. It is….ouch.
I tied a rope to the handle, dropped the bucket into the water and scooped up a bucket full of the Red Sea to rinse it out. Pulling the bucket up… it’s so heavy, I glanced around me. Yes, so unexpected. This joins my list of the world’s top ten places called Toilets with the Best View.
Beautiful full moon, strips of lights along the Egyptian coast, well lit oil rigs like huge dragons roaring flames, and the sound of our boat Kari surging through the water. Most sane people are asleep at 3 am but I feel so happy to be awake, alive and here.
And at having to pee in a bucket. If I had a proper land based flushing toilet, I wouldn’t be here.
4:20am
Now I understand why there are so few bloggers on boats. Actually the truth is I haven’t a clue how many bloggers there are on boats but using the computer at night, the only time when there is total peace, totally ruins your night vision. When I come into the saloon from having a good look around in the darkness outside to check for ships etc, looking at the computer screen is like looking directly into the Egyptian sun. Then I have to switch on a light to see the keyboard. Then the danger is I get so involved with the screen that I forget to look outside. Your honour, (in a maritime court) I was doing my blog at the time and didn’t see the huge ship…..sounds a bit weak. Mind you, I wouldn’t be in a court saying anything at all if there was a huge ship…it would be the end. Ok That’s it. I’m going outside to check for ships.
5am
I love doing night watch. Well, there are things I love about doing night watch. Sometimes I am so tired I have to literally drag my body through the few hours and I just dream about getting back to bed. But there are always things I love about it. Sitting in the saloon it’s like the end of the day at home when everyone is in bed and there is calm and peace in the house. The place is mine. All the happy clutter of the family but no one there cluttering your mind. And then I go outside to check for ships. I hear the rhythmic swish of the water as the waves fold back from Kari’s hull, see the hazy full moon and lights along the Egyptian and Sinai coasts and have a warm cozy feeling that all those I love most in the world are curled up down below and I am responsible for safely navigating them through their dreams in the night. And only I know where the chocolate is hidden.
