Whether or Not?

Yesterday there were predictions of 60knot winds here in Bayonne – that’s a force 11 which is classed as “Violent Storm”.  If it were to get to 64 knots, that is Force 12 which is “hurricane”.  We prepared the boat with extra steel warps to hold us onto our mooring. 

 

Despite these predictions the weather has been nowhere near that bad.  It’s been constantly changing, pouring with rain one minute then not the next.  There has also been a constant strong wind, which is probably around a force 7, but not what was forecast.  However, the forecast still makes grim reading, and it’s predicted we will stay here until Wednesday or later.  We were meant to leave today really, but couldn’t due to the state of the weather now, and the predicted downturn. 

 

I’ve just passed the two month on board time (November 6^th), so only a month left to go.  Progress on the project reports and task write-ups has been good, and I’m just about to finish one of the reports a week early, albeit one of the more easy ones.  However, I’m behind on my write ups of tasks, so need to try and claw back on those.  I need to give the final push for this month, and then maybe take a few days off when I get back home, before finishing everything off by working hard again. 

 

Today, we changed the fuel pump number seven over on the main engine, which was fairly fun and engaging.  Apart from that it’s been a pretty average day.  I’ve found out the Second Engineer that we normally have has gone to another ship (rather than returning here after his holiday), so I guess I’ll be carrying out the duties he left me until I leave the ship.  This is comforting to know, as I don’t know quite what I would do without these responsibilities every morning. 

 

On a totally different subject; there is some fantastic running to be had in Bayonne.  I managed on two successive days here last week, and ran down to where the sea meets the river.  You can go all the way along the sea defence wall too – although I had to stop about one hundred foot shy of the end, due to huge waves breaking over the top.  I didn’t particularly want a soaking from ten foot. 

 

On the way there are port facilities where they have trees for transportation (or receive them), and the smell of pine, or whatever it was, was intoxicating when running past.  Further on there was a little secluded beach and a fascinating walkway with Norman style arches stretched all the way down the other side of the river.  On the side I was on, there was what looked to be an old disused port railway line, raised about twenty feet above ground.  Some of it had gone, and it was all rusting, but this only added to the look and feel of the place.  I only thought of running down there by chance, as I happened to be on a coffee break last week when the ship was manoeuvring into Bayonne and I saw all these things.  I guessed which roads to follow and was correct.  I’ve put a couple of photos here of things I saw. 

 

 

Let’s see whether the weather brings more tomorrow.