As I sit in the warmth and comfort of my home here in Newport listening to the wind howl and the rain lash against the windows, the prospect of heading out to sea does not fill me with great joy. In two days time Dorade will make her final pit stop in Florida before the ship heads to Chester PA where we will be reunited. I have just about acclimatised to the cold but only in a land lubber sort of a way where exposure to the elements is merely a brief encounter with the cold night air as you hot foot it from the car into the restaurant. This time next week, assuming the weather allows, I will be spending somewhere in the region of twelve hours per day outside as we sail the 300 miles up to Newport.
Of course the ships arrival comes at tricky time for the American contingent of the crew (everyone bar me). With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching and a realistic delivery time of three days, it is likely we will arrive either on or slightly after this traditional family get together. Bizarrely after so much talk about it, I found myself feeling sad that I too might miss it before quickly reminding myself that I have never once celebrated Thanksgiving, I have no family here in the USA and therefore I really have no grounds on which to feel even mildly emotional. After re jigging the crew to accommodate family commitments, four of us will be on board allowing two proper watch systems. Not wanting my American colleagues to feel down about missing their turkey meal should we still be sailing the high seas, I ventured out in the foul weather today and procured some delicious looking turkey based freeze dried food. I am sure this thanksgiving will be memorable even if not for traditional reasons.