Westward Ho via the Porthole

Having just set sail once again after leaving Ponta DelGado in the Azores astern, overseen by a variety of would be Nelson's, Hornblower RN's and Captain Pugwash's all adorned with Helly Hansen jackets and their brand new Christmas present Binoculars swinging from assorted necks at a jaunty nautical angle informing anyone who is willing to listen and be bored how they would handle the manoeuvre we set sail for Antigua. One of the assembled barroom Admirals took my attention in particular as he was the owner of a particularly badly fitting "Syrup" (Syrup of Fig = Wig) and as the ship came round into the wind his forelock started to flap in the breeze, he obviously had not used enough adhesive, it looked like a scene from a Morecombe and Wise Christmas Special, this is undoubtably the highlight of my cruise so far.

The sea has been flat calm much to many people's relief and the temperature has also picked up so the regular game of "musical sun loungers" has begun a practice well worth watching. We have been lucky to have a series of very interesting lectures on historical murders and criminals which have been really well attended, there has been murder at sea, murder on a train, the Kray dynasty and the murder of Lord Erroll in Kenya a member of the famous "Happy Valley Set" which the film White Mischief was based on, it took place in the 1940's and is so convoluted, who was doing what to who, drugs, alcohol and espionage, if you like a mystery please do research and read about, Paul Stickler gave a fascinating lecture as all of his talks have been. With reference to his first talk the Murder of Gay Gibson aboard a Union Castle ship whose body might of been shoved through a porthole, I think a few on board have been threatened with that fate when they have come back and found their precious sun lounger has been commandeered by an khaki short attired, argyle sock wearing, open toed sandal wearing individual, pick a porthole punk!! 

 

Paul Stickler

The beauty of Ponta DelGado

A good bit of parking

Westward Ho