Ratlines

A few weeks ago, I climbed into the ratlines. In case you are wondering,the ratlines are these bars tht go up into the rigging. They go between the shrouds. I took a harness and double teather up, clipping one in, the other in, the first one out then in, etc. They don't lead all the way up, just halfway. Woah! Nice view!

Revving the motor

After rushing back to the boat after seeing the castle here, we had
somebody put our alternator in. After fiddling around for a bit, he had
me start the engine. I had to bring it up to 1,200 RPM. Then 1,400 RPM.
Then 1,600 RPM. Then 1,800 RPM. Then 1,900 RPM. Then all the way back
down. ALL IN NEUTRAL. That is very bad for the motor. Vroom!

--By Rigel

Rigel's view about life-Chapter One: bellypoppers and tummyboomers

There is a difference between a bellypopper and a tummyboomer. A bellypopper flies in the sky making a thubathubathubathub sound with a big rotating thing with several bladelike things. Some call a bellypopper a helicopter. I don't.
A tummyboomer is different. It has a smaller rotating thing on the front and makes a farting sound as it flies. They don't stop moving unlike bellypoppers, which can, and they are often faster. Some call these things airplanes. I don't.

Note: I made up the thing about tummyboomers, but bellypoppers I got from the book The BFG.





--By Rigel
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

The next level

My book in school has been teaching me how to make a spreadsheet. I, however, am writing simple programs on my computer. As my computer sucks up power from the boat's battery, I can't do it very much. But I've written a calculator program that says the word ERROR! when you make a mistake. It's a real Jewel.

-- By Rigel

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

A change

Most would often say the words, "I really need a change of scenery! Well, for me, that change comes for granted. Moving around on a boat, that's unique. A year ago, we were leaving from Gibraltar. Before that, we were going across the Atlantic.
Some would say, "You should have been to the mall, dude!" I couldn't disagree more. I hate malls for one thing, and for another thing, how would they know what it's like? It's fun now that I have my sea legs, which if for another post.
-- By Rigel
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

The dreaded outboard

I am growing a personal hatred of our Johnson 15 out board motor. It goes at very high planing speeds, but it keeps breaking. We had a long time of having a problem with the water pump, which we fixed a couple days ago. Now, the starter rope came out! We pulled it and pulled it and pulled it and it came out. But I think that Orion will write about that one on Juno's Journey.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

The tunnels

Now that we are in Mahon, we went to the fort there. After a while, it was all hot then we went into these stairs that go down to the underground powder magazines. The first complex was infinitely dark. I used the camera to take flash photos to see what was ahead. There were these powder lifts that went down to the tunnels. There was another set of tunnels that had lights in it, and there was this one magazine that was chained off, and had roots dangling from the ceiling. It was awesome!