Southern Shore England

‘Old Harry’ – limestone cliffs worn by the sea near Poole, on the southern shore of England

Yes, indeed. We are steadily mile-building. 

We picked up a new crewmate in Poole two weekends ago – a friend of André, the owner – and moved Un Tigre Beau back along the southern shore of England, past the famously jagged ‘Needles’, up the Solent and back to its regular resting place in the Hamble. 

 

‘The Needles’

 

 

Entering the Solent on the approach to the Isle of Wight

 

A feisty day, force 5 – 7 winds the whole way. I was particularly pleased with the Can Opener’s steering through some nasty swell coming into the Needles Channel.

Must say that this sailing gig is quite exhilarating!  

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Red Tabby Cruising Committee Meets

The first Meeting of the Red Tabby Cruising Committee has adjourned… and it was fantastic! There were free drinks for everyone, three course meals, cupcakes to frolic in… 

Well, possibly not free for everyone – but for beloved guests of honour… absolutely. (The First Mate‘s strangled choking noises behind me are a tad reminiscent of when he was trying to bift me off the cupcake pile last night. But frankly if I heeded all of the Can Opener’s gasping and in articulate overreacting I would never get anything done. And certainly the cupcake count of my life would be dramatically lower.)

The First Mate spent the better part of this morning with Cruising Committee work: drafting emails to Cruising Section Members to publicise upcoming club cruising events this Spring. Tomorrow he’ll be compiling the updated Section contact list. Moaning and aching all day, he was. As if he were the only one frenetically employed…

At times, I do find the Can Opener has little regard for real effort – I have been busy all morning filing the leftover patisserie I looted. Filed according to colour, culinary heritage and tastiness… (Oi! WHERE did these come from, Fuzzbucket?? I thought I completely emptied your dreadful sac à main last night! My dear First Mate, that delightful Red Tabby chef absolutely pressed them upon me when I told him I could get him Dee Cafari‘s autograph. She still remembers me…)

Quality control is my forté. 

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Cruising Committee

The Cruising Committee meeting cake… of the The Cruising Kitty’s dreams

News flash:
The Can Opener has been invited to join the Cruising Committee at the Red Tabby Yacht Club!

What does it mean? Well… actually we don’t know.

They said we just had to show up for 6 dinner meetings in 2013 and maybe do some other committee type stuff. Like research and organising for upcoming events and event planning. 

Sounds pretty ominous to me.

I immediately volunteered to take care of the dinner–eating end of things and the Can Opener can do the research and organising end of the stick. We like to help the First Mate out wherever possible. Especially in the specialist area of desserts.

And we’ll get to meet a lot of other cruising cats which should be great! I wonder if Pussy Galore has signed up…

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Thermal Scones – Cheese And Onion

Thermal Scones – great for warming up cold crew 

Ever looked for recipes that fit the ingredients left in the fridge? I haven’t. All my recipes come straight from a place of divine inspiration and are planned I tell you, planned.

So when I sniffed the cheddar cubes at the back of the coolbox and glimpsed the limp green onions folded next to them, it was not ‘practicality’ raising its ugly head, but rather Bastet shooting a bolt of her brilliance earthward, lancing me delicately between the parietal lobes. I dictated to the Can Opener immediately.

Here forthwith is my received genius:

Overview

• Total time to prepare: 5-10 min to mix, 10 min per tray in the oven
• # Servings: 20 two-inch scones
• Level of difficulty: Even my First Mate, the Can Opener, can do it

Into the Dry Ingredients Bowl

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• all the cheese you got – the more the better. 1 cup is good. Cut into cubes is cheesiest.
• ½ cup chopped green onions (shallots) or leeks or even white onions

Into the Wet Ingredients Bowl

• 1/2 cup margarine or oil or butter
• 1 cup milk

Directions: 

• Pre-heat the oven. 
• Mix everything in the dry bowl. 
• Mix everything in the wet bowl. 
• Grease a baking tray. 
• Dump the wet bowl in the dry bowl and mix everything together. 
• Drop the batter by spoons onto the tray. 
• Bake at 230°C (450°F) for 10-12 minutes. 
• Serve warm.

Tasty Options: Add a few chopped herbs if your crew has been trained to enjoy this (a teaspoon is enough for a whole batch). Fresh is best, I have a real nose for finding rosemary bushes when ashore and instruct the Can Opener to load up whenever possible. Thyme and sage work well too.

Thermal Cheese Onion Scones are great for warming up cold crew as they (the scones) keep coming out of the oven piping hot.

Got any favourite cheeses and/or herbs and/or options that you’ve added to savoury scones?


–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Note: Most cats are lactose intolerant. They love cheese, treats are good – but they shouldn’t be carving out a new daily food group for it. Captain Cat, on the other hand, is unique. He can eat anything, anywhere, anytime. Bring it on.

Cruisin’ Lectures – Autumn 2012

Done! 

The end of the summer sailing season has come and gone. There are still a few chances to get in some on-the-water training in the next few months, but it’s also time to look forward to Autumn/Winter and plan for all the best land training this new season will bring.

I have set up a first draft of the Can Opener’s lecture schedule. There’s loads of opportunities to learn in the big city!

I’ve booked the First Mate for:

• 7 lectures at the Cruising Association
• 1 lecture at the Red Tabby Yacht Club (so far, hopefully more to come…)
• 4 networking events at the Red Tabby Yacht Club
• 2 trips to the Southampton Boat Show
• 8 mini-lectures at the Southampton Boat Show 
• 2 RYA specialist courses – First Aid and VHF

It’s a good start. 

Hopefully I’ll be able to load him with a few more learning opportunities as they arise this Autumn/Winter.

We’re taking it to the next level this year. We’re gonna do it aaaaaaaaaall!



–Captain Cat (transcribed by the Can Opener)

Victualling And Food Care

Next up at the Cruising Association last weekend, was a lecture on ‘Victualling And Food Care’, with Sandy Duker. O my!

Food is my personal favourite and my own specialty. I do love to organise the First Mate to a well provisioned yacht! Preparedness for every exciting milestone in the day (ie. every meal time) is a top priority.   

As Sandy approached the lectern, I leaned forward on the Can Opener’s shoulder to catch her every pearlescent word. I knew I indeed had a secure grip on my perch to get me through her lecture when the First Mate let out a mighty yelp.

Sandy revealed all her secrets of food care aboard yachts and the Can Opener wrote ’em down:

Assumptions 

• You are catering for 2-3 weeks,
• refridgerator exists,
• but no freezer.

Consider 

• likes of the crew
• medical conditions eg diabetes
• allergies 
• is the boat ‘dry’ or ‘wet’? 
• people eat more at sea – out of boredom, because they are cold, on watch… 

Meal Structure / day

• 3 meals
• 3 snacks
• Happy Hour!   

Planning Provisions

• overcater for drinks
• plan meals sequence to match freshness of the fruits/vegetables
• make a daily planner… and convert it to your shopping list
• plan to grow your own sprouts, herbs 
• leave big roasts till end of journey as they take longer to defrost 
• overestimate how much water you need – do NOT rely on watermakers. These break down regularly.
• overestimate hot beverages needed
• plan for every eventuality – assume that you cannot rely on the fridge, the watermaker etc…

Good Things To Include In Your List

• lemons
• limes 
• dried fruit
• squashes – they keep forever
• beans, chick peas
• patés in tins
• freeze dried meals – found in moutaineering shops, can also be ordered online
• fish – do not rely on fish caught at sea. You may catch ’em, you may not… 
• cereal bars (better than chocolate for snacks which melts in the heat)
• fresh herbs growing 
• tinned olives, nuts
• fruit cake

 
Note: packaging

• flour and grains that are pre-packed (ie not loose in bins – more likely to have insect eggs in them that will later hatch…)
• soups in packets (take up less space)
• tomato sauce in tins (not in tubes as these are often badly crimped and leak) 
• choose packaging that squashes flat (eg UHT boxes) as you will be carrying all that garbage to the next port…
• no carboard!

Fishing 

• need a fish hook/gaff to bring the fish aboard
• make sure the fish is really dead before you bring it aboard – or there will be an awful mess in the cockpit
• PUT A SIGN next to the engine to remind yourself to bring in the fishing lines before you start the engines
• consider any fish you catch to be a bonus, an extra to provisions. Don’t rely on them!

How to Shop

• if in a rally eg ARC, where there are many other people provisioning at the same time – you need to buy earlier
• shop in the markets yourself – don’t arrange for delivery
• choose both ripe and under-ripe produce
• supermarkets near yachting centres will often vacuum pack your meat in portion/meal-sized eg Las Palmas, Canarias 
• be careful – some countries leave the ribs in meat which can puncture the vacuum packing
• look for Cruising Association members discounts at stores eg Jolly Harbour in St Lucia

Water Conservation 

use salt water for:

• washing hair with dishsoap and a freshwater rinse
• washing dishes
• washing vegetables with salt water in the middle of the ocean – water is clean

Food Care

• yoghurt – make your own
• eggs – turn them daily
• remove packaging 
• double wrap pasta and grains in your own plastic, seal and date
• wash all fruit and vegetables, and air dry in cockpit before storing
• store potatoes, onions, carrots in string bags in cupboards – for airflow and its easier to check them through a string bag
• use ‘stay-fresh’ bags
• inspect food every day – because it will suddenly go off in one day and must be used immediately
• store cheese in boxes in fridge, and/or wrap in a vinegar cloth

 
Managing Inventory

• date and label all tins and bags with permanent marker – contents and date
• name each of the lockers eg SFP, saloon forward port (to refer to in inventory lists)
• NOTE: if boat hull is dark then storage lockers will get very warm/hot
• inventory list: product, package type, number, location
• do weekly physical inventory check
• update provisions inventory list every time something is used

Cooking

• pressure cookers are:
• faster
• use less gas
• easier for washing up – only 1 pot
• good in rough weather as are sealed

The Cruising Kitty’s Favourite Books 
on Provisioning and Food Care 

1. Care and Feeding of the Sailing Crew, Lin Pardey
2. Sail Away!, by Paul and Sheryl Shard

 

 

Wow! A ton of good advice from Sandy. We’ve heard much of it before from others, but it’s always good to hear it again and to know that this stuff really works!

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)